Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Putting Up the Bond - Chapter 3, Covenants: God's Way With His People

God did not immediately inflict the death penalty  (in the physical sense) when Adam (and Eve) sinned, instead the "supreme Authority chastened the rebellious for his own good, sent him on his way, and bound himself by a most solemn promise that justice will be maintained even as the undeserved gift of life is bestowed" (pg 23).  God, being gracious, made a promise
"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" (Gen 3:15, Gen 3:14-19).
O. Palmer Robertson* notes that the enmity is God initiated and that people would have remained united with Satan in his opposition to God otherwise.  In addition, the enmity is "depicted as though it were surging from two armed camps".  Down through the long corridors of time this struggle between a multiple of each seed will continue.  The promise also includes the idea that there are two individuals that will engage in "hand to hand combat" with one another.  One representing the hardened host of Satan and the other representing the redeemed host of God (pg 25).

In addition to giving the promise God also issuses the consequences of Adam and Eve's rebellion. The effects of the fall include pain in child bearing, the necessity of doing "excessive labor" in order to "eat life-sustaining bread ", and "in the end humans made of dust shall return to  the dust" (pg 25).
"Consider the basic insights into life that are crammed into these brief words.  Providing bread, relieving pain, performing labor, bearing children and dealing with the inevitability of death - these are the certain issues that none can escape.  All these concerns receive recognition in these brief verses" (pg 25).
These verses (Gen 3:14-19) anticipate the "one single saving hero", Jesus Christ.  He is the one who crushes the head of Satan.  And as "the Lord promised when he initiated the covenant, the crushing of the appointed Man would substitute for the wounding of the sinner" (pg 26).  Throughout history between these "two great archetypical men-between Adam and Christ - the long history of the two seeds unfolds" (pg 26).  By nature all people are of the seed of Satan, but
"the grace of God sets up an animosity against Satan within the hearts of men and women.  This work of God's Spirit continues today, fulfilling the original design of God's covenant" (pg 27).
The consequences of the fall and promise God made in Gen 3:15 are relevant today,
"Everyone struggles with the problems and pains associated with labor, sickness, birth, death, marriage and community.  But on a deeper level the struggle revolves about loyalties to Satan or to God.  Ultimately it centers on the life-and-death struggle between Satan and the Christ which climaxed at the cross of Calvary" (pg 27). 
Posts in this series
Posted by Committed Christian at 1/11/2012 Labels: , , , , , , , ,

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