The Edenic covenant, named for its geographical setting, was established by God for man during the first dispensation, the dispensation of innocence. Our approach is twofold: to consider the Edenic covenant in its biblical context and to consider the timeless principles of the covenant applicable today.
A historical contract
A definition and overview of the scriptural covenants between God and man will help us see the biblical context of the Edenic covenant. A covenant is a binding arrangement between two or more parties designed to govern their actions and relationship. The term covenant is derived from Hebrew words meaning “to eat” or “to cut,” referring to ceremonial actions surrounding the ratification of a covenant, such as a meal or sacrifice. The Edenic covenant was unilateral with one conditional element added. It was a command from God issued to Adam, the royal tenant of the earth. The sovereign Lord established the terms of this contract without man’s consent.
The covenants of Scripture can be grouped as Primeval (Edenic, Adamic, Noahic), Patriarchal (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Levitic, Palestinian, Davidic, Solomonic), and Prophetic (New, Eternal), eleven covenants in all. Each covenant has its unique terms and conditions between God and man. One exception is the eternal (or everlasting) covenant between God the Father and God the Son. (Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 1:18-21). The elements of the Edenic covenant are seen in man’s responsibility and God’s provision (Gen. 1:26-30; 2:8-17).
Under the Edenic covenant, man had many responsibilities:
1. Populate the earth
2. Subdue the earth for the benefit of human existence
3. Exercise dominion over the rest of creation
4. Sustain human life by eating herbs and fruit
5. Tend the garden of Eden
6. Abstain from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
God provided a garden of material blessings and spiritual fellowship for man. However, the Edenic covenant also contained a provision of judgment for man’s disobedience. The sentence was death (v. 17). The covenant was designed to test man’s obedience. Love and obedience are often coupled in Scripture (Jn. 15:9-10; 1 Jn. 3:18). God desired the expression of man’s love through voluntary obedience to His Word. Nothing short of that could satisfy the heart of God. Man’s disobedience caused this covenant’s provision of judgment and death to be activated upon Adam and all his descendents (Gen. 5:5; Rom. 5:12; Heb. 9:27).
In this, we see principles that we will see again in other covenants. God created man with a unique design to serve His divine purposes. He gave man the capacity for moral responsibility. He also warned man of the consequences of disobedience. It contains a key principle for all generations: obedience brings divine blessing; disobedience brings divine judgment. There is a parallel charge set forth to the nation of Israel (Deut. 30:15-20).
From a historical perspective, the Edenic covenant was between God and Adam and Eve. Its context was in the garden of Eden within the dispensation of innocence. Its terms were primarily related to the trees of the garden. However, in a more general sense, the principles of the Edenic covenant have a broader application to the subsequent dispensations of world history. William MacDonald, speaking of the forbidden fruit, states; “In different forms, that fruit is still with us today.” [Believer’s Bible Commentary]
Timeless principles
By way of application, consider some lessons for today that can be gleaned from the Edenic covenant.
1. Man has been given divinely-appointed responsibility for the earth. Man was placed in dominion over and above the rest of creation. He is the pinnacle of God’s creative handiwork. The earth was made for man’s blessing.
2. God commanded man to “be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth.” This directive has never been rescinded. God’s command silences the frettings of finite men about over-population (Ps. 127:3-5).
3. After giving man life, God immediately gave him work to do. Idleness is never positive; hard work is held in high regard (Prov. 24:30-34; Eph. 4:28).
4. Privilege entails responsibility. Man was placed in a beautiful garden, but he was commanded to cultivate it and guard its fruitfulness. In Matthew’s gospel, the kingdom of heaven is represented by numerous agricultural similes revealing principles of fruitfulness and guarding against adversaries. If we are to be fruitful, our lives must be cultivated and guarded.
5. The title of this garden is more accurately “the garden of the Lord” (Gen. 13:10). We are servants in His fields. The garden of the Lord was the first place of God’s presence on earth. It was there, in the midst of this garden, that man learned how to walk with God, listen to God, speak to God, serve God, worship God, and offer sacrifices of praise to His name. Today, we gather to Him who is in our midst (Mt. 18:20; 2 Cor. 6:16-18) to learn the same lessons.
6. The name Lord or Jehovah is first found within the Edenic covenant. In Genesis 1, it is God or Elohim, but in Genesis 2 it is Jehovah Elohim who forms human beings for divine fellowship (Gen. 2:7). This is the heart of God: He is seeking for a personal relationship with man whom He designed for that unique role. And when man broke that relationship by sinning, it was God the Son who died to restore it (Jn. 17:20-26).
7. God’s test of man’s obedience involved two trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Both trees were found in the midst of the garden. The fruit of the tree of life offered immortality. The forbidden fruit of the latter tree led to death. Note that the tree of life was not forbidden; its fruit could be freely eaten (Gen. 2:16). Thus, we see that it was God’s desire for man was to enjoy immortality without ever having any exposure to that which is evil. This is still God’s desire for His children (Php. 4:8; 1 Cor. 15:51-54).
8. Once man fell into sin, God graciously acted quickly, denying further access to the tree of life in order to prevent man from becoming an immortal, immoral being (Gen. 3:22-24). Thankfully, in the fullness of time, God’s work of redemption through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ brings us immortality and eternal morality. Thanks to the last Adam, we are invited to partake of the tree of life (Rev. 22:1-2).
In summary, a bird’s-eye view of Scripture focuses our attention on three trees: the tree of death from the Edenic covenant (Gen. 2:17), the tree of healing at Calvary (1 Pet. 2:24), and the tree of life (Rev. 2:7) in eternity. The Edenic covenant sets the stage for the eternal purposes of God from creation to the glories of eternity. It will be there, in that heavenly garden, that we will know the joy of listening to His voice and walking by His side, forever in the light of His glory.