The first Adam and the first man, the father of all mankind, lost his boundless freedom, his sinless innocence and his godly glory and image of God, when he fell into unbelief, disobedience and sin. He lost all authority and rulership over the creation of God. He lost the Paradise that God placed him in as God threw him out of it. He had to labour to survive. And, he would die a sorrowful death.
When believers of God put their faith in His Word, obey and receive the forgiveness from their sins, Jesus Christ the last Adam and the second man set them free from the punishment and power of sin. He gives, them a clear conscience free of guilt and shares His own glory and divine nature with them. He bestowed them with all authority that is exclusively His. Believers regain the Paradise their father lost as God brings them in. He gives them rest and eternal life.
However, there are at least three unspeakable blessings that the believers will receive more than what Adam, their father, lost: (There would be a lot more. Hold on!)
(1) Address God, Abba Father for ever - the doting relationship with God the Father:
Even though the Luke mentions Adam as the son of God (with a lower-case 's') as he does in the rest of the genealogy, we don't read anywhere in the Scriptures of Adam addressing God as his father. In fact, even though God created Adam in His likeness and His image, Adam forfeited the privilege of remaining his son by switching allegiance to the father of lies, Satan, soon enough. The unbelieving mankind became the children of this abominable father, the Devil.
"I will be his God, and he shall be my son", is the declaration that God issues in chapter twenty-one. It is about the believers who are overcomers and His heirs. They have drunk of the water of life freely that He gave to them. The Holy spirit that they have received is the Spirit of adoption that enables them cry "Abba, Father". "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father", says Paul. We will be addressing Him with the very words that Jesus uses to address His Father.
(2) Drink the water of the river of Life - the enduring presence of the Holy Spirit of God:
Adam fellowshipped with the Lord in the garden of Eden. However, it was always during the cool of the day - a limited set time. He could not enjoy and cherish His presence continually.
The angel showed John a pure river of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God. It was clear as crystal. God spoke about such a river in the forty-sixth Psalm. This river makes the city of God glad. God is in her midst. She shall not be moved. The people of God will not be shaken or troubled by anything. No asteroid would hit the new earth.
The Holy Spirit is the fountain of this water of Life. The water is unpolluted. God' Spirit is pure and purifies the believer. He makes the citizens glad of His refreshing and life-giving flow. The Holy Spirit indwells a believer. He springs forth from the throne of God that is established in the hearts of men. The ecstatic experience begins right from here when a person receives the Holy Spirit. He becomes the temple of God. The Holy Spirit starts satisfying the thirst of believers who come to Jesus. And, they further become the conduits and distributaries of this river of living water. They become the abode of the Holy Spirit Who lives in them for ever.
(3) Eat the fruit of the tree of Life - the enriched nourishment of the Lord Jesus Christ:
Adam (and Eve) had access to the tree of Life but they forfeited their privilege by not eating of it. They chose the wrong fruit tree that was forbidden for them. As a result, the tree of life was forbidden for them thereafter. So near but so far!
The river of Life that flowed from the throne of God had streets on either side. Amid the street was the tree of life. She bears twelve manner of fruits. Twelve here would again mean God’s government. It yielded her fruit every month. Even the leaves of the tree have the power to heal the nations. The Holy Spirit produces fruit of life in the tree of life.
The very tree of life that became out-of-bounds for sinful man is now accessible to all saints who have come to God. All who keep His commandments have right to the tree of life. The tree of life is perennial yielding twelve manner of fruits. Those who eat of her fruit will live forever.
The tree of life is characteristic of the Lord who said, “I am the Life”, and added, “I have come that they might have life and that, abundantly“. Those who partake of Him will live forever. This is the sole meaning of the table of the Lord. They keep receiving nourishment from Him all the year round. They are kept alive and thriving because of the energy they receive from their Lord.
Believers, in turn, produce life-giving fruit to others who seek for eternal life. The words they speak and preach brings life to the spiritually dead mankind even here on this earth. They will produce spiritual fruit that will sustain life. They will continue to produce fruit without ceasing. They will continue to exhibit the characteristics of the tree they belong to. (Recollect the 'true vine' and the 'branches' that Jesus spoke about in John chapter fifteen. Believers will bear mush fruit). They will also bring healing for the broken hearted people of the earth.
Blessings abound where’er He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blest.
Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost. -Isaac Watts
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