Thus the law pictured that the great ransomer would correspond exactly with the perfect man Adam when Adam was in Eden .-- Exodus 21:23-25; Leviticus 24:17-21; Deuteronomy 19:21.
MAN'S EXTREMITY [206]But who in all the world was able to bear this burden or meet the requirements of the divine law?
Adam could not redeem himself.

All of his offspring were imperfect and God could not accept an imperfect human being as a ransom.

Was there nobody, then, on earth who could redeem the human race from death according to God's promise?
The Prophet of the Lord answers: "None of them [no creature on earth] can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him".

(Psalm 49:7) For this reason, then, it seemed hopeless for man ever to expect to be released from the condition of death.
[207]Furthermore, this judgment and sentence against Adam was entered in the divine court of heaven and it follows that the ransom-price, namely, the value of a perfect human life, must not only be provided by the death of a perfect human being, but the value of that life must be presented to divine justice in heaven itself; and no human being has access to heaven.
[208]Hence there were two reasons why it was utterly impossible for any of Adam's stock or offspring to redeem mankind: (1) Because all were imperfect and could not provide the price; and (2) if the price were provided, it could not be presented in heaven by any such.
[209]Thus is presented to the human race a condition of absolute helplessness.

Thus we see that mankind was wholly without power to release itself from the condition of death, and that there never could be any hope of any one of the human family enjoying life everlasting in a state of happiness unless God, in the exercise of his loving-kindness, should make some provision.