LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
The Second Man
In several places, the Bible recognizes the existence of two men, Adam and Christ, the earthly and the heavenly. The first man represents sin, misfortune, the failure of God's purpose with man. But, thanks be to God for the "second man", for the man Jesus Christ, because he was a man approved by God. From them are derived two races, two families, with two distinct origins. And one emerges from the other. We have all been born "in Adam", but we all have the opportunity to be "reborn in Christ".
In all believers there are these two natures: the earthly and the heavenly, the first man and then the second man. But we earthly are being transformed into heavenly, because God's approval is upon the second man.
In the Old Testament there are emblematic examples of this. Abraham had two sons: Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was the son of Abraham's slave, and, as such, he could not inherit the heavenly riches that Abraham represented. Isaac, on the other hand, was the son of "the free," the aged Sarah. Isaac represents Christ, born not according to the normal, but by a miracle and by a promise of God. Thus, the old (Adamic) nature "mocks" the new nature, it causes it discomfort, they cannot coexist together, one must yield to the other. The flesh must yield to the spirit.
Similar is the story of Esau and Jacob. The former despised his birthright and sold it to the latter. Thus, God's blessing was once again upon the second man. "Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated", said God. Before the old man Jacob died, his son Joseph -the second greatest man in Egypt- brought before his dying father his two sons to bless them. Jacob, with great spiritual sensitivity, blessed the younger, Ephraim, over the older, Manasseh. At Joseph's complaint, Jacob replies: "I know, my son, I know, but his younger brother will be greater than he" (Gen. 48:13-19). Once again the spiritual principle is fulfilled, the second will go further than the first.
The first generation of Israelites who came out of Egypt, figure of the flesh, of the Adamic nature of which one must divest oneself, disappeared in the desert, all except Joshua and Caleb. The second generation, on the other hand - figure of the second man and figure of the resurrection - goes much further, takes possession of the good land and pleases the heart of God.
Later, Saul, the first king of Israel, who represents rebellion and obstinacy, fails miserably. Then David will arise, a type of Christ, a broken man, who weeps many times in the presence of his God. This second man, without being perfect, humbled himself before his God and became a type of Christ. Once again God blesses and is pleased with the "second man".
And we, are we still entangled in the tangles of the first man, or are we already enjoying the fruits of the heavenly life according to the image of the Second Man?