Adam was to be the “firstfruits” in heaven. In a number of visions of the heavenly Temple, the Table of Facebread is missing. Corresponding that to the four faces of the cherubim, it is the face of the Man. It was the place set for Adam in heaven to complete the Temple. So perhaps this “good death” was more like Enoch or Elijah – a transfiguration and ascension. The body would not see corruption.

Jordan believes the human life span would have been around 1000 years, after which a “deep sleep” death and gathering to God would have taken place. So Adam’s deep sleep on behalf of Eve prefigured the future.

This is basically what we see in “Abraham’s bosom,” where the saints had to wait until the righteous one entered before they could ascend to be with him and rule with him on thrones. Ruling with God as “the righteousness of God” is the final vindication of maturity. One submitted to the sword (as a mediator) and is then able to be trusted with it — like a knighthood.

See http://www.bullartistry.com.au/wp/2012/09/08/what-lies-beneath/

Thanks for the speedy reply. It’s all very helpful. Yet some things are still unclear to me. Certainly, the death of Jesus is all about substitution. That all makes sense.

Yet, the original post seems to imply that even apart from sin (Jesus was sinless, after all), men would have died in order to achieve greater maturity. Am I reading too much into this?

It also seems, according to the post, that Jesus would have been incarnate and maybe even would have died even apart from sin. The post shows that Jesus died, at least in part, to achieve HIS OWN maturity. The substitution idea is certainly here, but then, where does sin enter the equation?

Does that make sense, or am I reading this wrong?

Thanks for commenting. Jesus’ death fulfilled the pattern of substitution begun in the atoning animals who “covered” Adam and Eve (the word atonement means covering). The question here concerns works as the means of justification, that is, forward movement on the road, not filling in the potholes. If Adam had obeyed, it would not mean he had earned greater authority but that he had grown, been enlarged, to shoulder such government. We see the same process in all the patriarchs, especially Joseph. Continued faithfulness, despite betrayal and hardship, meant that wisdom developed and he could be exalted in one fell swoop to rule the world — and call His brothers to the table. So works are only ever the evidence of faith, even in the life of Jesus.

All good government is a dealing in some kind of death. Adam was supposed to crush and kill the serpent. And it would still have been a perfect world. Solomon’s first act as king was to exile or execute his father’s enemies. Jesus did the same thing in AD30-70. The “death of death,” under the government of a better Adam, will bring about a perfect world. So I guess the point of atonement is substitution and then a conferring of the “wisdom” that has been attained by Christ on our behalf. Christ called the apostles to die, and they were exalted. Now He calls us to die, and how much we die demonstrates our faith. I believe the Lord’s table is a public demonstration of this. We examine our hearts and die under the Law. But we leave the building resurrected.

The key to all this is that faith is relational, resulting in works. But works without faith are not relational. In essence, God gave Adam one law. Adam whined and asked “why?” And God said, “Because I am your father.” So Jesus could tell the Pharisees who their real father was. They didn’t know God at all, and they didn’t love Him.

We do see this exact pattern all through the Bible. Obedience brings greater authority, and disobedience means we lose even what we have — because we can’t be trusted with it as stewards.

It also shows the heart of God. The law gives form to life but the end of it is always relational, fellowship. Jesus’ obedience gave us the Spirit, and all of the riches of His “judicially mature” Adamic mind.

Rambling now, but I hope that helps.

This has some bearing on our “sanctification.” Seems to me that spiritual growth is first and foremost a developing “judicial maturity.” More and more we see evil for what it is (especially in ourselves) and it repels us. And the way in which we “judge” (assess) sin has a direct bearing on the preciousness of Christ to us. We judge Him to be more and more righteous, and this transforms us into His image. The Spirit opens our eyes to behold Him in His legal and merciful beauty, and that changes us. Like Adam, our eyes are opened, but we are clothed, covered.

The “glorious future” is when we are “gods,” that is, elohim, judges, perfect physical images AND ethical (legal) representatives of the Father.