The Edenic covenant refers to the covenant that God made with Adam in the Garden of Eden before the fall into sin. This covenant is found in Genesis 1-3 and established the relationship between God and mankind in their original created state.
The key elements of the Edenic covenant
Here are some of the key elements of the Edenic covenant:
Made between God and Adam
The Edenic covenant was made between God and Adam, the first man that God created (Genesis 2:7). God established this covenant relationship directly with Adam, not just mankind in general.
Given before the fall into sin
This covenant was established while Adam and Eve were still living in their perfect state in the Garden of Eden, before they sinned by eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:6). The principles of this covenant applied to mankind’s original relationship with God apart from the effects of sin.
Included commands to follow
Part of the Edenic covenant was that God gave commands for Adam to follow. The main command was that Adam could eat from any tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). Obedience to God’s commands was an essential part of the covenant relationship.
Promised blessings for obedience
God promised blessings for Adam’s obedience to the covenant. As long as Adam obeyed God’s command to not eat from the forbidden tree, he would continue living in the paradise of the Garden of Eden and walking in perfect relationship with God.
Resulted in curses for disobedience
Breaking the covenant by disobeying God’s command resulted in curses. After Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he was expelled from the Garden of Eden, the ground was cursed, relationships were damaged by sin, and humanity inherited a sinful nature (Genesis 3).
A conditional covenant
The Edenic covenant was conditional upon Adam’s obedience. The blessings or curses that resulted depended on whether or not Adam kept the covenant by obeying God’s command. Unlike later covenants, the Edenic covenant was not an eternally binding covenant guaranteed by God.
Included the cultural mandate
Another part of the Edenic covenant was God commanding Adam to multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it by taking dominion over the rest of creation (Genesis 1:28). This cultural mandate established mankind’s role in God’s creation.
Allowed a relationship with God
This covenant made it possible for mankind to walk in fellowship with God, just as Adam and Eve lived in God’s presence in the Garden of Eden before their sin (Genesis 3:8). The Edenic covenant established the pattern for an intimate relationship between God and mankind.
Implications of the Edenic covenant
This first covenant between God and mankind laid an important foundation with many implications:
Revealed God’s authority over mankind
By establishing commands and conditions, the Edenic covenant revealed that God has authority over mankind. People are under God’s lordship and are called to live according to His word.
Showed God provides for His creatures
By placing Adam in the provision and paradise of the Garden of Eden, God demonstrated that He generously provides for the needs of His creatures and wants to bless them.
Established ideals for relationships
The pre-fall conditions showed ideals of peace, intimacy, and transparency between God and humans and between husband and wife that were damaged after the fall into sin.
Led to the first Gospel promise
After the fall into sin, God gave the protoevangelium promise of a future seed of the woman who would defeat the serpent and redeem mankind from sin (Genesis 3:15). This first Gospel promise was built upon the foundation of the Edenic covenant.
Demonstrated human failure
Mankind’s failure to keep even this covenant of paradise and privilege with God demonstrated the inability to earn favor with God through works and merits. This shows humanity’s need for salvation by grace.
Confirmed human dominion
Even after the fall, the cultural mandate to have dominion over creation as God’s vice-regents was reaffirmed as an ongoing part of the covenant (Genesis 9:1-3). Humans still exercise authority under God’s ultimate sovereignty.
Fulfillment in Christ
In many ways, Jesus Christ fulfilled the ideals and expectations of the Edenic covenant:
Obeyed where Adam failed
While Adam disobeyed God’s command and brought sin and death, Christ perfectly obeyed the Father’s will and brought righteousness and life (Romans 5:12-21).
Defeated the serpent
By dying on the cross and rising again, Jesus defeated Satan, the serpent who originally tempted Eve (Genesis 3:15; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14). Christ succeeded where Adam failed.
Restored fellowship with God
Through faith in Christ’s redemptive work, believers can once again have the intimate relationship with God that was lost after the fall (2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:21-22).
Reestablished authority over creation
Jesus, the last Adam, restores human authority over creation in fulfillment of the cultural mandate (Hebrews 2:5-9). Believers reign with Christ in His kingdom (2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:10).
Opened the way back to Eden
Those redeemed in Christ look forward to the restoration of an Eden-like paradise in the new creation where the curse is removed and God dwells with His people (Revelation 21-22).
The Edenic covenant and the biblical covenants
The Edenic covenant provides the foundation for the later biblical covenants that God made throughout Scripture. There are key connections between them:
With the Adamic covenant
The Adamic covenant (Genesis 3:14-19) built upon the Edenic covenant after the fall. It pronounced curses because of sin but retained the cultural mandate.
With the Noahic covenant
The Noahic covenant (Genesis 8:20-9:17) reaffirmed the cultural mandate first given in the Edenic covenant and expanded it to include animals.
With the Abrahamic covenant
The Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-21, 17:1-27) repeated key aspects of the Edenic covenant such as land, seed, and blessing for obedience.
With the Mosaic covenant
Like the Edenic covenant, the Mosaic covenant (Exodus 19:1-Numbers 10:10) was conditional on Israel’s obedience to maintain blessing in the promised land.
With the Davidic covenant
The Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:1-29) promised an everlasting dynasty that was fulfilled in the eternal reign of Jesus Christ, the last Adam.
With the New covenant
The New covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) provides the process by which repentant sinners can be redeemed and restored to fellowship with God.
So the Edenic covenant forms the basis for all of God’s subsequent covenants with humanity as He works out His redemptive plan after the fall into sin. It established ideals and principles that find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
The Edenic covenant revealed important truths about God’s original relationship with mankind. This foundational covenant provided a context of blessings and responsibilities. It demonstrated human failure but also pointed ahead to redemption through the promised seed. The principles of this covenant established in Eden were built upon throughout Scripture and achieved their final restoration in Christ. While humans broke this covenant through sin, God remained faithful to His purposes. Through faith in the Last Adam, Jesus Christ, the blessings of the Edenic covenant can be experienced and enjoyed once again.
