p. 182 | The Sabbath-School by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 19, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 12.

The Sabbath-School.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST—APRIL 21.

Inheritance of the Saints.

What did Adam lose by his transgression?
By whom is the dominion to be restored?
State another result of Adam's transgression?

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12. 4. Who has the power of death? "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Heb. 2:14.

Then what did Adam receive from Satan as the price of his dominion?
What, then, was the curse which Adam's sin brought on the human race?

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12. 7. Besides recovering the lost dominion, what else does Christ do for man? "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2 Tim. 1:10. 8. By what means does Christ destroy death? "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Heb. 2:14. 9. Who alone are freed from the curse? "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36. 10. In consequence of Adam's sin, what was pronounced upon the earth? "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life." Gen. 3:17. 11. What was this curse? "Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field." Gen. 3:18.

In order to redeem man from his curse, what was it necessary for Christ to undergo?
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Gal. 3:13.
Then if Christ redeems the earth from its curse, what must he bear?
How and when did Christ bear the curse of the earth?

"And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head." Matt. 27:29, 30.

IN the beginning, as we have seen, the dominion over the whole earth was given to Adam. The earth was then "very good." It was as good as it could be. There was upon it no taint of sin. So the dominion which God gave to Adam was not over the earth merely, but over the sinless earth, i. e., the earth unstained by sin. Then as soon as sin was introduced, that dominion was necessarily lost. Satan was the one who induced man to sin, and therefore he usurped the dominion, and obtained the title of "god of this world." The "first dominion," however, is to be restored. Micah 4:8. Evidently the one who overthrows the usurper, will be the one to restore the dominion. Now Christ was manifested that he might destroy the devil and his works. Gen. 3:15; Heb. 2:14. Therefore Christ is the one who is to restore the lost dominion over the earth. That Christ is to possess the earth is plainly stated in Ps. 2:7, 8.

By his sin, Adam not only lost the dominion for himself, but he made it impossible for any of his posterity to possess it. For since it was forfeited through sin, his descendants could not possess it, because they were born sinful. Moreover his whole posterity were, with himself, doomed to death. Satan has the power of death (Heb. 2:14), and since he induced our first parents to sin, that he might get the dominion, it follows that they gave it up in exchange for death. Death was the price that they received for the earth. This was the curse which came upon man, and from which Christ came to redeem us. Through death he abolishes death, and brings life and immortality to light. Heb. 2:14; 2 Tim. 1:10. All who have Christ (John 3:36) have life, and thus become free from the curse. Christ is our life. Col. 3:4.

BUT it was not man alone that Christ came to redeem. He came "to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10. But the earth, as well as man, was lost. Because of Adam's sin, the curse passed upon the earth. This curse was that it should bring forth thorns and thistles. Gen. 3:17, 18. In order to redeem man from the curse, Christ was made a curse. He suffered death, that he might redeem man from the power of death. In like manner, if he would redeem the earth, he must bear the curse under which it groaned, and which was taking its life. So when he was about to die, his tormentors placed upon his brow a crown of thorns (Matt. 27:29, 30), and he thus bore at the same time the curse of the earth and the curse of man. By this he gained the right to redeem both.