The Lord Jesus Christ- The Promised Seed, True Israel, and Last Adam- Part Two

In a real sense, Noah is the new Adam. He is commanded to spread the image of God throughout the earth which is recorded for us in v.18-19. However, though he is the representative of a new humanity that is saved in him and his ark, he is not the last Adam. His own sin demonstrates that he is not the ultimate fulfillment of the seed of the woman (cf. Gen. 9:21). Unable to keep his line in complete covenantal obedience, corruption soon emerges from Noah's own seed when Ham sees his father's nakedness and brings open shame to him (v. 22-23). As a result, Ham is cursed (v.25) and thus there is a re-emergence of the conflict between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. We, however, do have a covenant representative who is able to keep his seed in complete covenantal obedience: the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Is. 53:10-11). This is not because we have our covenantal obedience to plea but the covenantal obedience of the representative who was faithful in all ways.

In the last article, I alluded to the antithesis between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent which began at the fall and will continue until the return of the Lord in glory. It was my assertion that the theme of redemptive history was summed up in the protoevagelium: the seed of the woman will triumph over the seed of the serpent. Immediately from Genesis 3:15 and following, we witness the unfolding of the conflict between the two seeds. In Genesis 4, the first act of murder occurs when Cain, the seed of the serpent, takes the life of his brother Abel, the seed of the woman. As a result of his actions, Cain is banished east to the land of Nod where he eventually builds a city and names it Enoch after his seed. Just when it seems that the seed of the serpent is flourishing and has triumphed over the seed of the woman, God provides Eve another son: Seth. The birth of Seth closes out the Cain and Abel narrative and Moses then gives us a genealogy. The point of the genealogy and of all the genealogies is this: that God maintains his covenantal faithfulness through the seed of the woman.

The growth of the seed of the woman does not remain unchallenged however. In fact, by Genesis 6, the seed of the serpent outnumber the seed of the woman so much so that only Noah and his seed finds favor with God (Gen. 6:8). God's judgment of the seed of the serpent, the flood account, spans the next two chapters and by the outset of chapter 9 we have the institution of the Noahic Covenant. In the aftermath of the flood, God has appointed Noah as the new representative of humanity and re-issues the cultural mandate he gave Adam (cf. Gen. 9:7). In a real sense, Noah is the new Adam. He is commanded to spread the image of God throughout the earth which is recorded for us in v.18-19. However, though he is the representative of a new humanity that is saved in him and his ark, he is not the last Adam. His own sin demonstrates that he is not the ultimate fulfillment of the seed of the woman (cf. Gen. 9:21). Unable to keep his line in complete covenantal obedience, corruption soon emerges from Noah's own seed when Ham sees his father's nakedness and brings open shame to him (v. 22-23). As a result, Ham is cursed (v.25) and thus there is a re-emergence of the conflict between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. We, however, do have a covenant representative who is able to keep his seed in complete covenantal obedience: the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Is. 53:10-11). This is not because we have our covenantal obedience to plea but the covenantal obedience of the representative who was faithful in all ways.

We will continue to witness the unfolding of this drama of this between the two seeds until Genesis 15 and God's covenant with Abram. It is amidst the backdrop of the protoevangelium that we best understand significance of the Abrahamic Covenant, its fulfillment in the gospel and how Christ is the True Israel. We will examine this in greater detail next time.

The Lord Jesus Christ- the Promised Seed, True Israel, and Last Adam-Part One

At times, redemptive history seems turned on its head and the wicked seem to outnumber the righteous. However, the continual message of Scripture is one of hope: the meek will inherit the earth (cf. Matt. 5:5), the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will spread throughout the world (cf. Habb. 2:14), the cities of this world will become the cities of our Lord (cf. Rev. 11:15), and unrighteousness will be banished from Zion (cf. Rom. 11:26). While we may at times cry out with Job, "Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power" (Job 21:7), we must remember that Christ is the fulfillment of the Seed Promise and has defeated the Seed of the Serpent.


It is interesting that the two chief moments in redemptive history occur in a garden. Both the first and last Adams faced the pinnacle of tribulation in the same setting. However, it is here where the similarities end. While Adam was tested in Paradise (cf.Gen. 2:9-15), Christ wrestled in the fallenness of Gethsemane (cf. Matt. 26:38). Adam was provided a helper (cf. Gen. 2:22), while Christ was forsaken by his disciples (cf. Matt. 26:40). Adam was confronted with breaking the covenant of life (cf. Gen. 3:1), while Christ was confronted with the daunting task of facing the divine tribunal (cf. Matt. 26:39). Most significantly, Adam broke the covenant of life (cf. Genesis 3:6-7), while Christ kept it for those whom he represented (cf. Rom. 5:18).

Immediately following Adam's trespass, God institutes what is commonly known as the Seed Promise, or the protoevangelium. It is called the protoevangelium because it is precisely that, the earliest mention of the gospel in the Scriptures. It is found in Genesis 3:15:

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

This promise made to our antediluvian ancestors quickly becomes the theme of the Scriptures and of redemptive history. Our progenitors earnestly longed for the fulfillment of this promise. How merciful the account of the Fall demonstrates God to be! Even after Adam's rebellion, he provides the gospel. He does not wait one generation (though who could fault God if he did) but immediately provides a covering (cf. Gen. 3:21).

So prominent was this promise on our ancestors' minds, that even with the birth of Cain, they were looking for the fulfillment (cf. Gen. 4:1). The events that unfolded would demonstrate, however, that Cain was actually the Seed of the Serpent, who would murder his brother (cf. Gen. 4:8) and go to build a city of wickedness in the land of Nod (Gen. 4:16). This perpetuates the continual conflict between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent foretold in the protoevangelium. At times, redemptive history seems turned on its head and the wicked seem to outnumber the righteous. However, the continual message of Scripture is one of hope: the meek will inherit the earth (cf. Matt. 5:5), the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will spread throughout the world (cf. Habb. 2:14), the cities of this world will become the cities of our Lord (cf. Rev. 11:15), and unrighteousness will be banished from Zion (cf. Rom. 11:26). While we may at times cry out with Job, "Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power" (Job 21:7), we must remember that Christ is the fulfillment of the Seed Promise and has defeated the Seed of the Serpent.

Bearing in mind the Seed Promise as the theme of the Scriptures enables us to see the unity of all of the Bible. When we come to Genesis 17 and the Abrahamic Covenant, it is quite clear that God is not beginning something new but continuing to develop the promise from Genesis 3:15. The Abrahamic Covenant and its direct fulfillment in the emergence of Israel as a nation is simply an expansion of the protoevangelium. We will look at this in greater detail in part two. Soli deo gloria!