Adam’s sin —> Adam’s death
Adam’s death —> Our (descendants of Adam) death
Our death —> Our sin
Our sin was in the world (the greater cosmos) before the law (of Moses), but was not imputed (because there was no law).* However, death still reigned because our death is a result of Adam’s sin (Adam sinned because he broke God’s law). To remedy this problem we needed a new Adam to reverse what the first Adam had done.
In order to have another Adam we needed another law given directly from God. Israel was given that law so that it could become like Adam — so that it could transgress as Adam did (Romans 5.14). Israel was a cosmos created within a greater cosmos, through which came the last Adam.
Israel was a new creation — God defeated the Egyptian gods just as He defeated the gods of chaos. He separated the Red Sea just as He separated the waters above from the waters below. He formed Israel in a wilderness and placed them in a land flowing with milk and honey just as he formed Adam in a wilderness and placed him in a garden. God gave Israel a law just as He did with Adam, and He threatened exile and death if they broke that law. And they did break that law, both Israel and Adam.
For God so loved the Israelite cosmos,** He sent His own Son Jesus to be born into it as a man, under its law. Jesus perfectly kept the law and, by His death, He redeemed Israel from the transgressions they made against it (Isaiah 53.4-12; Galatians 3.13; Hebrews 9.15). Thus, Jesus became the true Israel (a remnant of one) — He is the elect of God, He is the temple, He is the High Priest, He is the sacrifice.
Jesus is also the last Adam. By His righteousness (perfect obedience to God and covenant), He undid what the first Adam did. He defeated death for all humanity.
Jesus’s righteousness —> Jesus’s resurrection
Jesus’s resurrection —> Our (all those in Jesus) resurrection
Our resurrection —> Our eternal life
Out of the world God chose Israel
…Out of Israel God chose a remnant
……Out of the remnant God chose a Messiah
……In the Messiah God chose a remnant
…In the remnant God chose Israel
In Israel God chose the world***
* Although, God did deal with wickedness before the law of Moses (eg. the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah), so there was some imputation.
** Click here to read an interesting essay.
*** Source: Election by David Embury
Pursuit of Percipience 