Genesis 3:9-15, 21 – The Adamic Covenant: God’s Grace Shown

Since our series is going to be centered around the concept of covenant, I wanted to begin with what a covenant is.

Generally speaking, a covenant is an agreement between two parties to perform certain actions. The Lexham Bible Dictionary defines a covenant as a legally binding agreement between two parties that is ratified by certain rituals that emphasize the binding agreement.
It involves terms or obligations for both parties involved, often with rewards or bonuses for keeping the covenant and consequences/punishments for failing to keep the covenant.

The concept of covenant is significant in the Scriptures. Pastor and theologian Dr. R.C. Sproul explains it this way, “We have this repeated motif or pattern of covenant in the Bible which expresses God’s relationship to man. Therefore, we refer to the study of the framework of Scripture as ‘covenant theology’. It is ‘covenantal’ because it sees the structure of covenant in the Bible as a crucial element in which the whole plan of redemption is worked out. It becomes a kind of key to understanding and interpreting the whole of Scripture.”

So where exactly do we see this idea of covenant in the Bible and exactly what types of covenants do we see? A common type of covenant in the ancient near east was known as a suzerain-vassal. In these types of covenants, the suzerain (i.e., king or ruler) would offer the terms of the covenant to the vassal (i.e., the subject). The suzerain would provide blessing and protection in return for the vassal’s tribute. This is the type of covenant we see God make with the first Adam when he was created.

Theologians refer to this initial covenant as the covenant of works. In the case of the covenant of works, God (the suzerain) promises eternal life and blessing to mankind (the vassal represented by Adam as the head of the human race), in return for man’s obedience to the stipulations of the covenant (i.e., don’t eat from the tree). We find the bulk of the establishment of this covenant of works in Genesis 2.

So, God’s covenant with mankind via Adam was the established means of relationship in the beginning. And if Adam and Eve would have obeyed the terms of the covenant, they would have enjoyed the blessing and presence of God for eternity. But in Genesis 3, we read that Adam along with his wife Eve broke the first covenant when they believed the lie of the Satan (represented by the serpent) and disobeyed God.

So, man broke the covenant and sin entered the world. Therefore, punishment ensued. The punishment came first in the form of a curse. The curse involved death – it included eventual physical death as well as immediate spiritual death. Spiritual death involved separation from God and enslavement to sin. And that curse was applied to all those descended naturally from Adam and Eve. That includes all of us in this room. Therefore, since the Fall, mankind has not been able to keep the terms/obligations of the covenant of works. Naturally, we all are under the curse of sin and do not have the ability to fulfill the covenant of works in and of ourselves.

But God, because of his great mercy and kindness did not destroy mankind completely. He desired worshippers for Himself. So, in response to the first Adam’s breaking of the covenant, God enacts or adds the covenant of grace to rescue the covenant breakers.

Westminster Larger Catechism question and answer 30 helps us understand this act of God. It asks:  Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery? It answers: God did not leave all men to perish in the estate of sin and misery, into which they fell by the breach of the first covenant, commonly called the covenant of works; but of his mere love and mercy delivered his elect out of it, and brought them into an estate of salvation by the second covenant, commonly called the covenant of grace.

In other words, rather than leave them in their estate of sin and misery, God graciously promised to send another representative of mankind who could and did keep the terms/obligations of the covenant of works and through whom mankind could be saved.

So how do we see the covenant of grace displayed in the covenant with Adam (the covenant of works)? In the covenant with Adam as with all the OT covenants, the covenant of grace was being administered, as WLC 34 states, by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the passover, and other types and ordinances, which did all foresignify or foreshadow Christ then to come. In Genesis 3, we see the covenant of grace was displayed when God covered the first Adam’s shame, when God cursed the first Adam’s enemy, and when God promised the last, or sometimes called the second Adam’s victory.

Let’s look closer at these together. In verses 9-13, we see the result of Adam and Eve breaking the covenant of works. Notice that God called to Adam first. This is because God had established Adam as the representative of not just himself, but his wife Eve and all those who are naturally descended from them. This is known as the federal headship of Adam. Adam represented all mankind in the covenant of works. So, God addresses Adam and asked why he was hiding. Notice Adam’s response. Adam said he hid from God because he realized he was naked and he was also afraid. These two responses, shame and fear, were consequences of breaking the covenant. These consequences were a result of the entrance of sin and death into the world. Sin brought guilt, shame, alienation, and death and to the experience of Adam. Mankind is alienated from God.

Have you ever had a time in your life when you did something wrong, and you tried to hide? I can remember times when I was young and would hide if I knew I did something wrong and was going to have consequences. Sometimes I would do a pretty good job of hiding, other times, it was comical how poorly I hid. Like hiding behind a door but my toes were sticking out from under the door. Now as adults, most of us don’t physically hide when we do something wrong, but we may try to hide by covering up the sin or lying about it.

One of the major consequences of sin that affects mankind is highlighted by this passage. Sin has resulted in mankind's basic unwillingness to admit guilt, to accept responsibility for actions and to abide by penalties for sin.

So it was with the first Adam. So it is with all mankind. And God could have left it at that. He could have left Adam and Eve in their sin and shame. But that is not what happens. Jump down to verse 21. Instead of leaving them in their shame, what did God do? It says, “God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” God did not leave them in their shame. He graciously covered their shame with garments of skin. Where might these garments of skin come from? Many scholars propose that God would have had to sacrifice an animal and use its skin to fashion the garments. If that is the case, the skins foreshadowed the necessity of blood to be shed for the forgiveness of sins. The covering of the first Adam’s shame required a blood sacrifice, which God himself provided. Regardless of what the garments were made of, the primary point is God displayed grace toward the first Adam by covering his shame.

This covering of the first Adam’s shame involved a sacrifice that foreshadowed the coming sacrifice that would not cover the shame of sinful man temporarily but permanently. Because of the curse, man would always continue to experience sin and shame. We live under that same curse, never able to keep God’s law perfectly and being separated from Him. That is why God sent His Son Jesus into the world, as a sacrifice for sin. To cover the shame of those exposed before God. Because of perfect life of obedience, he was able to be offered as the perfect sacrifice and covering of shame for those who trust in Him. We see the concept of this truth continued in the New Testament in 1 John 2:28 where the Apostle John writes, “28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” Do you trust in Him? If you do, the shame of your sin is removed before God. Rejoice in that reality this Christmas. Rejoice in the second Adam’s keeping of the covenant of works on your behalf. If you have not trusted in Him, you need the sacrifice of Christ to cover your shame. Turn to Him.

But God not only displayed grace in this manner; He also displayed grace by cursing the first Adam’s enemy. Look at verse 14 and the first part of verse 15. The tool or instrument that Satan used to deceive Adam and Eve was a serpent. Therefore, God curses the serpent. Crawling on its belly and eating dust were symbolic of humiliation. This description of the serpent’s curse also points to Satan’s humiliation and eventual defeat.

God goes on to say that He will create enmity between the woman and Satan, against her seed and his seed. Enmity literally means to “make an enemy”. God makes sure that the continuing relationship between the serpent and the woman is not one of friendship but is a relationship of hostility. In his book on covenant theology, author and professor Richard Belcher writes, “Warfare will constantly be at work between the serpent and the woman and will continue to be fought between the seed (offspring) of the woman and the seed of the serpent.”

It is important to understand that this is not referring to physical lineage but to spiritual descent. Satan is a fallen angel and nowhere in Scripture is there any evidence that he had the power of physical reproduction. It is rather a spiritual idea, in which one can be a child of Satan by will, heart and intent. Remember that Jesus said to the Pharisees that, “you are of your father the devil.” The believer, or seed of the woman, by way of contrast says, “Our father who is in heaven, “

What we see here is God is putting Himself on the side of Adam and Eve. He is not giving them over to Satan. He will have a “line” that will not ultimately align with the enemy. Dr. Belcher writes, “The seed of the woman is traced in the godly community committed to God's ways and the seed of the serpent is traced in the ungodly community that rebels against God.”

God is not allowing Satan to have the victory but will do battle against Satan on behalf of His people. This line will reach its apex in the birth of Jesus, the last Adam, the one who faces Satan in battle and wins. We get a foretaste of this battle between Satan and Jesus in Matthew 4 where we find the account of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus succeeds in resisting Satan’s temptations, which in many ways mirror the temptation of Adam and Eve in the garden. This is another picture of God’s curse against the first Adam’s enemy.

It is also another display of God enacting the covenant of grace. Those who trust in Christ have the promise that their enemy is cursed. Satan and those who align themselves with him will not ultimately succeed. In the battle between the seeds, those who have faith in Christ have the armor of God in battle which extinguishes the flaming darts of the evil one. Friends, we dare not make ourselves allies with the enemy. Only those covered by the grace of God through Christ will not suffer ultimate defeat and humiliation. Not so Satan and those on his side. Their final humiliation and defeat are guaranteed.

Which leads us to the other way we see the covenant of grace displayed in this passage. It is displayed with the prophecy of the last Adam’s victory. Look at the second part of verse 15. It says, “He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” The construction of this phrase in the original language indicates that the “he” here refers to a single individual who will do battle with the seed of the serpent. The victory of the seed of the woman is also highlighted. The same verb is used for the blows that both will give to the other, but one of the blows is fatal. Satan's blow is on the heel but the blow from the seed of the woman is on the head of the serpent. The seed of the woman would triumph over the seed of the serpent by defeating him.

This reference to the defeat of Satan by the seed of the woman is what theologians refer to as the “protoevangelion”, or first gospel. It is the first reference to the good news of God sending someone to defeat Satan and rescue fallen man. The identity of this descendant is progressively revealed throughout Old Testament history and is fulfilled in the person and work of Christ. Genesis 3: 15 speaks ultimately of Christ, the second or last Adam, the mediator of the covenant of grace, the Redeemer of God's elect. Just as Adam represented his descendants in his actions, so Christ represented those elected to eternal life. Just as the sin of Adam was imputed to his descendants, so the righteousness of Christ’s obedience was imputed to those who have faith in him.

Belcher points out, “This also teaches us that the covenant of grace did not abolish the covenant of works because both required that the righteousness of the law be fulfilled. Christ fulfilled this righteousness by meeting the requirement of the covenant of works, enabling his righteousness to be offered to those who believe in him. The covenant of grace through Christ accomplishes what the covenant of works required. The obedience of the last Adam in keeping the law is the foundation for justification by faith.”

We can see the continuity between the old covenant (of works) and the new covenant (of grace) in the book of Romans. In Romans 5:15-17 it says, “15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

God graciously sent His only son Jesus to be born of a virgin and who would fulfill the demands of the covenant of works. And as we saw earlier in the WLC 34, the covenant of grace was administered under the Old Testament, by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the passover, and other types and ordinances, which did all fore-signify Christ then to come. Here in Genesis 3, we see several of those promises, prophecies, and sacrifices which point to the covenant of grace and the coming of Jesus, the last Adam.

What does this mean for those of us sitting in the sanctuary this morning? Simply, is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? Have you trusted in the person and work of Christ? Jesus is the first person to get into heaven by His good works. We also get into heaven by good works – the good works of Jesus. They become our good works when we receive Christ by faith. When we put our faith in Christ, God credits the good works of Christ to our account. The covenant of grace fulfills the covenant of works because God graciously applies the merit of Christ to our account. Therefore, by grace we meet the terms set forth in the covenant of works.

On this first Sunday of Advent, as we approach the Christmas season and anticipate the celebration of the birth of Christ, have you trusted in Him? If you have not, would you surrender to Christ today, the only One who one can save you from the punishment you deserve? If you have trusted in Him, remember again from what Jesus saves you. He was born to keep the covenant of works with God, a covenant which is impossible to keep in yourself. He died as a sacrifice for the punishment you deserve. He was raised so that you can be raised together with Him. Rejoice in the hope of the birth, life, and death of the second Adam, Jesus Christ. God’s grace is shown in and through Christ. May you experience that grace today.  

Let’s pray.

No Comments


Recent

Archive

 2024
 January

Categories

no categories

Tags