And to the angel of the church in Laodicea, write: These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Ruler of God's creation. Rev. 3:14.
Instead of "the Ruler of God's creation," some translations read "the Beginning of God's creation." Why the big difference? Because the underlying Greek word (arche--pronounced roughly as ar-kay) is ambiguous. Jesus is the arche of God's creation. Arche can indicate "old" or "beginning," as in "archaeology," the study of old things. But it can also indicate rulership--the first in the kingdom. Our English word "patriarch" means "rule by the father," and "monarchy" means "rule of one." So the word arche has a double significance.
In the Greek Old Testament arche is the first major word in the Bible--"in the beginning [en arche] God created." So Revelation 3:14 points us to Genesis 1:1. Jesus comes to Laodicea as the "Ruler of God's creation." The counterpart of the original ruler of God's creation, Adam (Gen. 1:26-28), He is the "new" Adam or the "second" Adam (Rom. 5:1; 1 Cor. 15).
The biblical creation story describes Adam in terms of three basic relationships: 1. First of all, Adam was in relationship with God. As the "image of God" (Gen. 1:26, 27) he had great dignity, but his relationship with God was that of a subordinate to a superior. 2. The image of God included both male and female (verse 27). God created the human race for relationship with others, regardless of gender or ethnic background. 3. The image of God also included dominion over the earth (verses 26, 28). Adam ruled over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the creatures that move along the ground.
When Jesus came to this earth, He was Adam as Adam was intended to be. 1. He had a perfect relationship with God, obeying everything that God told him to do (John 8:28; 14:28; 15:10). 2. He had a perfect relationship with others, living a life of humble service and self-sacrifice (Mark 10:45; John 13:1-17; Phil 2:5-7). 3. And He had a perfect relationship with the earth and its creatures. Animals obeyed His commands (John 21:2-11; Matt. 17:24-27; Mark 11:1-7). The winds and the waves were subject to Him (Matt. 8:26, 27). In every sense Jesus was Adam as Adam was intended to be.
As the Second Adam, Jesus walked over the ground we all experience. Like the first Adam, we have a history of failure, dysfunction, and disgrace. But Jesus can replace my flawed personal history with His own perfect history. That leaves me to hope that I can be more like the Second Adam and less like the first.
Lord, thank You for the new history I have in Jesus Christ. Today I purpose to live as He lived, not to earn Your favor, but in gratitude for all He has done for me!
Instead of "the Ruler of God's creation," some translations read "the Beginning of God's creation." Why the big difference? Because the underlying Greek word (arche--pronounced roughly as ar-kay) is ambiguous. Jesus is the arche of God's creation. Arche can indicate "old" or "beginning," as in "archaeology," the study of old things. But it can also indicate rulership--the first in the kingdom. Our English word "patriarch" means "rule by the father," and "monarchy" means "rule of one." So the word arche has a double significance.
In the Greek Old Testament arche is the first major word in the Bible--"in the beginning [en arche] God created." So Revelation 3:14 points us to Genesis 1:1. Jesus comes to Laodicea as the "Ruler of God's creation." The counterpart of the original ruler of God's creation, Adam (Gen. 1:26-28), He is the "new" Adam or the "second" Adam (Rom. 5:1; 1 Cor. 15).
The biblical creation story describes Adam in terms of three basic relationships: 1. First of all, Adam was in relationship with God. As the "image of God" (Gen. 1:26, 27) he had great dignity, but his relationship with God was that of a subordinate to a superior. 2. The image of God included both male and female (verse 27). God created the human race for relationship with others, regardless of gender or ethnic background. 3. The image of God also included dominion over the earth (verses 26, 28). Adam ruled over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the creatures that move along the ground.
When Jesus came to this earth, He was Adam as Adam was intended to be. 1. He had a perfect relationship with God, obeying everything that God told him to do (John 8:28; 14:28; 15:10). 2. He had a perfect relationship with others, living a life of humble service and self-sacrifice (Mark 10:45; John 13:1-17; Phil 2:5-7). 3. And He had a perfect relationship with the earth and its creatures. Animals obeyed His commands (John 21:2-11; Matt. 17:24-27; Mark 11:1-7). The winds and the waves were subject to Him (Matt. 8:26, 27). In every sense Jesus was Adam as Adam was intended to be.
As the Second Adam, Jesus walked over the ground we all experience. Like the first Adam, we have a history of failure, dysfunction, and disgrace. But Jesus can replace my flawed personal history with His own perfect history. That leaves me to hope that I can be more like the Second Adam and less like the first.
Lord, thank You for the new history I have in Jesus Christ. Today I purpose to live as He lived, not to earn Your favor, but in gratitude for all He has done for me!
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