Conference outline

“From the Shadow of Adam, to the Substance of Christ” Gen. 2:7-3:21 & John 19:19-42

Exploring the three typological items & examples in the garden to see the shadow outline of a Savior that was to come

The historical narrative of the garden and its leading to the better Adam (outline of the shadow with key passages and general text) start in gen 1:26-28----remember that this outline is the “glorious redemptive historic story of the seed of promise”

outline of the failure in the garden, outline of the victory through the cursed tree of Calvary.

also speak about the deadness of our first life, the fruit it has bore, and the walk in the newness of life.

rough historical outline of bible verse

Add that Adam was born of a virgin earth in a unique particular way and that Christ likewise was born of a virgin woman in a unique particular way.

The theological implication of Federal Headship in Adam to Christ (broad brush stroked with specific scripture that produces theological doctrine using the 1689 LBCF) -thought born naked and dead trying to cover ourselves with bloody tainted clothes. covenant of works gen 2:16-17,

deadness in our sin, fallen with our first father (apple tree produces apples), newness of life through our everlasting Father (representative: Jesus), The seed Jesus Christ, Better federal head as salvation in both old and new testament (1689 LBCF), heavy reliance on confessional truths- also marriage as representatives of Christ and the Church even and especially in the garden, God glory in all the things in the garden including His sovereignty.

also speak about the depravity from the first Adam, followed by the glory of the newness of life in the “Better”

specific theological bible verses

The promise that leads to the removal of sin through a sacrifice made by God (the specific detail of the shadow that brings us to the feet of Jesus, producing application and a contrite fearful heart to the being of YHWH)

details that will be discussed: pride, self righteousness humiliation, regeneration, hope, faith, encouragement, sacrifice, penal substitutionary atonement, propitiation, and new covenant instituted in the better Adam (Hebrews 8:6-13… Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection)

also speak about the danger of the linger dead man affecting of our joy of Christ living in us.

don’t go chasing waterfalls (waterfalls a.k.a. shadows) but cling unto the substance. The “old” through the shadows have been brought to and ended with the “new”

proclamation of truth through bible verses that show substance in my Lord and my God, Jesus

The thread of the promise is begun in the garden and seen piercing through each text until it goes through the eye of the needle, the cross, and grasps up to the salvation that was foretold.

Setting the scene of the garden to the tomb

We all know the account of creation that the inspired word of God set out for us in Genesis 1-3. as we don't have the time to read the entirety of the text in the hour that i have been alloted for today, we will rely on the know narrative with some specific text that will be read.

The 1689 LBCF lays out the story as such, in chapter 6 paragraph 1 and 2 we read:

God created humanity upright and perfect. He gave them a righteous law that would have led to life if they had kept it but threatened death if they broke it.  Yet they did not remain for long in this position of honor.

By this sin our first parents fell from their original righteousness and communion with God. We fell in them, and through this, death came upon all.  All became dead in sin and completely defiled in all the capabilities and parts of soul and body.

We see that God is the creator of all things and in this creation, he has not left it void of His holy wise purpose, but through His divine purpose our first parents were created in the best of all conditions. They were upright and perfect, living in a world not stained by the touch of sin or death for all creation was good in the eyes of God. they are placed in a garden, which no one before them had walked or lived in. Gen. 1:27, 31

Genesis 1:27 LSB

27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:31 LSB

31 And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

We see that God has purpose in all these things. They were created from the dust of the earth and in the imago dei . They had the transcendent law written upon their heart along with the communicable attributes of God. He gives them a command and in this command, a covenant of works was imposed. It was dependent upon positive law that required obedience with a just punishment if broken. Gen 2:16-17

Genesis 2:16–17 (LSB)

16 And Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may surely eat; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat from it; for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

Life if obeyed but death if broken. God gave this command to our first father Adam.

Now we all know what takes place after the fall. We will examine this more in detail shortly. But after they are seen as fallen due to Adam breaking the given commandment of God, they are cast into ta fallen world that is a result of their own fallen stature. Could you imagine the first time walking the ground that had been punish due to your sin. Taking a step from the garden that had flourish in God’s providence under the care of man , to then walk upon the thistles that grew because of this sin that you had sown in all your prosperity.

Looking at these quick outline of the creation of man we can come to a few conclusions that will be the back drop of the shadow of Christ.

God created man from the dust of the earth. He is from below, birthed of the virgin earth as no other man had been created or lived in her.

Man and woman were created in the image of God with the a law or covenant of works given to them. This law was not kept, resulting in all mankind falling in Adam.

They were created and placed in a world that was without sin. The best of all conditions since the beginning of creation.

After sinning against God, they are cast out of the garden into the world that is now beginning the stages of decay that all stem from the curse that Adam brought through his fall.

Now from this we will take a quick look and outline of the life of Jesus Christ

The Word becoming flesh and dwelling with us

We too, I hope, are familiar with this story as we should be with the garden. The story of Jesus is the substance of the shadowy outline of the historical narrative of Gen. 1-3. Let us examine a line of verses to lay this out. John 1:1-3

John 1:1–3 NASB95

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

John 1:10–14 NASB95

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

This Jesus who was born of a virgin, thus receiving no sin nature, came to His own and his own did not receive Him. This Christ, the messiah, was rejected by the very world that He created and sustains even to this day. Oh how far that the decay of of that first sin has now developed. God in His humility becomes flesh, but is utterly rejected, thus proving the depravity of mankind.

John 8:23–24 NASB95

23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

This Word becoming flesh, the God-Man, is unique as He is tabernacling around His creation including those that are from below.

Now this then brings the question of what God in flesh deserved while He was dwelling amongst us. The answer is obvious. God did not change in His incarnation, thus violating His immutable nature.

The same glorious worship that God received upon His throne in Isaiah 6 that is expounded on in John 12 as being Jesus sitting lofty and exalted upon His throne receiving worship from the angelic host, is the same worship that He was completely and utterly deserving of by all His creation. Yet what did He receive? the people crying out holy, holy, holy? Did we fall on our faces and never let His feet tarry another day? Did we sing His praise day and night, our throat bleeding the might song of the Lord? Did we welcome Him, love Him, adore Him, praise Him, or any other deed that is worthy of being given to the priestly King of kings? No! We did not! you did not. even you have sinned from the day you were born thus showing your full acceptance of the sown seed of decaying fleshing in your nature. What did the people cry out? Luke 23:20-23

Luke 23:20–23 NASB95

20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21 but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” 22 And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” 23 But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail.

What come next? Him walking the hill of Calvary, suffering for His sheep, and paying the penalty of sin for the elect that are in Him. but what happen at the end of this rejection is quite unique and is where we see the meeting of both historical events; the garden and the cross. John 19:40-42

John 19:40–42 NASB95

40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Now we all know that it is this tomb that even until toady remains empty thus validating the trust put in Jesus, for He who lives is worthy to have our granted faith placed in Him.

So let us look at the quick out line of this substance:

The preeminent one, the Creator, Sustainer, and only Savoir becomes flesh. Having the fulness of the image of God not stained by the sin of Adam. He is from above, born of a virgin, wrapping Himself in flesh showing the perfect example of humility.

He walked a perfect sinless life. The covenant of works that all people have fallen and broken are perfectly adhered to in Jesus Christ. Not a jot or tittle was broken by Christ. For He is heralded as the perfect Lamb of God that takes away the sin of this world.

The Word in His incarnation steps into a fallen, sin drenched, filth covered, ranched spoiled, decaying world that moans as it awaits its full redemption. The Word tabernacled amongst the most vile of what this world had to offer Him. That is mankind.

He is rejected completely in a fallen world. This rejection leads to Him being cast upon a cursed tree which is the most vile evil and the most glorious good at the same time. This result in His body, lying dead, suffering the penalty of sin, being outcast to a tomb in a garden which no one else had laid.

Adam was created from below. Jesus humbly coming from above.

Adam living in the perfect of conditions, fall. Jesus condescending from His throne, comes to the worst of conditions and completes what man could not: righteousness through obedience.

Adam was in a garden, failed and was cast into a fallen world covered by the darkness that was emitting from the sin in himself. All while he lived another day. Jesus came to that fallen world emitting the exact representation of the Father, was cast out by man into a garden where no one else had laid

The fall of Adam brought death, The rising of Jesus has brought life

Theologically

Read Romans 5:12-

Federal headship, fallen with Adam risen with Christ

Christ the God-man was Priest and spotless sacrifice, He was Prophet and complete fulfillment, He was King and righteous subject, He was sinless yet cursed, He is the creator yet despised, deserved worship yet He was rejected, He was Perfect yet pierced, He was Undeserving yet suffered, He Gives life yet was put to death, He was dead but now He lives. In a tomb but now on a throne, He was bruise yet He crushed in victory! The Substance that was promised in no longer a mere Shadow. The slain Lamb is standing!