CSSA 2-1-04 - THE COVENANT MADE IN EDEN

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129. THE COVENANT MADE IN EDEN

In lesson three we saw what happened as a result of disobedience to God's law. Adam and Eve were condemned to death, and all the descendants of Adam inherit the same curse of mortality. But God, in His mercy, held out hope of redemption from the curse of sin and death, even while giving judgment on the guilty ones. At the time when the curse was put on the serpent, God also gave the promise of a redeemer who would bring salvation.

Genesis 3:14-24 THE COVENANT (Gen. 3:15).

In cursing the serpent, God said, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

The important points of this promise are: €

Two "seeds" or offspring;
Enmity (i.e. hatred or hostility) between them;
Conflict between them, resulting in (1) a permanent and fatal wound (a crushing under foot of the head) to the "seed of the serpent", and (2) a temporary wound (in the heel) to the "seed of the woman". Who are these two seeds?

First, it must be realised that this promise is told in symbols. We must understand what "the serpent" and "the woman" represent. Then we can see what is meant by the two "seeds".

The Serpent stands for the teaching he uttered, ("Ye shall not surely die") which is described in the New Testament as "the thinking of the flesh". It is opposed to the way of God (Gen. 3:4).

The Woman represents the truth, or Word of God, which she proclaimed when the serpent first questioned her (Gen. 3:2-3).

The Seed of the Serpent are those people who think and act in a similar fashion to the serpent. He could not show faith in any form (being an animal) and was not ruled by morals as he had no understanding of right and wrong. The apostle Paul describes this as a "carnal mind", "self will" or the "thinking of the flesh". In Gal. 5:19-21 he lists the "works of the flesh".

All thoughts and actions which are against God's commandments are in the same category. Those who please themselves in whatever they do are therefore fleshly minded and are grouped together and known as "the seed of the serpent" (Rom. 8:6-8; Matt. 12:34; 23:33).

The Seed of the Woman are those people who think and act in accordance with the Word of God. The one perfect example of the seed of the woman is the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the only one who completely overcame sin. He never yielded to the temptations that we all face. He allowed the Word of God to influence his every thought and action. Even under the extreme trial to avoid the cross when in the garden of Gethsemane, he was still able to say, "not my will, but thine, be done" (Lk. 22:42). That complete crushing of the will of the flesh was shown in all his life even to submitting to the cross. He was therefore THE "seed of the woman" giv ing sin a fatal blow. His death and resurrection was a bruising of the ser pent in the head (Heb. 2:14).

To achieve that victory over sin he had to endure suffering and death. He was laid in the grave for three days. In this can be seen the fulfillment of a "bruising in the heel", i.e. a temporary blow. The grave could only claim him for three days for God would not allow His Holy One to see corruption. He rewarded his obedience with resurrection and elevated him to His right hand (Acts 2:27; Heb. 1:3).

We too can belong to that company known as the "seed of the woman" by belief and baptism into the Lord Jesus Christ. We will refuse to follow the ways of the flesh as practiced by the "seed of the serpent". We will strive to follow the example of Christ. We shall then show that we are in the company of the seed of the woman. If we are found to be in that company when Christ returns we shall share in the glory and joy of the redeemed. That company will have all striven to crush sin and obey God, like their Lord who has been their perfect example.

GOD'S PLAN OF REDEMPTION (Jn. 3:14-16; 1 Pet. 2:21-24.

The covenant made in Eden is an outline of God's Plan of redemption for us.

Left to ourselves, we would all die, return to dust and remain in the grave. Through "the seed of the woman" (Jesus Christ) we can receive forgiveness of sins by baptism into Christ, and thus look forward to everlasting life (John 3:16).

We must endeavour to serve God and do His will at all times, follow ing the example of Jesus, "who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth" (1 Pet. 2:21-22). Jesus Christ was completely obedient to his Father, even unto death. Where we all fail, Christ conquered and over came every temptation. Because Jesus achieved this God in His mercy has made it possible for all who follow Christ's example to be raised at Christ's coming and given life eternal. Jesus overcame the power of sin in himself, but the serpent's seed will not be destroyed completely until the end of the millennium. Then fleshly thinking will be put down forever, and there will be no more death.

ADAM AND EVE CLOTHED BY GOD € ATONEMENT IN SYMBOL (Gen. 3:21; 1 Pet. 1:18-20).

When Adam and Eve realised their nakedness, they made for themselves garments of fig leaves. This was their own idea of a covering and was certainly not God's method. Instead God clothed them with "coats of skins", which meant that animals had to be slain and blood shed. In this God was teaching them a lesson. By providing a covering in this way, God was making a rule that "without the shedding of blood there is no remission" of sin (Heb. 9:22). The shedding of blood and the covering of nakedness in this chapter, point forward to the death of God's son. By his shed blood, our sins can be forgiven. He then becomes a sin covering for us.

The Lord Jesus Christ becomes our example. We turn our minds away from fleshly thinking and, like Christ, we concentrate upon the will of God. We repent of our sins and seek to obey God's will. In baptism, after an understanding of the gospel, we "put on" or "become clothed with" Christ (Gal. 3:27). Then our "sins are covered" (Rom. 4:7).

ADAM AND EVE SHUT OUT OF THE GARDEN (Gen. 3:22-24)

After God passed judgment upon them and clothed them, Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden. God said, "Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil." And there was a danger "lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever." He was therefore sent out from the Garden of Eden, to farm the ground from which he was taken. At the east of the garden were placed "Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Adam and Eve were denied access to the tree of life. It represents to us a symbol of the eternal life granted to those found worthy of Christ's return € for them the gift of immortality will be like a partaking of the tree of life.

REFERENCE LIBRARY:

"Elpis Israel" (J. Thomas) € Part First, Chapter 3

"Key to the Understanding of the Scriptures" (H. P. Mansfield) € Pages 36-54

"The Story of the Bible (H. P. Mansfield) € Chapter 4

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

1. Explain briefly what is meant in Genesis 3:15 by: € "the serpent", "the woman", "the seed of the serpent" and "the seed of the woman € .