Renovation Covenant
(Genesis 1:2-31; Job 38:4-7; Isaiah 24:4-6; Jeremiah 33:19-26)
(Genesis 1:2-31; Job 38:4-7; Isaiah 24:4-6; Jeremiah 33:19-26)
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The original, eternal heavens and earth were created to exist within the kingdom of God as a habitat for angelic beings. According to covenant stipulation, angelic perseverance on the original earth was not predicated on the fulfillment of legal condition, but free choice. The angels were created in a state of holiness and provided with the freedom to choose whether or not to remain in a state of submission to divine authority.
In spite of their holiness and the immediate presence of God, a large number of angels chose to rebel. Presuming God could not demonstrate love, mercy and justice in an unbiased, concurrent manner, they challenged His nature. Divine judgment ensued. As a consequence, the rebellious angels were banished from the kingdom of God. In addition, the original heavens and earth, the abode of the angels, became chaotic; characterized by ruin, emptiness and darkness (Genesis 1:2). In agreement with the perfections of His nature, God required the angelic rebellion and its consequences to be rectified. The covenantal renovation of the heavens and earth was the first step of His eternal plan to vindicate His nature. The Renovation Covenant was a conditional covenant of law. Within its protective framework God renovated the earth in holy, spatiotemporal form and populated it with human citizens (Genesis 1:1-2:3; Isaiah 45:18; Jeremiah 31:35-36; 33:19-26). Essential Elements The essential elements of the conditional Renovation Covenant are revealed in Genesis 1-2 as follows: |
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In accordance with the Renovation Covenant, the renovated earth and its human inhabitants would serve a dual purpose. They would provide God with an arena in which to demonstrate the true attributes of His nature and serve as a source from which He could repopulate His kingdom. Within the arena of space and time on the renovated earth, the heavenly host, comprised of angels holy and unholy, would witness a progressive demonstration of the attributes of the divine nature and the gradual repopulation of the kingdom of God. For the holy angels, the fulfillment of the eternal plan of God is nothing less than awe-inspiring (cf. 1 Peter 1:12). In contrast, the fallen angels view it with burning anger and intense jealousy. |
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Covenantal Condition
The Renovation Covenant had only one condition. The perseverance of its blessed benefit required Adam to value the privilege of fellowship with God above all else. Guarding, cultivating and enjoying fellowship with God, Adam would increase in the knowledge of God and, thereby, provide for the vindication of His nature to the angelic host. It would demonstrate that the human race could freely and willingly choose submission to divine authority on earth. Conversely, Adam could choose not to value his fellowship with God. Instead, he could choose the path of “self-enlightenment”, eat from the forbidden tree and “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). However, Adam’s source of information regarding God would then be selfish in origination and, thus, unreliable. His lack of obedience would constitute a conscious rejection of the stipulations of the Renovation covenant and, ultimately, another rebellious challenge to the divine nature. By disobedience to divine covenantal stipulation, Adam’s fellowship with God would be severely limited, the immediate presence and provision of God would end and, according to divine judgment, the earth would no longer be paradisiacal. It would again be characterized by death and darkness. Aware of a strategic opportunity, Satan schemed to deceive Adam. Knowing that Adam’s desire for Eve made him vulnerable to deception, he convinced Eve to disobey God and eat from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. As forewarned, she suffered separation from God, immediate spiritual death and, as a consequence, began the slow decline to physical death. Eve’s fallen countenance and behavior made the reality of her death painfully obvious to Adam. Thus, he was forced to make an unenviable choice. He had to choose whether he valued his relationship with Eve more than the privilege of intimate fellowship with God. Obeying the stipulation of the Renovation Covenant by not eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was the divinely appointed means by which Adam and Eve could guard and protect their privilege of intimate fellowship with God. Contingent on their willingness to fellowship with God, the nature of God would be vindicated from angelic accusation. Conversely, disobedience to covenantal stipulation would constitute rebellion against God. Therefore, Adam and Eve would experience separation from God or spiritual death (Genesis 2:18). Much to the delight of Satan, Adam chose to value Eve above all else and joined his beloved bride in a state of rebellion against God. Therefore, the first man and representative head of the human race became a sinner, outlaw and criminal. Through his choice of rebellion, Adam abdicated his God-given authority to rule the earth. He willingly traded it to Satan for a future with Eve (cf. Luke 4:6). As a result of the abdication and consequent judgment of God, the renovated earth became characterized by degeneration and darkness (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:19-21; Colossians 1:13). |
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Edenic Covenant?
It is commonly believed that God covenanted with Adam in the renovated Garden of Eden. The ensuing “Edenic Covenant” is considered by many to be a major covenant of the Bible. In respectful disagreement, it can be postulated that the Book of Genesis does not reveal an “Edenic Covenant”. Instead, Genesis 2:4-3:13 simply provides additional detail regarding the Renovation Covenant initially discussed in Genesis 1:2-31. The essential elements of an “Edenic Covenant” do not exist in early Genesis. However, it is not difficult to recognize the essential elements of the Renovation Covenant in Genesis 1 and 2. For example, the preamble (identification of the participants) is provided in Genesis 1 (God: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27 and Man: 26, 27). The background (relationship of the participants) of the Renovation Covenant is clarified in Genesis 1:2, 2:4-14. The stipulations (obligation of the participants) are elucidated in Genesis 1:28-29, 2:7 and 2:15-17. The stipulations of the Renovation Covenant are ratified (obligation of the participants validated) in Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 2:3; 16-17. Instead of revealing an “Edenic Covenant”, Genesis 2:4-3:13 simply provides additional detail regarding the Renovation Covenant. |
