Read: Romans 5:12-21
As we go through this series on the Blood of Jesus on Sunday mornings, I want to point out for the next few weeks some of the people in the Old Testament and how they point to Christ and His redemption.
So first, we will start with the first. Adam – the first man, created in the image of God. Placed in a garden and given dominion over the creatures. Charged, along with Eve, to be fruitful and multiply. To bring life, and to cultivate it. Is that what they did? No, actually quite the opposite.
By disobeying God, by trying to take control of their own lives – they brought death. The world became cursed because of sin. Everything would now show signs of death and decay, there would be pain and suffering, they would experience the effects of evil and corruption. And above all, their image was marred. Mankind would now be infected by sin. The ones who were supposed to represent God in this creation were now separated from Him.
Yet even in the middle of God announcing this curse, He gives a glimmer of hope – He promises an offspring, a snake-crusher (Genesis 3:15).
And so here we come to the second Adam, the offspring, the snake-crusher. God had worked for centuries, weaving together His story of redemption, which finds a pinnacle here – in Jesus Christ. Jesus, the perfect image of God, come to reveal Him to the world. But not only that, come to do what the first Adam couldn’t. He came to reverse the curse. By His blood, we are restored. By His death, He has given us life. By His sacrifice, we are brought near. By His defeat of sin on the cross, everything will once again be made whole.
One man brought sin and death upon creation. But thank God that is not the end of the story. Because One man brought righteousness and life for all that would accept His grace.
Adam and Eve tried to take control of their own lives. But the problem is that they were never created to do that. We were never created to do that. And because of Jesus, we can surrender our lives to God – becoming what we were always meant to be, His children, His perfect image.
The blood of Christ restores us, and one day it will restore all of creation. The first Adam may have brought death and destruction on creation, but the Second Adam brings life and re-creation. For this world, and for you and me.
