The First People Of The Passion—Adam And Eve

The First People Of The Passion—Adam And Eve

THE FIRST PEOPLE OF THE PASSION—ADAM AND EVE

Daily Devotion for Lent | Wednesday, March 6 | Ash Wednesday


For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:22
Skull at the foot of Jesus' cross

In old paintings of the crucifixion you will often see a human skull, right at the base of Jesus’ cross. Ask a museum guide and they will tell you that the skull is supposed to be Adam’s skull. It is a reminder of when human beings first disobeyed God and fell into evil. It is a reminder of the time when death first became a part of the human experience.

Surely Adam and Eve weren’t thinking of Jesus’ cross when they first reached out to pick the forbidden fruit. They were looking at a tree in paradise—one that was beautiful, green, full of fruit, lovely to the eye and tempting to the taste. They could not have imagined the very different tree they were bringing about by their rebellion against God.

That tree would stand at Calvary, not in Eden. Instead of beauty, there would be horror; instead of green leaves, dry, rough wood. It made no appeal to the eye or taste; people turned from it in fear and disgust. And what hung on its branches was the dying Son of God.

Adam and Eve didn’t foresee Jesus’ cross—but God did. Walking in the garden that evening, He called out to His lost children. “Adam, where are you?” He knew what had happened. Still He heard their half-hearted confession, warned them of the consequences to come, and covered their shame—all the while knowing that the cross lay in His future. God Himself would rescue His sinful children at the cost of the life of His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are also many old paintings of Jesus visiting hell, triumphant after breaking the power of the devil by His death on the cross. The artists always show Him leading humanity out of the gates of hell to freedom. If you look closely, you will see that that He is shown leading Adam and Eve first of all, in memory of His first Gospel promise 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.”

THE PRAYER

Lord, thank You for saving us through Your death on the tree of the cross. Amen.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  • Have you ever planted a tree? Tell about it.
  • Have you ever loved someone who made a bad choice? How did you try to help?
  • What does it mean to you, knowing that God foresaw the cross?

Brought to you in partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministrieslhm.org/lent

Lent Wednesday 2019 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Joplin

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About These Devos

PEOPLE OF THE PASSION Lenten Devotions 2019

Centuries before Christ, God was preparing the way for His Son’s arrival. From mankind’s original sin through the children of Israel’s on-again, off-again obedience, God was faithful, honoring His promise to Eve (Genesis 3:15), which first pointed to Jesus. In People of the Passion, we see God working through the lives of ordinary people to achieve His ultimate aim: our salvation. There are prophets, priests, and kings, servants, soldiers, and civilians—each with a role in the high drama of Christ’s passion. Readers may see themselves in some of these people—ordinary individuals who, like us, need a Savior.

Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) is a Christian outreach ministry supporting churches worldwide in its mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church.