Scripture Reading: Gen. 2:18-24; Eph. 5:23-32
Ⅰ
In typology certain women in the Old Testament reveal that the church is the counterpart of Christ—Gen. 24:67; 41:45; Ruth 4:13; 1 Sam. 25:40-42:
A
According to type, the position of the church before God is that of a counterpart; in the entire Bible God likens Himself to a man, and He likens the totality of His created and redeemed people to a woman as His counterpart—Isa. 54:5; John 3:29; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9-10.
B
As the Body of Christ, the church receives His life for His expression; as the counterpart of Christ, the church receives His love for the satisfaction of His heart's desire—Eph. 1:22-23; 5:30; John 3:15-16, 29.
C
The church as the counterpart of Christ implies satisfaction and rest in love— Eph. 5:25; Zeph. 3:17.
D
When God said that it was not good for man to be alone, He was indicating that God Himself, although absolutely and eternally perfect, was incomplete and that it was not good for Him to be alone—Gen. 2:18.
E
God has been longing to find a counterpart for Christ, His Son; this counterpart is the church, the bride of Christ to match Christ—Matt. 22:2.
F
The first couple in the Bible, Adam and Eve, presents a significant and complete picture of Christ and the church; in typology, whatever happens to Adam in Genesis 2 is an experience of Christ, and whatever happens to Eve is related to the church.
G
Christ is light and life in order that those who are enlightened by Him and who receive Him as life may become the church as His counterpart—1:3; 2:9, 22-23.
Ⅱ
Adam in Genesis 2 is a type of Christ; whatever purpose God had in Adam and whatever work He did in Adam were to be carried out in and through Christ—Rom. 5:14:
A
As the center of God's creation, Adam is a type of Christ as the real center of God's creation, because in Him, through Him, and unto Him all things were created—Col. 1:16-17.
B
As the head of God's creation, Adam typifies Christ as the Head of all God's creation—v. 15. ? 2010 Living Stream Ministry
C
Adam was created in God's image and according to God's likeness; this typifies Christ as the One who bears God's image and likeness—v. 15; Heb. 1:3.
D
Adam, who was created to be God's representative to execute His authority and to rule for Him on earth, typifies Christ as God's representative—Rev. 11:15.
E
As the head of all men, Adam typifies Christ as the Head of the church corporately and of the believers individually—Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 11:3.
F
As the unique male in God's creation at that time, Adam typifies Christ as God becoming the unique male in the universe—the unique object of our pursuit and the One to whom we eternally belong—Mark 12:30; Rom. 14:8.
G
Adam's need for a wife as his counterpart typifies Christ's need to have the church as His counterpart—Eph. 5:25, 27; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2, 9-10.
H
Adam typifies God in Christ as the real, universal Husband who is seeking a wife for Himself—John 3:29.
I
Adam did not find among the creatures a counterpart to match him; this typifies that none among God's creation can match Christ as His counterpart, for none was out of Christ, and none had the same life, nature, and character as Christ to be a perfect match for Him—Gen. 2:18-20.
J
God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and opened his side; this is a type of Christ sleeping in death and being pierced in His side—v. 21.
K
The rib taken out of Adam signifies the flowing water and the unbroken bone mentioned in John 19:34 and 36.
Ⅲ
The church as the counterpart of Christ is typified by Eve as the counterpart of Adam—Gen. 2:21-24; Eph. 5:23-32:
A
Eve was built by God with a rib taken out of Adam; her coming out of Adam in this way typifies that the church is produced by the life which flows out of Christ—Gen. 2:21-22.
B
In having the same life, nature, and character as Adam, Eve is a type of the church, which has the same life, nature, and character as Christ—Col. 3:4, 11.
C
Eve came out of Adam and was joined to Adam to become one flesh with Adam; this is a type of the church coming out of Christ and being joined to Him to become one spirit with Him—Gen. 2:22-24; 1 Cor. 6:17.
D
Eve was a part of Adam's body as Adam's counterpart, typifying that the church is Christ's Body as Christ's counterpart; the church as the Body of Christ is the counterpart of Christ to match and complement Him completely—Eph. 1:22-23; 5:30, 32:
１
Eve was Adam's reproduction, Adam's duplication, signifying that the church is Christ's reproduction, Christ's duplication—John 3:6; 12:24.
２
As Eve was Adam's multiplication, increase, fullness, and expression, the church as the counterpart of Christ is Christ's multiplication, increase, fullness, and expression—v. 24; 3:3-6, 15-16, 29-30; Eph. 1:23; 3:21.
E
Ultimately, Eve as the counterpart of Adam typifies the New Jerusalem, the universal bride, constituted with the saints throughout the generations, who have been chosen, redeemed, regenerated, transformed, and glorified by God, to be the bride of Christ in the millennium and the wife of the Lamb for His satisfaction and rest in love for eternity—Rev. 21:2, 9-10.