Genesis Study - Section 6

Why God didn't give up on man

In this session our purpose is to look more closely at the love of God and how He demonstrates this love to fallen man. Before looking at this session please answer the following questions:

From the beginning of creation we see that God has been a God of covenant - hence the constant usage of 'Lord God' in Genesis 2 and 3, as opposed to just 'God' (as used by Satan). 'Lord God' indicates a more intimate covenant relationship rather than the term 'God' being used to refer to the God of the universe.

From before the creation/foundation of the world we see that God chose to make covenant with beings who could receive and grow in His love. This clearly reveals what our heavenly Father's heart is like:

He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 1 Peter 1:20-21

A faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time. Titus 1:2-3

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Ephesians 1:4

the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. Revelation 13:8

He who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time 2 Tim 1:8-10

Scripture informs us that God is in covenant with creation. Jeremiah 33:20 speaks of God's covenant with day and night, as does Jer 33:25 where we read of God saying that He "established his covenant with day and night and the fixed laws of heaven and earth." In Jeremiah 31:35-36 we see that it is God's decrees that regulate the shining of the sun, moon and stars. God is involved with his creation.

Of Psalm 19 ("The heavens declare the glory of God.") A.F. Kirkpatrick writes: "Each day, each night, hands on the message to its successor in an unbroken tradition."

"The Creation account is framed according to the pattern of a second millennium Ancient Near Eastern Treaty."
Prof J. Niehaus in 'God at Sinai', p147.

The Lord God placed man in His creation to benefit from all the goodness of God, and to live in the environment of His love and kindness. Adam was created for covenant blessing from the Lord (Hosea 6:7). We were created to receive. It is in receiving that we are able to give: "We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19).

Man broke covenant with the Lord God, but love always makes a way to reach out to a loved one. This explains why Theophanies are always divinely initiated, whether in Genesis (3:8-9); through a burning bush (Ex 3:2) or by the Kebar River, to a prophet amidst exiled people (Ezek 1:4-28). God appears to save and to judge. God's words are an essential part of his disclosure in every case.

Covenant suzerainty and covenant faithfulness are essential attributes of God and are manifest in God's dealing with all Creation. This means that God will remain faithful even though his creatures prove unfaithful. God will not abandon his covenant faithfulness toward what he has made.

"It is apparent in the Bible that God wants people to live with a certain mind-set in order to know full mental and spiritual health. They must learn to live life with a claim on and a sense of God's forgiveness, even in the face of continued faults and failures. They must live with the confidence that God has a plan for their
happiness and well-being in this life and that He provides a source of power to meet every challenge. Furthermore they must retain the confidence that even when they fail to appropriate that power, God still
maintains control. "
Dr P. Cosgrove, 'Mental Health, A Christian Approach', page 40.

In Covenant theology we see that the Adamic covenant is reiterated by Noah, fleshed out through Abraham and reaches its fullness in Christ.

The behavioural requirements of the covenant are revealed in the Ten Commandments, they are concerned with a man's actions, however the Sermon on the Mount takes this much deeper, being concerned with man's inmost feelings and desires. In the Sermon on the Mount we see that what we want to do is as important as what we actually do, even if we do not do it. God looks at the heart, and it is difficult to control our thoughts, wishes and desires, if we are honest. 

Jesus summed up the Ten Commandments as the Law of Love (Matthew 23:37-40).

Israel was called to base her faith and culture on covenant relationship. Whilst the 'gods' of many nations in the ANE sought to preserve good order (or their concept of good order), in society, it was only in Israel that the covenant idea - a binding relationship - became the driving force behind the ethics taught by Israel's prophets and priests.

In the Bible words such as love, mercy, holiness, righteousness, justice, wisdom, knowledge, understanding and law are all best understood in the context of covenant.

Throughout scripture there is a continual stream of God's blessing, reiterated through the centuries and speaking of God's desire to be with His people in all situations and at all times by the power of His Spirit, with the purpose of making people wholly His. 

In the ANE there were certain obligations in covenantal relationships, and covenantal arrangements were overseen and enforced by the gods - and by the representatives who obeyed them.

If a third party attacked the weaker partner of a covenant in order to subvert his throne, then the stronger covenant partner must intervene. He must deal with the attacker and restore the vassal to his rightful throne and kingdom.

For example:-
In his treaty with Duppi-Tessub of Amurru, the Hittite King Mursilis 2nd said: "When your father died, in accordance with your father's word I did not drop you. Since your father had mentioned to me your name with great praise, I sought after you. To be sure, you were sick and ailing, but though you were ailing, I the Sun(god) put you in the place of your father and took your brothers and sisters and the Amurru land in oath for you." This king made Duppi-Tessub's brothers and sisters swear allegiance to him, and said that he would dispatch foot-soldiers to help him if anyone caused problems.
The creation account is cast in the same covenant form, thus implying the same principles. If a third party (in this case Satan) made an effort to subvert the position of Adam and Eve then Yahweh was committed to intervene and restore their position.

Again, let us note that God has been committed to the salvation of man and the restoration of all things, from the very beginning. Note Rev 13:8, ".the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world."

But! Because the creation account is cast in a covenantal form, it also gives a rationale for covenantal judgement. Just as the suzerains of the Ancient Near East came in covenant judgment against rebellious vassals, Yahweh must come in judgement against his vassals should they rebel. This explains why both judgment and grace were spoken of when God approached fallen Adam and Eve.

Before the fall man and woman had no fear of the Lord God, and God was not unfamiliar to them. Even when God approaches Adam and Eve after the fall He approaches as one already known. Prior to the fall the Lord God did not need to identify himself as though he were an unknown phenomenon. Nor did he need to quell human fear.

This is in stark contrast to theophanies throughout the rest of scripture. These theophanies usually contain six elements, which are as follows (using Gen 26:23-26 as an example):

God did not destroy man because:

That which is righteous and perfect will always seek to create righteousness and perfection in others. Even though man is now fallen, God still exercises His desire to bring about righteousness within man through instruction and support. Ultimately this righteousness is only possible through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Please review your questions and see what you can add to your answers. What does this session tell you about God?