edenic and adamic covenants
TRANSCRIPT
LessonObjectivesThePurposeistoteachthebelieverconcerningcovenantsthat
Godhasestablishedwithindividualsandnationsthroughoutthe
timeofman.Thiswillalsohelpthebelievertounderstandhow
thiswouldeffecttheirrelationshipwithGodandrejoiceinthe
blessingsthatarerevealedtousthroughpromisesGodhasalready
putinplace.
Covenantsacovenantwasanagreementbetweentwopartiesthat
boundthemtogetherwithcommoninterestsand
responsibility.ItwasmostSeoul’sandasacredtoenterinto
acovenant.Andcovenantsusuallyincludedblessingsand
curses- blessingsupontheonewhofulfilledhispartin.”
AcovenantrelationshipwithGodisoneofthemanyspiritual
blessingswehavethroughoursalvationinJesusChrist.Sowhat’s
thesignificanceofbeingincovenantrelationshipwiththeCreator?
• TheEdenic,Adamic,andNoahic Covenantaregoodforallmankind.Theyareuniversal,
normativecovenants.ThesecovenantsgovernedGod’srelationshipwithmankind.
• WiththeNoahic covenantGodsaid:
• "IestablishMycovenantwithyou;andallfleshshallneveragainbecutoffbythe
wateroftheflood,neithershallthereagainbeafloodtodestroytheearth."-
Genesis9:11
• IntheAdamic CovenantGodsaid:
• “AndIwillputenmityBetweenyouandthewoman,Andbetweenyourseedandher
seed;Heshallbruiseyouonthehead,Andyoushallbruisehimontheheel."-
Genesis3:15
Therealityisthatcovenantsdonotbeginnorendwithour
Scriptures.AncientNearEastcivilizationsformedcovenants
beforethereeverwasaNationofIsraelorevenbeforewe
aregiventhefirsthumanauthorofScripture.
ThenGodsaid,“LetUsmakemaninOurimage,accordingtoOur
likeness;andletthemruleoverthefishoftheseaandoverthebirdsof
theskyandoverthecattleandoveralltheearth,andoverevery
creepingthingthatcreepsontheearth.”27GodcreatedmaninHis
ownimage,intheimageofGodHecreatedhim;maleandfemaleHe
createdthem.28Godblessedthem;andGodsaidtothem,“Befruitful
andmultiply,andfilltheearth,andsubdueit;andruleoverthefishof
theseaandoverthebirdsoftheskyandovereverylivingthingthat
movesontheearth
29ThenGodsaid,“Behold,Ihavegivenyoueveryplantyieldingseed
thatisonthesurfaceofalltheearth,andeverytreewhichhasfruit
yieldingseed;itshallbefoodforyou;30andtoeverybeastoftheearth
andtoeverybirdoftheskyandtoeverythingthatmovesontheearth
whichhaslife,Ihavegiveneverygreenplantforfood”;anditwasso.
31GodsawallthatHehadmade,andbehold,itwasverygood.And
therewaseveningandtherewasmorning,thesixthday.- Genesis1:26-
30
The Edenic CovenantisnotexplicitlycalledacovenantinGenesis;
however,itislaterreferredtoasacovenantinHosea6:7,
“ButlikeAdamtheytransgressedthecovenant;theretheydealt
faithlesslywithMe”(ESV).
WhenapproachingtheEdenic Covenant,onemustunderstandthe
timeframeandscheduleofevents.Wearelookingattheinnocence
dispensationinthegardenofEden.Innocenceistheshortestofthe
dispensations.Godcreatedmantoliveinperfectharmonywith
Himself,andtherewasnothingknownofimperfectionorevil.Adam
andEvewerecreatedintheimageofGod,andtheywereinnocentof
sin(Genesis1:27).Theyhadaneternalsoul,afreewill,andtheability
toprocreate.TheywalkedandworkedwithGod,whointeractedwith
Hiscreation(Genesis2:15).
Noothercreationonearthhavetheprivilegetohavearelationship
withGodotherthanmankind.Creatingmanwasrelational.WhenGod
createdotherlivingcreatures,Hesimplyusedaphraseof“Letthere
be”.Whenitcametocreatingman,Godsaid,“Letusmakemaninour
image”.WearetheonlythingthatGodcreatedthatwillnotpassaway.
Wearecreatedforeternity.Everythingelseinthecreationstorywill
passaway.
Inthefirstpassage,weseethatGodprovidesmankindwith
• Life
• Sustenance(2:8-14)suchaswaterandfood
• Work(2:15)
• Fellowship(2:16)
• Limits(2:17)
• Companionship
Thepenaltyforbreakingthiscovenantwasdeath.
• Mankind(maleandfemale)createdinGod’simage.
• Mankind’sdominion(rule)overtheanimalkingdom.
• DivinedirectiveformankindtoreproduceandinhabittheentireEarth.
• Eatingthefruitofthetreeoftheknowledgeofgoodandevilforbidden(with
deathasthestatedpenalty).
BeforeEve’screation,allAdam’srelationshipswerevertical—toGod
abovehimandtotheanimalsbelowhim.Adamwasgiventhe
assignmenttonamethelivingcreatures
NowtheLordGodhadformedoutofthegroundallthewildanimals
andallthebirdsinthesky.Hebroughtthemtothemantoseewhathe
wouldnamethem;andwhateverthemancalledeachlivingcreature,
thatwasitsname.20Sothemangavenamestoallthelivestock,the
birdsintheskyandallthewildanimals.
Theideaofnamingisaboutdominion,rule,andreign.Whoevername
somethingisoverthatthing.Parentsnametheirchildrenandpets.
Becauseyouoverseethem.Whateverthemancalledthelivingthing,
thatiswhatitis.GodextendedHisauthoritytoman.Heletmantobe
inchargeonearth.WhenGodcreatedthewoman,Godplacedthe
womaninfrontofAdamtobenamed.Thismeansthatthewoman
belongedtoAdam.NoticethatthewomandidnotgethernameEve
until3:20anditwasgivenbyAdam
• Temple• Doyounotknowthat youarea [f]templeofGodand that theSpiritofGoddwellsinyou? 17 Ifanymandestroysthe [g]templeofGod,Godwilldestroyhim,forthe [h]templeofGodisholy,and [i]thatiswhatyouare.•
• Building• ForweareGod’sfellowworkers;youareGod’sfield,God’sbuilding(1Corinthians3:9)
• Garden• ForweareGod’sfellowworkers;youareGod’sfield,God’sbuilding(1Corinthians3:9)
Adamic Covenant
• Thecovenantconditioningfallenman’slifeontheearth.
• Satantool(serpent)wascursed
• thefirstpromiseoftheredeemerwasgiven
• woman’sstatuswasaltered
• theearthwascursed
• physicalandspiritualdeathresulted.
Adamic Covenant
InGenesis3,GodholdsAdamresponsibleforthesinofeating
fromthetreebyaddressinghimfirst,eventhoughitwasEve
whofirstpartookofthefruit.ThiscoincideswithPaul
understandingoftherepresentativeroleofAdaminRomans
5:12-21and1Corinthians15:21-22.
12Therefore,justasthroughonemansinenteredintotheworld,and
deaththroughsin,andsodeathspreadtoallmen,becauseallsinned—
13foruntiltheLawsinwasintheworld,butsinisnotimputedwhen
thereisnolaw.14NeverthelessdeathreignedfromAdamuntilMoses,
evenoverthosewhohadnotsinnedinthelikenessoftheoffenseof
Adam,whoisatypeofHimwhowastocome.
AstheresultofAdam’ssin,thefollowingcurseswerepronounced:• EnmitybetweenSatanandEveandherdescendants.
• Painfulchildbirthforwomen.
• Maritalstrife.
• Thesoilcursed.
• Introductionofthornsandthistles.
• Survivaltobeastruggle.
• Deathintroduced.
• Deathwillbetheinescapablefateofalllivingthings
InstitutionofMarriage
• Theonewhoisvestedwithheadship
isdonesoin3ways:
• Responsibility(Heisheldresponsible)
• Primacy(Heshouldgofirst)
• Accountable(Heistheoneaccountable)
• WhenwelookatJesusandtheimplicationsforthe church,Jesusalwayshonoredthefather. Theone whoiscalledtosubmissionisvestedwith• Obedience
• JesuswasobedienttoGodtotheveryend.
• Trust• Jesuscalledoutwithaloudvoice,“Father,intoyour handsIcommitmyspirit.”JesustrustedGodwithhis life.
• Honor• JesusneverceasedtohonorTheFather
WhatwearegoingtoseethroughthesecovenantsthatGodisbringing
Hisprophecytopassfullcirclefrometernitypasttoeternityfuture.
Howdoestimebegin?WithGodpurposingmankindtobeHisco-
regents.IntheBooktoGenesis,GodcreatedmantobeHisco-ruler.
WeareHispartnerinrulership butthesinofmandistortedGod’s
rulership onearth.InGenesisissaysthereisgoingtobeatimewhen
thisdistortedrulership isgoingtobestraightenedbackoutwhenHe
saiditisgood.Therewillbeatimewheneverythingwillgobackthe
wayitwassupposedtobe.
DayoftheLord(reckoning)
AndIwillputenmitybetweenyouandthewoman,andbetweenyour
offspringandhers;hewillcrushyourhead,andyouwillstrikehis
heel.”- Genesis3:15
LiketheEdenic Covenant,thisoneisnotexplicitlyreferredtoasa
covenantinGenesis,butitisasignificantpromisethatGodmakesto
mankind.Itisthefirstpromiseofredemptionandthefirstpromiseof
Christ’scoming(Genesis3:15).Here,onlythreechaptersintothis
remarkablebook,GodisalreadygivingushopeofaRedeemer.
Romans16:20says,“TheGodofpeacewillsooncrushSatanunder
yourfeet.ThegraceofourLordJesusbewithyou.”
TheSeedshallbruise…
HereGodpromisesthatonebornofawomanwouldbewoundedin
theprocessofdestroyingSatan.The“seed”ofthewomanwhowould
crushtheSerpent’sheadisnoneotherthanJesusChrist(seeGalatians
4:4and1John3:8).Eveninthemidstofthecurse,God’sgracious
provisionofsalvationshinesthrough.
BoththeEdenic CovenantandtheAdamic CovenantofRedemptionthatfollowsaresignificantforseveralreasons.
• Firstofall,theyestablishapatterntoberepeatedthroughouttheScriptures• Mansins
• Godjudgesthesin
• Godbestowsgraceandmercybyprovidingawaytoredeemmanandrestoreman’srelationshipwithGod.
• Second,thecovenantsshowusthatsinalwayshasconsequences.UnderstandingthedifferentcovenantsintheOldTestamentandtheirrelationtoeachotherisimportantinunderstandingGod’scovenantalrelationshipwithHischosenpeopleaswellasHisplanofredemptionasrevealedinScripture.