The Edenic Covenant is the Covenant God made with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before the entrance of sin expressing His purpose in Creation. Genesis 1:1; 2:25.
Genesis 1 and 2 not only record the creation of the heaven and earth but also some of the reasons why God made them. The prophet Isaiah stated that when God created the heaven and earth He did not create it in vain but “He formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18).
In Genesis 1:1–19 God, as the wise master-builder prepared “the house” of the heaven and earth. In Genesis 1:20–31 God created animals to live in “the house” and man to rule over them as the masterpiece of creation. Verses 26–31 indicate that man was the focal point of God’s creation. All of God’s purposes were to center in him. Thus, the first covenant was given to the first man and woman to reveal God’s purpose in creating them. This Edenic Covenant was the first expression on earth of the pre-existent Everlasting Covenant in heaven (refer to Chapter 10 “The Everlasting Covenant”). The fact that man was the recipient but not the originator of the first covenant illustrates God’s desire and purpose that man be in covenantal relationship with Himself. There could be no relationship with God apart from covenant. Thus, while God was creating man, He was also declaring His covenant purposes over man (Genesis 1:26, 27). Man, made in the image of God as a free-will creation, was placed on a period of probation to test his voluntary commitment to the covenant.
Though the word “covenant” is not used until Genesis 6:18, there is enough covenantal language and covenantal elements in Genesis 1 and 2 as well as subsequent Scriptural support to confirm the integrity of the Edenic Covenant (See Jeremiah 31:35–37; 33:19–25; Genesis 8:22 with Genesis 1:14–19 and Psalms 89:34–37).
The WORDS of the Covenant
The Promises of the Covenant
The promises of the Edenic Covenant are expressions of God’s purposes in creating man. Thus, they are worded more as statements of purpose and command than as statements of promise.
Promises of Blessing (Genesis 1:28)
Made in God’s image, after His likeness (Genesis 1:26, 27)
This image was spiritual, mental and volitional. It involved the very character and nature of God (Romans 8:28, 29; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:45–49; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:1; Colossians 3:10).
Fruitfulness and multiplicity (Genesis 1:28)
This fruitfulness involved both natural and spiritual reproduction. It involved populating the earth with a race of beings that would know God, be like Him and serve Him. Adam and Eve were to reproduce after their kind (Genesis 1:11, 12; 5:1–3; John 15:16; Acts 6:1; 9:31; Philemon 10).
To subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28)
This subduing denotes warfare in that it means “to tread down, to conquer and to subjugate”. This implied the existence of an enemy that Adam was to conquer. Adam was to conquer Satan, the only enemy then in existence, as well as to make the whole earth as the Garden of Eden (Joshua 18:1; Numbers 32:22, 29; Ezekiel 36:34, 35; Romans 16:20; 1 John 2:13, 14; Revelation 3:21).
To have dominion (Genesis 1:28)
This dominion involved rulership over the earthly creation and would also include spiritual authority. Adam would be king under God (Genesis 2:19, 20; Psalms 8:3–9; Revelation 1:6; 5:9, 10; Luke 10:19; Hebrews 2:5–8).
To eat herbs and fruit (Genesis 1:29)
This involved the sustenance for man’s physical existence (Genesis 2:9; Matthew 11:19; John 4:32–34). Eating meats was not allowed until the Noahic Covenant.
To till the ground (Genesis 2:5, 15)
This involved man’s occupation. He was created to work (2 Thessalonians 3:6–12; Proverbs 24:30–34; John 9:4; 14:12).
Promises of Cursing (Genesis 2:17)
God promised Adam that if he disobeyed God’s command and partook of the forbidden fruit, he would suffer the curse of death. This involved both spiritual and physical death (Deuteronomy 30:19; Romans 6:23; 5:12–21; 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22).
The Terms of the Covenant
The blessings of the covenant were made available to man on the basis of the term of trusting obedience or, faith and obedience. Adam was given only one commandment of prohibition. He was forbidden to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9, 16, 17; Romans 5:12–21; Revelation 22:14; Deuteronomy 11:26–28).
The Oath of the Covenant
There is no Biblical record of an oath being attached to the Edenic Covenant.
The Book of the Covenant
Although no book was written at that time, this covenant was later recorded in the Book of Genesis.
The BLOOD of the Covenant
The Sacrifice of the Covenant
The preparation for the fulfilment of the covenant involved Adam giving of his own life. His sacrificial giving involved his laying down in a deep sleep, the opening of his side, the giving of his body from which God built a bride. This may have also involved the shedding of sinless blood. Adam’s recognition of this sacrifice is found in the statement that his bride was “bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh” (Genesis 2:18–25). The first bride and bridegroom of creation typified the bride and bridegroom of redemption, Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:23–33).
The Mediator of the Covenant
It is evident from Genesis 2:21, 22 that God Himself acted as the mediator of this covenant. He put Adam to sleep, opened Adam’s side and prepared his bride. Genesis 1:26, 27, in using the Hebrew uni-plural title for God, Elohim, implies the involvement of the Godhead as the covenantors, even the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In this passage both a plural image (“our image”), and a singular image (“his image”) are referred to. Subsequent Scripture substantiates that Christ is the express image of God as well as the mediatorial person of the Godhead (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 8:6; 12:24; Galatians 3:20 Amplified; Romans 5:14).
The Sanctuary of the Covenant
The place where the covenant was given, the sacrifice made and the mediatorial work of the covenantors performed was the Garden of Eden, the earthly Paradise. This was the place where God’s presence appeared on earth fellowshipping with man in the cool of the evening. This was God’s earthly sanctuary containing the tree of life. This truth is confirmed by later Scriptures which reveal that the heavenly Paradise (the eternal dwelling place of God) contains the tree of eternal life (Genesis 3:24; 2 Corinthians 12:3–5; Revelation 2:7; 22:14).
The SEAL of the Covenant
The visible sign or token of the covenant was the tree of life. Of all the trees in the garden, only two were named and were placed “in the midst” of it. Of these two Adam was allowed to partake of only one, the tree of life. When he broke the terms of the covenant, God’s judgment focused on withholding this tree from Adam. These facts indicate the tree of life to be the unique, tangible sign of the Edenic Covenant.
The final witness to man’s full redemption and being restored to full covenantal relationship is his being given freedom of access to the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God (Genesis 2:17; 3:22–24; John 6:56–58; Revelation 2:7; 22:14).
This covenant stands unique as it is the only covenant made with man before the entrance of sin. It declared God’s creative purpose for man including covenantal relationship, character, dominion, fruitfulness and eternal life upon obedience and faith. The fall of man necessitated the revelation of the redemptive covenants to bring this covenant to fulfilment. This was particularly made possible by the New Covenant, which restores to man all that was lost in the Edenic Covenant.