Covenant of Creation

IMPORTANCE OF COVENANT

UNDERSTANDING THE WHOLE OF SCRIPTURE

DISPENSATIONS

Time - How God has administrated his purposes across history

COVENANTS

Relationship - namely through covenants

DEFINITION OF COVENANT

A covenant is a chosen relationship in which two parties make binding promises to each other.

(1) RELATIONSHIP

Different than a contract

Contract also contains promises and obligation but they are impersonal and non-relational (buy a car)

Marriage (Covenant Example, Malachi 2:14): Husband and wife make binding promises to each other, pledging lifelong loyalty and faithfulness.

“ But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.”

(2) CHOSEN OR ELECTED RELATIONSHIP

Difference between Husband and Wife & Parents and Children

Husband and Wife - are choosing to enter into a covenant relationship with one another

Children - they are bound to their parents by blood and therefore do not enter into covenant

A covenant is a chosen relationship with defined responsibilities made with those who aren’t already in a kinship relationship.

(3) BINDING PROMISES

Marriage - promises to be faithful until death - richer/poorer, sickness/health

Live out specific conditions and responsibilities in a covenant relationship. Each party in the relationship pledges to carry out the stipulations or the requirements of the covenant.

Blessings & Curses

We often see a statement blessings for holding up the covenant

Curses for breaking your side of the covenant

COVENANT OF CREATION

NAME

Some call this the covenant of works, covenant of life, or covenant of nature

SOME QUESTIONS ABOUUT THIS FIRST COVENANT

The word covenant is never explicitly stated

Some have said the covenants are always redemptive and since we are talking pre-fall, then this couldn’t be classified a covenant.

EVIDENCE FOR A CREATION COVENANT

I’m not too caught up on that exact definition or wording.

Generally, I see the essence and substance of a covenant and therefore feel comfortable referring to God’s relationship with Adam and Eve in terms of a covenant.

2 Reasons:

Textual:

Hosea 6:7, “ But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.”

The covenant with Noah was “established” (Gen. 6:18, “ But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you”).

The phrase ‘establish refers to the renewal of a covenant that has already been instituted.

A different phrase would ‘cut a new covenant’

TWO Parties: God & Adam/Eve

Stipulation: Obey and be blessed (enjoy life with God, disobey and be punished (die). The covenant was conditional

DEFINITION APPLIED

CHOSEN RELATIONSHIP

IMAGO DEI

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God

IDENTITY

Sons and Daughters

“Image” is roughly synonomous with “sonship.

When Adan was 130 he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image...” (Gen 5:3)

VALUE

Murder is a direct attack against the image of God - this is why murder is bad. This is why I believe abortion is wrong.

Even after the fall, mankind still carries the Imago Dei - although marred

Genesis 9:6, “Murder is wrong because God made man in his image.”

God restates the stamp of God’s image on his creation.

PURPOSE

Adam and Eve were to exercise their rule as God’s children by having dominion over all the earth.”

Adam and Eve are priest-kings - under God’s authority, reflecting his glory to all creation

If we look forward in redemptive history, we see that humans are restored to the purpose for which they were made when they are “conformed to the image of God’s son” (Romans 8:29).

BINDING PROMISES

THE CONDITIONS

Blessings | Genesis 2:9, “Tree of life, each of all the trees, have dominion, enjoy life in my prefect presence

CURSE | Genesis 2:17 - Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil - if you do - death.

They disobeyed and experience death - separation

death physically

death in their relationship with God

death in their relationship with one another.

Murder plagues the first family

Cain kills Abel

APPLICATION

GOD IS A COVENANT MAKING, COVENANT KEEPING GOD

GOD CHOOSES TO ENTER INTO A BINDING RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS CREATION

OUR DIVINE IMAGE IS BROKEN BUT NOT LOST