EdenicandAdamicCovenants

LessonObjectivesThePurposeistoteachthebelieverconcerningcovenantsthat

Godhasestablishedwithindividualsandnationsthroughoutthe

timeofman.Thiswillalsohelpthebelievertounderstandhow

thiswouldeffecttheirrelationshipwithGodandrejoiceinthe

blessingsthatarerevealedtousthroughpromisesGodhasalready

putinplace.

OverviewofCovenants

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.

Edenic Covenant

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

InterpretationfortheChurch

• 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

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

EschatologicalViewAdamicandEdenicCovenant

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.