The Covenant
There could be no Covenant with Adam (humanity) had God not first created Adam. As such we must look at the creation and what God intended of Adam being the first perfect man. Genesis Chapter 1 He establishes His statement. Genesis 1:26-28 God says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
With understanding now why God created humanity we can then completely understand the Covenant made with them. This covenant carried forward throughout all other covenant’s dealing with man’s obedience and was even included in the New Covenant upon the coming of Jesus. Why is this important to us today? This is the covenant that provides the foundational structure over humanity regarding all authority structures.
The Edenic covenant was a bilateral or conditional covenant, that is, there was responsibility on both sides. Adam was responsible to obey, and God would bless him with life. If Adam disobeyed, and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, death would be the result (Genesis 2:16–17). Adam's spiritual life was conditional on his obedience.
The Edenic covenant had a second part, which is often called the Covenant of Redemption. As God was informing Adam and Eve about the curses their sin had brought them, He revealed an unconditional covenant in His curse upon the Serpent when He said: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15). At first glance, this sounds like a basic description of the life of a snake. Men do not like snakes, and often kill them; snakes often bite men on the feet and legs because of their proximity to the ground. But hiding in this curse is a covenant to men.
This covenant had five parts. It is in these parts we learn about the basic hierarchy man must use in all things related to God. While the focus of this is the obedience of Adam to God it also focused on the Marriage Covenant between Man, Women and God. Let’s look at this Covenant in detail.
Before we get into the Covenant itself, we need to look at some background information in order to create the proper foundation to understand the Covenant and its applicability today.
This Covenant was created after Adam and Eve were created but before they had disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. So the initial provisions of the Covenant were made without sin coming into the picture.
The Covenant was changed after sin to provide for redemption with all the other components of the Covenant remaining. So many scholars say this Covenant was a conditional Covenant and some say that after sin into the picture the Covenant became null and void. If this were the case, Jesus would not have reaffirmed the Covenant in His teachings as He walked amongst humanity in face-to-face discussions. Remember as God had set forth in the beginning it shall be the same in the new beginning. So the Covenant with Adam with its redemption additives was brought forth into the New Covenant established when Christ came, was crucified, was resurrected, and returned back to be with God in Heaven. So all aspects of this original Covenant are applicable today for our lives.
So we know that God made humanity to expand his Kingdom on earth. We know that God wanted man to be a visible image of the Kingdom that was in the invisible form in Heaven. We know that God gave man the responsibility of dominion over all things of the earth. We know that God entered into a Covenant with Adam before sin came into the light. And we know that once sin came into the picture God revised the Covenant to include redemption so that God could continue to have consistency in the role that man was to have (Dominion) over the earth. From this, I hope you see that the whole focus of God was to expand His Kingdom in a physical form using the same set of governmental rules on earth as in heaven.
So let’s look at God’s Covenant with Adam (humanity).
As we have previously stated this Covenant is known as the Edenic Covenant. The name of the Covenant comes from the fact that God presented the covenant to Adam in the Garden of Eden. We have been taught that the covenant of marriage is focused on the marriage alone. This is not true. The covenant God entered into with Adam was an obedience covenant that has the foundation not only for humanity but for everything that goes on throughout humanity. There are five main ingredients or sections of this Covenant. The first ingredient of the Covenant is that it is transcendent. This means that all covenants are to operate under Devine (Kingdom) instruction with God ruling and overruling the covenant.
God says this in Mark 6:9 “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” So let’s break this down a moment. God uses this verse to lay out some of the conditions within the marriage covenant. Knowing that God created marriage for the expansion of His Kingdom and part of the reason he created man was to have dominion over the earth, we need to see the hidden meaning here. What God is telling us is in literally form. In other words, we should interpret the passage in Mark as telling us that whatever God has put together let no man destroy. Wow! When we look at this passage in the literal light, we see it applies to everything – marriage, the home, the church, God’s government and so on. Let us take the example we can all relate to quickly. If an individual seeks out through a judge (man) to grant a divorce and the judge rules for the divorce, then what this person has done is allow a man to overrule what God put together. Let us now take an example that many have not even considered. In the previous chapters we have laid out the God Is Government. So if God Is Government and we elected officials not under the rule of God then we have put into office of authority individuals that will destroy God’s laws. Transcendent means no one over rules God.
The second ingredient in a covenant is hierarchy. In current day terms, we call hierarchy the chain of command. All covenants have an order to them. Everyone is equal who are participants in the covenant but not equal in position - the chain of command. There is that go to guy! Jesus said, I have come to do my Father’s Will. Isn’t Jesus God? Yes, but Jesus said I have come to do my Fathers will and I must submit to the authority of my Father. When Jesus sent the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit says I have come to glorify the Son.
With this understanding let us look back now at creation and the inflection point of Satan’s interference in the Kingdom here on earth. Scriptures tell us that Satan went to Eve and not Adam. This was not an accident this was on purpose. His purpose was to use Eve to flip the hierarchy of God’s command structure. Eve position was underneath Adam as Adam was underneath God.
In 1 Corinthians 11:3 says, “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” Christ is God but as to His function He is under God. In Ephesians 6:1-4 we are told, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Why are we told this - because it is God’s covenantal chain of command! It has nothing to do with equality of an individual but has everything to do with responsibility of position in God’s Ordained Order. So the hook here is that once you break the chain of command you break God’s Ordained Order and therefore at that moment you are outside the covering of the covenant and God’s protection and blessing. Think about this as to the answer of prayer we have discussed in the previous chapters. As long as you are within the covenant prayers are heard and answered without delay. It is when you are outside looking in that God does not hear you or you receive not want you want but what you asked for – in the wrong spirit. If you remember the story of Adam and Eve when God came to the Garden He asked where are you, Adam. He didn’t ask where are you Adam and Eve. He asked where Adam was. God went on to tell Adam because He loved His wife more than God and listened to her that he had now created for yourself a life separated from me by allowing her to break the chain of command. Instead of Adam taking charge over Eve, he allowed Eve to influence him in breaking God’s covenant thereby breaking the chain of command and Ordained Order. You see just like Adam was totally responsible to God so is every man in humanity today. We are in the first earthly position of the chain of command.
We will get into this more in detail when we get to the Chapters dealing with Structured Authority but please pay attention here. God has given us an obedience covenant to live by. As long as we are living within that covenant, we are covered with all of God’s abundance. When we ask for something, there is no delay in receiving it. But when we go outside of the covenant and do not adhere to His chain of command and His government, we have broken the covenant and therefore live in fear, hate, destruction, chaos and whatever other adjective you wish to name. See Jesus sates in Matthew 10:37 Jesus states that “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” He goes on in verse 41 stating “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.” Jesus is telling us in these verses if you are outside my covenants, you are only worthy of those events – we are not covered. In Isaiah 3 there is a recounting of the decay in Jerusalem and Judah and God said in verse 12 “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.” God told them that they had destroyed His chain of command. Women are rulers and children are out of control and because of that God is judging them. What is God? God Is Government!
God tells us that when we are operating out of order in 1 Peter 3:11 “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” God is telling us not to pray unless we pray as a righteous man (1 Thessalonians 5:17 and 2 Chronicles 7:14) because He is not listening if we are out of His chain of command. Let me repeat that to make sure you actually got it. Men, if you are not under God’s obedience covenant fulfilling His commands, then you have broken the covenant’s chain of command and you are not to pray because your prayers will not be heard. We pray for a change in our nation, and we live outside of the obedience covenant do you think our prayers are going to be heard?
Let us move on. The third ingredient of this covenant is rules. The governing guidelines as to how the covenant will operate. In Ephesians 5:33 it states “… let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” In current day church we are told of this command as being part of the marriage vows or the covenant of marriage as God ordained. But pay close attention here. This covenant given to Adam was an obedience covenant in order to make sure that the family makeup was in perfect order – aligned underneath God’s covenant of protection and blessing so that when we work outside the home that which we do will still be under the covering of God’s covenant and therefore in accordance with God’s government. If your house is not in order nothing is in order – your affiliation with work, your church, and your societal governments. My grandmother had a saying there is no benefit in throwing stones when your house is out of order for the same reason. What did Jesus say – he who is without sin shall cast the first stone. Men the order of this world begins with us. If we are not right, then everything we touch is not right.
The fourth ingredient of this covenant is sanctions. These are the negative and positive consequences to adhering to the rules. When we break the rules, we bring judgment to ourselves. Romans 13:1-7 KJV “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” Remember from the Universal Laws – that which you think you become, that which you speak you are, [Romans 12:2 KJV “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Changing the way we think charges not only our perspective which changes how we act in the world, but it produces changes in body functions. Paul’s words are not new. “Change your mind” is the central theme of Jesus’ first sermon (Matt. 4:17)]. that which you look like is an image of what is inside (Proverbs 23:7 KJV “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”), and that which we ask for we get but it just might not be what we are looking for (Romans 1:28 KJV “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”).
God tells us that where two or more are gathered in my name there I am also. So when the family is living in accordance with His covenant of obedience then when we pray the spirit of the Lord comes into the presence of whatever situation. It comes into our churches, our communities, our government, and our world.
For those that have listened to me speak or read any educational materials that I have provided on the subject of change, I have stated that there cannot be any changes occur until we first change ourselves (our mind). And when we have made the changes in our own life so, then, can the change be made openly in whatever situation. Those of you in business - have you ever made changes in your business to what you think were for the better to only find out that it did not turn out the way you wanted. And you looked upon it and wished you had not spent all that money and time which is now wasted. Change happens from the bottom up not the top down. Guidance is given from the top, but the overall change can only happen when those in the position to allow the changes accept the change and in their acceptance, they have changed their minds and actions to make the change successful.
So it is Satan’s primary goal to keep the family in turmoil. See when our families are outside of God’s chain of command God will not listen to us and Satan wins in everything we do. Therefore, before you can even think about what you can do about changing your church, your community, your local, state, and national governments you need to look at your home. What did I say - change starts at the bottom? If you do not make the necessary changes first with yourself, then your home, then whatever you do outside of God’s obedience covenant is not benefiting the Kingdom and will not be blessed. Think about that a while.
The fifth ingredient of this covenant is inheritance. Covenants are always designed to be transgenerational. In other words able to be passed down from one generation to another. If this were not part of it then we would not be here today discussing anything. God’s covenant given to Adam at time of creation has been passed down through each generation starting with Adam and ending here today with us and it continues throughout time until Jesus returns. This means that the rules of engagement at the time of Adam are the same rules of engagement today. The basis of this is the charge given to Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply – replicate them over and over and over. We have a societal catastrophe currently. The make-up of our current day families is more broken than those that are not. Therefore, when you go to the voting booth to vote for the person who resembles Godly principles you better hope that those outside of God’s obedience covenant have some other reason to vote for the same person in our hope for change. We can be outvoted. Because the church (I am talking about the body of Christ) has not focused on discipleship of the marriage and condoned homosexuality to openly exist and in fact, some churches are even embracing it, we have created a social catastrophe that is at the heart off every part of our lives and the condition in part of our nation. God’s Ordained Order and Man’s Covenant are completely broken. And if we fail to do something to first correct our own homes, our churches and then move to correct society we will end up with a situation described in Judges 2:10 “After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.” We need to understand God is not going to skip the family or the church to go correct the White House. Judgement starts with the family first.
However, there is hope. God has revealed Himself throughout history and made changes when He needed to make changes only when His people living underneath His covenant asked for change. A great way to see God’s perspective of the life we are living is that He starts at the end of it all and walks backwards into our present time. God did not make changes or corrections to His history. He promises to change our situations from supplications made in right-standing with Him, but He is perfect in His historic creation. So how do we begin to make that shift? It starts with men.
What did we say when we left the gate in Chapter 1 of this journey? God created man to have dominion over this earth meaning that they provided the sovereign authority of God’s government on this planet earth. We learned that this was the plan at the beginning and the same plan at the new beginning when Jesus came and provided restitution for humanity and took back control over His family.
In order for us to clearly understand God’s authority structure we must look at creation itself – beginning with the man. I like this quote from Dr. Tony Evans. He says that “if you want a better world, composed of better countries, made up of better states, composed of better counties, made up of better cities, composed of better communities, illuminated by better churches, and because it is made up of better families it starts by the better man – It starts by me and you being a Man focused on God’s Kingdom - Kingdom Men!”