The Adamic Covenant is the Covenant God made with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden after the entrance of sin expressing His purpose in redemption. Genesis 3.
INTRODUCTION
Under the Edenic Covenant man was put on probation to test his commitment to the terms of the covenant. The one prohibition to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil constituted the test of faith and obedience (Genesis 2:16, 17). The test was occasioned by God’s permitting the serpent’s entrance into the Garden. The temptation to break the covenant came from Satan as he attacked the terms of the covenant. His aim was to break the covenantal relationship between the Creator and the creature by deceiving man into violating the covenant. He knew this would rob man of the blessings and put him under the curses of the covenant. Satan’s attack was upon the covenantal God and the covenantal man, but his approach was to attack the covenantal language. Genesis 3:1–6 records the serpent’s tempting of the woman and their progressive undermining of the words of the covenant.
1. The serpent questions the Word, “Hath God said …” Vs 1.
2. The woman adds to the Word, “… neither shall ye touch it.” Vs 3.
3. The woman weakens the Word, “lest ye die.” Vs 3 (Genesis 2:17).
Note—Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18–19.
4. The serpent lies against the Word, “You will not surely die.” Vs 4.
5. The serpent misinterprets the Word, “You shall be as gods.” Vs 5 (2 Corinthians 4:2)
At this point, being deceived by the serpent, the woman partook of the forbidden fruit and gave to Adam also. This unbelief and disobedience broke their covenantal relationship and brought them under the curse of the covenant (Genesis 3:6, 7; 1 Timothy 2:13–15; Romans 5:12–21; 14:23; Hosea 6:7; 1 John 3:4).
The results of the fall of man were that man’s covenantal relationship was broken, his character was corrupted by the entrance of sin, his dominion was lost and he and his offspring came under the dominion of sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:45–49; Romans 5:12).
This set the stage for the revelation of the Adamic Covenant. God came in grace to fallen man seeking to restore him back to covenantal relationship. This Adamic Covenant was the beginning of the covenants of redemption. Upon the foundation of the Edenic Covenant the Adamic Covenant constitutes the most comprehensive prophecy that God ever gave to mankind, in that it encompasses all successive covenants of redemption. It is a “seed” covenant to the others which follow.
I. The WORDS of the Covenant
A. The Promises of the Covenant
The promises of the Adamic Covenant are expressions of God’s purposes in redeeming man and judging Satan.
1. Promises of Blessing (Genesis 3:15)
The seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head. This seed would crush, conquer and subjugate Satan and all the realm of his authority. This promise involved the chosen seed of Israel, the virgin birth of Christ, His ministry, the Church and the eternal judgment of Satan and his kingdom (Joshua 10:24; Psalms 60:12; Luke 10:19; Romans 16:20). This seed promise is progressively unfolded in the succeeding covenants and consummates in Christ and the Church.
2. Promises of Cursing (Genesis 3:14–19)
While the curse of God came on the serpent and the earth, God did not curse the man and the woman made in His own image. However, the man and woman were affected by the curse and come under Divine judgment.
a. Curse on the Serpent (Genesis 3:14)
The natural serpent which was used as a tool of Satan is irrevocably humiliated to the dust of the earth. The serpent has ever since borne the stigma of its association with Satan (Revelation 12:9).
b. Curse on the Devil (Genesis 3:14)
The curse extended beyond the natural serpent to the Devil himself who is “that old serpent” (Revelation 12:9; 20:1–3). An irrevocable curse was put upon him leading up to his ultimate crushing (Romans 16:20; Revelation 12; 20:10).
c. Judgment on the Woman (Genesis 3:16)
The judgment on the woman involved multiplied conception, sorrow in child-birth and subservience to her husband (1 Timothy 2:13–15; 1 Corinthians 11:7–9).
d. Judgment on the Man (Genesis 3:17, 19)
The judgment on the man involved sweat, toil and sorrow in labouring with a cursed earth until his death.
e. Curse on the Earth (Genesis 3:17, 18)
The soil of the earth was cursed to bring forth thorns and thistles. Instead of readily bringing forth food for man, it would of its own accord hinder man’s efforts for food.
f. Curse on the Animal Kingdom
Romans 8:20–22 indicates that the creatures of the earth were affected by the fall of man and became wild and carnivorous (Contrast this with Genesis 2:19, 20).
g. Judgment of Sin by Death (Genesis 2:17; 3:19)
As stated under the Edenic Covenant God confirmed under the Adamic Covenant that the wages of sin is death. This involved physical, spiritual and eternal death (Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:19; Ephesians 2:1, 5; 1 Timothy 5:6; Revelation 14:11; 20:11–15).
h. Judgment by Expulsion from Eden (Genesis 3:23, 24)
The final act of judgment upon the man and the woman was to expel them from the Paradise that God had placed them in. This was to keep them from partaking of the tree of life and living forever in an unredeemable state (Revelation 2:7; 22:14).
B. Terms of the Covenant
In that man had fallen from the obedience of the Edenic Covenant, the covenant of creation, God sought to restore man back to that obedience through the Adamic Covenant, the covenant of redemption. Adam’s disobedience was the result of his unbelief. Thus the emphasis of the terms of the Adamic Covenant (as in all covenants) was upon faith and trust in God (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 14:23; John 16:8). The evidence of Adam and Eve’s faith is seen in:
1. Adam’s naming Eve as “the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:15, 16, 20).
2. Adam and Eve receiving the coats of skin in exchange for their self-made covering of fig leaves (Genesis 3:21).
3. Eve’s faith-response at the birth of Cain (Genesis 3:15; 4:1).
4. Adam’s communication of faith-sacrifices to his children (Genesis 4:1–4; Hebrews 11:4; 1 John 3:12).
C. The Oath of the Covenant
There is no Biblical record of an oath being attached to the Adamic Covenant.
D. The Book of the Covenant
Although no book was written at this time, this covenant was later recorded in the Book of Genesis by Moses under the inspiration of the Spirit of God.
II. The BLOOD of the Covenant
A. The Sacrifice of the Covenant
After Adam and Eve fell from covenantal relationship and their conscience was awakened and smitten with guilt, they sought to cover their own sin and make themselves acceptable to God and to each other. The law of conscience led to the law of works (Romans 5:12–14; 3:27). The man-made fig-leaf coverings were an attempt to make themselves righteous and acceptable before God. However, God judged self-righteousness to be insufficient (Isaiah 64:6). It was up to God to move in grace to deal with man’s sin and provide an acceptable covering. In that man had broken the life commitment of the Edenic Covenant, and was deserving of death, death had to take place in order for his sin to be covered. God introduced a substitutionary sacrificial death in order to cover man’s sinfulness. This is implied in Genesis 3:21 when God clothed them with coats of skin, which had to have come from a slain innocent animal. Thus, based on substitutionary body and blood Adam and Eve were clothed in the death of another. The innocent died for the guilty, and the sinless animal was sacrificed for sinful man. This covenant sacrifice was the first of all animal sacrifices that pointed to the New Covenant sacrifice, the body and blood the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:29, 36; Hebrews 10:1–12).
B. The Mediator of the Covenant
1. The Priesthood of Christ
It is evident from Genesis 3:21 that God Himself acted as the mediator of this covenant. He slew the animals, He made the coats of skin and He clothed Adam and Eve with them. Although the creatorship name of Elohim (God) was used in relation to the Edenic Covenant of creation before the entrance of sin, it is the redemptive name of Jehovah (Lord) that is used in relation to the Adamic Covenant of redemption after the entrance of sin. The name attached to this covenant is “the LORD GOD” which embodied in itself both creation and redemption (Genesis 3:14, 21, 22, 23).
Further Scripture reveals that the mediatorial person in the Godhead is the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:15; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 12:24).
2. The Priesthood of Adam
This scene also initiated the development of the patriarchal priesthood. As the Lord God demonstrated His own priesthood on Adam’s behalf He set an example for Adam to follow in being the priest of his own household. This was later substantiated in that the Levitical Priesthood, under the Mosaic Covenant, were given the coats of skin of certain animal sacrifices (Leviticus 7:8). It was also illustrated in Job’s priesthood for his own family (Job 1:1–5).
C. The Sanctuary of the Covenant
The place where the covenant was given, the sacrifice made and the mediatorial work of the covenantors fulfilled was the Garden of Eden. However, the focus in Genesis 3:21–24 seems to be on a place at the east of Eden’s garden. The revelation of the sanctuary under the Mosaic Covenant confirms the sanctuary language of the Adamic Covenant.
1. God placed (Hebrew “caused to dwell”) His presence (Genesis 3:24; 4:16 with Exodus 25:8).
2. This place was at the east (Genesis 3:24; with Leviticus 16:14; Ezekiel 43:1–4).
3. The Cherubims were placed there as guardians (Genesis 3:24 with Exodus 25:17–22).
4. A flaming sword was placed there also to keep the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24; Exodus 26:33).
5. This is the most suitable place for Cain and Abel to have brought their offerings unto the Lord (Genesis 4:1–4; Hebrews 12:4).
III. The SEAL of the Covenant
Having forfeited the seal of the Edenic Covenant, Adam and Eve received the coats of skin as tokens to them of their faith in the atoning sacrifice of the Adamic Covenant (Genesis 3:21). This pointed to the faith-righteousness that the Holy Spirit brings to the New Covenant believer who accepts the body and blood of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 61:10; Romans 4:1–5).
The Adamic Covenant is a “seed” covenant introducing the covenants of redemption. The covenantal language that is expressed in “seed” form in this covenant is developed in fulness in the covenants which follow, leading up to its ultimate fulfilment in the New Covenant. Jesus Christ as the seed of the woman fulfills this Covenant in redeeming man back to perfect and eternal covenantal relationship with God.