H. Nunnerley
Adam’s Deep Sleep
Solomon tells us “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov. 25:22It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverbs 25:2)). The Bible differs from every other historical book in that whilst its records are absolutely true in every detail, and are statements of events which actually occurred, yet underneath the letter of the word there lies a hidden spiritual meaning which some other part of Scripture makes clear.
It is our most profound belief therefore that Adam’s deep sleep, the flood, Sodom’s judgment, and every recorded incident are historical facts, and not mere allegories.
When therefore we speak of Adam’s sleep as a figure of Christ in death, the creation of Eve as an intimation of counsels and purposes as to the Church, of Adam’s clothing as setting forth God’s provision for His fallen creature, of Abel’s sacrifice as a type of Christ’s death, of the flood as prefiguring the end of all flesh, of Isaac’s sacrifice expressing God’s love in not sparing His Son, and Isaac’s obedience as typifying Christ who was obedient unto death, we do not — like the higher critics and modern skeptics — mean that these are only allegories. They are in the first place historical facts of such immense importance to us that Almighty God has seen fit by His Holy Spirit to record them for our learning (Rom. 15:44For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4); 1 Cor. 10:1111Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. (1 Corinthians 10:11); 2 Tim. 3:1616All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16)).
We will now consider Adam’s deep sleep as prefiguring an aspect of the death of Christ which has in it a most marvelous conception, a most profound mystery; in which are enfolded purposes and counsels before all worlds.
“The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 2:21-2321And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. (Genesis 2:21‑23)).
Four thousand years rolled away ere the hidden mystery of that deep sleep, its typical import, its allegorical teaching, came to light.
Adam had been invested with dominion over all that lived and moved on earth, in air, or sea; all were at his disposal, and owned his sway; but all this still left him without an object for his heart: he had a heart which power, might, and dominion could not satisfy. God, who knew perfectly what was needed to make Adam happy, wrought to this end. He might have created a helpmeet out of the dust of the earth and presented her to him; but He did not, for He had a more glorious thought in view, and all God’s goodness to him was but to figure the last Adam yet to come.
In the formation of a helpmeet for the first — as for the last — He wrought so that the bride should be part and parcel of the bridegroom, “bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh.”
“No man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: for we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”
How then did the Church become “of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones?”
To possess this Church which He calls His body and His bride, it was an absolute necessity Christ should die, and so we read “Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it (verse 25). He slept the deep sleep of death, but it was a “sleep” that told out the deepest affections of His bosom — He loved the Church — He gave HIMSELF for it. He had given up much, left the peaceful home of the Father, vacated His throne, parted with His riches, sold all to possess this one pearl of great price, and now, in addition to all this, of His own voluntary will, in deep, matchless affection for the Church He loved so well, He gave Himself! When a man has given “himself” there is no more to give, devotedness cannot go beyond this.
Thus Christ loved the Church; for her, He — the Second Man, the last Adam — slept, and when He awoke therefrom, lo! another Eve! “quickened together with Him,” living of His life, formed and fashioned by the Lord God; in due time to be presented to Himself a glorious Church, and share His glory and universal dominion.
There is now an actually existing company of people, fruit of His death, baptized by one Spirit into one body, “bone of His bones, and flesh of His flesh” — a second Eve.
Every child of God, every true believer forms part of this mystic body. Every saint, no matter under what outward designation he is known, or in what “church” he may be found, is a member thereof, having a living and vital connection with the Head, and every other member. And here, be it noted, what is old has no place, it is not the old life and nature reformed and improved: all is new, for all is derived from Christ as Eve was derived from Adam, the fruit of His “deep sleep” (cf also John 12:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)).
This body is the Bride of the Lamb. Soon she will be presented to Himself, as Eve to Adam, then together, throughout an endless and blissful eternity, they will enjoy mutual delight in each other. She will share His throne, reign and rule with Him during the display of His universal supremacy in the days of the kingdom. The world will then know His thoughts of her, of this second Eve, “made in secret, curiously wrought in the lowest part of the earth” (Psa. 139:55Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. (Psalm 139:5)).
Who would have conceived that such a “mystery” was enfolded in the formation of the first woman? a mystery now made known, the revelation of a counsel and purpose which in consummation shall be to the eternal praise and glory of God (Eph. 3:2121Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:21)).
In all the Scriptures there are things concerning Himself I How fitting then that in this first aspect — in the Old Testament — of the death of Christ, we discover that there are things in God’s mind which never entered the mind of man, things truly “concerning Himself,” and which, in order to their accomplishment, needed that Christ should suffer on the cross, and sleep in the grave.