The Everlasting Covenant

The Covenant in Eden

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden they deserved death and spiritually they did die that instant. Instantly they were cut off from God's spirit and immediately they felt naked and ashamed. They quickly started looking for something with which to cover themselves. God came that evening to walk with them in the garden. He came because they were His children. He came because He loved to be with them. He came because His children were lost.

But when He called out for Adam, Adam hid in fear. In his shame and nakedness he was afraid of the One who loved him. Sin is a divider, that is how the devil got his name. To devil is to divide. But God is the healer.

First, God began an investigation into the sin. Adam last in sin was asked to give his explanation of why he felt naked. He was confronted directly about eating the forbidden tree. Adam shifted blame. He had sinned out of love for Eve. But, having sinned, his love evaporated and was replaced by blame. That is still the result of sin today. Eve shifted blame. She had sinned out of a desire to grow and become more than God had created her to be. Having sinned she blamed the Creator for allowing temptation. The Serpent was not allowed to speak his lies.

Having concluded the investigative judgment, God proceded with the sentencing. The serpent was doomed to eat dust and slither on the earth. (Does this suggest that it had been a creature with legs or wings, perhaps a dragon?) Whatever it had been it was now just a dirty reptile. But then suddenly the sentencing turns to prophecy and grace appears.

Genesis 3:15

Satan is to be destroyed by the seed of the woman. Somewhere somehow someone will do something and it will destroy the devil. It is not very specific. But it is a promise, the first promise after sin and this seed promise holds all others in its shell.

Then the woman is cursed. She will have pain and her husband will rule over her but there is a blessing. She will have children one of which is that promised seed.

Then the man is cursed. No longer does he have unconstested dominion. Now he must wrest his living from a world with other goals in mind. And eventually he will become nothing more than a pile of dust. There is no talk here of immortal souls or beings that escape the flesh to live somewhere else. It is straight forward, death, will bring an end to life.

But then grace shows up again. Genesis 3:21

In order for them to live in dignity an animal died. By the blood of the Lamb their sins were covered.

And more grace.

Genesis 3:22 - 24

This does not sound like grace. It sounds like God trying to prevent man from becoming what the serpent promised. But it sounds that way because we misunderstand the problem of sin. An immortal sinner is something God would not wish on his worst enemy. To be stuck in the guilt and shame of sin. To suffer for ever and ever watching children, grand-children, etc. make the same stupid mistakes, fall for the same stupid lies of the devil. God would not allow anyone to suffer like that. The tree of life is barred.

But look at how it is barred. Two cherubim, one on either side of a bright flashing light. Does that remind you of anything else in the Bible? What about the Ark of the Covenant with its two cherubim and its shekinah glory? God set up at the gate of the garden the very first Sanctuary where Adam, Eve, and all of their children could come and worship. For year after year, century after century those who worshiped God could come each Sabbath to commune with God, to thank Him for His blessings, to pray for His strength for their battle with temptation, to rejoice in His goodness, to contemplate His truth.

Of course some, like Cain, turned their backs on God and went off away from the garden to set up their homes. They lost sight of God and became known as the children of men. Those who worshiped were known as the sons of God. Sadly there came a time when that distinction broke down and intermarriage between the two groups brought about the violence and evil the finally brought on the deluge.

The Covenant with Noah

The Covenant to Abraham

When God called Abram He promised him several things. 1

Abram was to leave his country, his kindred and his father's house.

God would shew him a new land.

Make his name great.

Make him a blessing.

Bless all the families of the earth through him.

At that time idolatry was taking over the families of Seth. 2

Abram believed God and moved first to Haran then when his father died on to Canaan. A famine came to Canaan and Abraham went down to Egypt to escape the famine. But in Egypt his family was threatened and only God's miraculous protection got him safely out of Egypt. When he arrived back in Canaan he offered the best of the land to his nephew Lot.

But in spite of giving the best away God came to him and made promises that were greater then before. 3