The Bible explains that Adam was a type of Christ.

Rom 5:14  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

In what ways was Adam a type of Christ?  To understand we need to look at the account of the creation of Eve.

Gen 2:21  And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs [tsela], and closed up the flesh in its place.
Gen 2:22  Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
Gen 2:23  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 2:24  Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

The word “ribs” is a poor translation of the Hebrew word tsela.  The Hebrew tsela occurs 48 times in the Bible and is only translated “ribs” here.  It is mostly translated side.  A side would include both flesh and bone, thus Adam could later say, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh”, verse 23.

Deep Sleep

The deep sleep God put Adam into to form his wife Eve is symbolic of death.  The Bible describes those who are dead as being asleep, for example Acts 13:36. 

Act 13:36  “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;

In being put into a deep sleep, Adam “died” in order to bring forth a bride to share his life.  In like manner Christ died that he might bring forth the church to be his bride and share eternal life.

2 Cor 11:2  For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

A Short Sleep

Adam was put into a deep sleep for a short while.  In like manner Jesus Christ was in the grave for only three days and three nights.

Mat 12:40  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Side and Blood

To make Eve, God took Adam’s side (or rib) and some blood was shed.  In like manner, Jesus Christ in the process of dying to bring forth the church, was pierced in His side and shed blood.

Joh 19:34  But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

Mat 26:28  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

One Flesh

God formed Eve’s body out of Adam’s – not directly out of the earth as He formed Adam’s body.  Thus in a very real sense, the first husband and wife were one flesh.  In like manner a husband and wife become one flesh as it says in Genesis 2:24 and again in the New Testament. 

Mat 19:5  “and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
Mat 19:6  “So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Eph 5:31  “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

But more than this, the oneness of a husband and wife is a type of the oneness God plans with His children.

Joh 17:22  And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

One Bride

God only made one wife for Adam, not many.  In like manner Christ has only one bride.

Rev 21:9  Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”

Here is a summary.

Adam	Christ
Adam was put to sleep for a bride Gen 2:21	Christ died for His bride 2Cor 11:2
Adam slept for a short while Gen 2:21	Christ died only for 3 days and nights Mat 12:40
Adam’s side was opened Gen 2:21	Christ’s side was pierced John 19:34
Adam shed blood for his bride Gen 2:21	Christ shed blood for His bride Mat 26:28
Adam became one flesh with Eve Gen 2:24, Mat 19:6	God will become one with us John 17:22
Adam had one bride Gen 2:22	Christ has one bride Rev 21:9