The “seed of the woman” was not the first prophecy of the Scriptures. Man had sinned but before the “fall” God had pictured the coming of the Church of Christ in the wedding ceremony of Adam and Eve. “God so loved the Church that He gave Himself for Her and whosoever obeys Him shall not perish as long as man continues faithful in her ranks and that for eternity”. John 3:16 is shown in Genesis 2:21-24.
Often I am asked if the sin of Adam and Eve was a surprise to our Lord. I am reminded of this statement of prophecy and to answer positively, NO!! How could God have predicted the coming of the Church of Christ in the marriage ceremony of Adam to Eve IF the sin was to be a surprise? How could the Church be made up of the redeemed and one not think God had established this premise “from the foundations of the World”? “And the Lord added to the Church those that were being saved” tells the answer. Acts 2:47 The marriage of Adam to Eve was a copy of a marriage as yet unannounced.. Christ had already married the Church and their wedding was the pattern Adam and Eve’s union. Christ and His bride, the Church of Christ, WERE THE FIRST!! When Paul wrote by inspiration of the Spirit the book of Ephesians explaining this part of the mystery of God. He wrote: “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church”. Ephesians 5:32 Of what mystery (the unrevealed strategy of God to save those who would obey, John 3:16) was Paul speaking? “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” Vs 31 This is the exact quotation of Genesis 2:23-24 As Adam was sent to name all the animals of the field, his real mission was to find a mate suitable for himself. THIS HE DID NOT AND COULD NOT DO for no animal was suitable for Adam as a mate. God cause a “deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and God took one of Adam’s ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her to the man.” Christ “came unto His own and His own received Him not”, John 1:12, when He found none like unto Himself, God sacrificed Himself to enter the realm of sleep (death.) “One of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water”, John 19:35. This ‘blood and water’ was the purchase price for His bride, the Church of Christ!! Acts 20:28 He entered the realm of death (sleep) so She could be brought into existence. No one was like the Lord, SINLESS, SO NO ONE WAS COMPATIBLE FOR HIM AS HIS BRIDE. He therefore, made one compatible to Himself by “cleansing her with the washing of water (baptism) She, being instructed to do so by the (His) word(Mark 16:16), that He might PRESENT her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:26-27 No one who can read would then think sin was a surprise, for CHRIST had already been apart of TWO covenants that had been enacted, the marriage of Christ to His Church and the covenant of Christ and God the Father, to enact this mystery!! “Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began. But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for obedience of faith.” Romans 16:25-26 Marriage is commanded of man to HONOR CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH!! To live as man and wife outside the estate of marriage is to mock Christ!!
