From Heaven

I marvel at the thought, the second man came from heaven. Paul reminds us in this passage that God created Adam from the dust of the ground (עָפָר֙ - aphar). When God created the creatures on day 6, He made them from the land ( הָאָ֜רֶץ - eretz). In Genesis the contrast of words is intended from these verses in 1:24 and 2:7. God’s creation of Adam was that much more special in displaying God’s ability to make something useful from nothing. In contrast to the serpant who lost his position of worship in heaven, God intended to create a new creation in His own image from the tiniest of particles on this earth. He would then turn this weightless form into something intended to worship.

And yet in the incarnation, God does something even more marvelous than creating from dust. He creates the second man directly from heaven. Thus Jesus’ form in Mary did not start from the seed of another man, he started from the miraculous work of God Himself.

We cannot know fully as to why God did it this way. Based on God’s goodness and His excellence in creating all things visible and invisible, we can trust that God did it in this way because it was necessary to allow those who believe to experience the new-birth of the Spirit.

So as you look at Christmas, know that God orchestrated this incarnation because according to Him it had to be done in this way. We are blessed to be able to look back at this story and consider all that God did so that a way could be made for us to come to Him.

Amen!

-Daniel Jensen
Director of Camp Ministries
Lakeside Bible Camp