The Covenant with Adam Genesis 2:4-3:6

Throughout our lives, we are conscious of people making decisions on our behalf, decisions that both positively and negatively impact our lives. When we are children, our parents make decisions about where we will attend school and what activities we’ll experience. As adults, our elected representatives make decisions about the direction of our country. Recently, an acquaintance shared that in his home country, a leader suppressed an opposition party and jerry-rigged an election which ignited civil confl ict. Millions of people are forced to live in fear and uncertainty because of the decision of the one. In like manner, the Bible states that Adam was appointed by God to represent humanity. His obedience to God’s covenant would benefi t his posterity with life and blessedness. His rejection of God’s word would bring God’s judgment upon himself and all humanity. Today, our separation from God, the grim reality of death, and the toil we experience in the world are a direct result of Adam’s decision. Wondrously, God did not forsake humanity but sent His Son as the greater Adam. “As Adam was tempted by Satan, so Jesus would be tempted by Satan. But whereas Adam disobeyed God and followed Satan. Jesus obeyed God and sent Satan away (Matt 4:1-11).” 1 In Romans 5 Paul calls Adam “a type of the one who was to come” (Rom 5:14). To believe Jesus Christ as the greater Adam is to enjoy a life of peace and assurance. It means that the great work is a fi nished work. The great business of life is settled by one who is infi nitely wise, by one who has our interests at heart. It means that the great debt is paid by one of infi nite generosity. It means that the great disease has been healed by the Author of Life. There is something inside each of us, when we’re faced with a problem we can surmount, to put the problem into the hands of someone infi nitely stronger and who loves us. And this is precisely what we have in Jesus Christ. As Tirian whispered to Jill, “Courage, child: we are all between the paws of the true Aslan.” 2