And the walking man walks

On the sixth day, God formed the animals out of the dirt while Adam was watching so that He could teach Adam where creation came from.

“Adam shows up and there’s a tiger, an elephant . . . there’s a mosquito,” explains Jordan. “Adam’s a blank! He doesn’t know what’s going on or where these creatures came from. He just showed up himself and doesn’t even know where he came from! God creates these animals, as well as the fowls, so Adam can see where they all came from. God is educating Adam about creation.

“Here Adam is, brand-new, and he looks like he’s 33 years old. I mean, he’s a day old and looks 33! Whew. People say, ‘You look a lot older than your age.’

“God walks in the cool of the day with Adam every day, teaching him. He puts the animals out there and watches Adam to see if he’s caught onto what his job is. He put them in front of Adam to SEE what Adam would name them.

“Now, if you didn’t have any other job assignment than to go subdue the earth at the moment . . . You can’t be fruitful and multiply, it takes time, but you can start subduing.

“Adam examines the animals, identifies the wisdom and understanding--what were they created for, what was their function--and gives names to them and names define a person. He’s extracting out of the creation purpose and identifying them.

“By the way, intellectual pursuit was given. He didn’t say, ‘Let the animals name themselves.’ Fido ain’t a human. He gave to MAN the responsibility that supersedes the capacity of the animals. An intellectual and perceptual discipline and function was given to man.

“So what’s God looking for in creation? He’s looking to extract the wisdom and understanding and knowledge that God has put in the creation. Why did He do that for and what’s there? That was having dominion.

“Dominion in the earth, ruling in the earth and in the heavens, is not simply telling people what to do. We think about, ‘I’m going to reign. I’m going to tell you what to do.’

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“When the Lord Jesus Christ identified Himself as a man, He wasn’t denying His deity; He was making the point that He wasn’t a phantom, an illusion, an apparition. He was a real human.

"In John 8:40, when Jesus is talking to His enemies the Pharisees, He says, ‘But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.’

“What He’s doing there is demonstrating that He’s 'the man, Christ Jesus,' and He’s also demonstrating that He was TAUGHT by His Father the things that He’s saying.

“In theology, they have all kind of words and ideas for that kind of thing, but the point you need to see is He is thoroughly and fully functioning humanity, meaning He qualifies to be your full, total mediator.

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"From Acts 17:31, we know the risen Lord Jesus Christ will be the one who judges all men and Paul calls Him ‘that man.’ Paul wasn’t denying His deity; he was telling the unbelievers there that, ‘The one who’s going to judge you is going to be sitting right where you are, walking in your sandals; God raised Him up and He’s the one who will be your judge.’

“People who want to defend the deity of Christ don’t like people to assert the humanity of Christ. But if you don’t have both in equal fashion, you don’t have a mediator.

“I’ve always defined the ‘kenosis doctrine’ as just the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ laid aside or surrendered the independent exercise of His deity attributes. He doesn’t give up His attributes; He can’t do that. You can’t not be who you are, but you can choose not to exercise some of your abilities.

“His personhood is important. He has two natures. That’s the reality of it. I don’t know of a better explanation for that than a verse like Luke2:40: ‘And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.’

“He’s 12 years old, His parents take Him up to the temple, and it says the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was with him.

“How’d He get filled with wisdom? By depending on God’s word. He’s being filled with some sound doctrine out of the Scripture. You notice in verse 49, He says to His parents Mary and Joseph, ‘How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?’

“Notice the ‘F’ is capital in Father. He knows His identity. He’s 12 years old. His bar mitzvah was taking place. He was moving into that Galatians 4 adult status. He’s being educated by His father--not just His earthly father, but His heavenly Father. And the man is LEARNING.

“In order to become a man, He laid aside the independent personal use of His attributes and chose to depend and be obedient to the Father. He literally chose to trust the Father to take care of things for Him.

“Verse 52 says, ‘And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.’ Notice He increased in wisdom. Now how do you do that?

“John 8:28 says, ‘Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.’

“You ought to write that in your mind. He’s saying, ‘I’m not acting independently on my own, but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.’ He grew in wisdom. Why? Because the Father was teaching Him.

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“John 12:49 says, ‘For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.’

“I’m not going to run these verses into the ground, but you could literally go on and on about the fact the Lord Jesus Christ was literally instructed, taught by His Father as God would have a man to depend on. As Paul would talk about ‘the faith of Christ,’ that’s really what he’s talking about.

“He didn’t have to do that; He willingly chose to do that. He didn’t do it because He quit being God or because He was some ignoramus; He did it because that’s what was required for Him to be truly human and to be tempted in all points as you are.”