Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 2 * PART 2 * BOOK 63
ADAMIC COVENANT
Various Pertinent Scripture References
For those of you joining us on television, we run four of these programs in an afternoon. We appreciate so much your response, your prayers, and your financial help. How we appreciate testimonies of how the Lord has brought salvation to so many through our simple teaching of the Word. I always have to be reminded, the Word of God is powerful, quick, and divides asunder the very soul and spirit. So, we always give the Spirit all of the credit for what is being accomplished.
All right, we started in our last program on a series of the Covenants that God has made with the human race or with Israel. In our last program, we got only as far as the first part of the second covenant. I guess I can review a little bit for the television audience. We have seven of these covenants coming up through Scripture. We’ve got the Edenic Covenant concerning Eden before the fall, the Adamic, which really sets the stage for human experience under the curse. Then we come to the Noahic Covenant as a response to the flood, and then in the center – I meant to point this out in the very first program. You’ll notice that there are three covenants on each side of what I call the lynchpin of all covenants, which is the Abrahamic.So, you’ve got these three I just mentioned before the call of Abraham, and then you have the Mosaic, the Palestinian and the Davidic after the call of Abraham. Then we have the New Covenant, which will kick in during the Kingdom Age, which will take place at the end of time, as we know it.
So, this is what we’re going to do. We’re going to take these three (Edenic, Adamic, and Noahic), and I’m only going to touch on the Abrahamic Covenant. Then, we’re going to move on to the other three (Mosaic, Palestinian, and Davidic). Then I’m going to, hopefully some time down the road, come and deal more extensively with the Abrahamic and the New Covenants.
So, in this program, we’re going to continue on into the second segment of the second covenant, the Adamic. That means we’ll come back where we left off in Genesis chapter 3, and we can now go down into verse 15. In the last lesson we dealt with how God is going to deal with Satan and his experiences, as they will unfold throughout the 6000 years of human experience. Now, verse 15:
Genesis 3:15a
“And I (God says) will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed;…” Now, that’s the crucial part of that verse. We’ll come back to the last part a little later. But this continual, belligerent attitude of Satan toward God begins with Adam and will not end until he is finally taken off the scene completely at the end of the Tribulation, only to be released a little while again at the end of the Millennial Kingdom.
Here is what one famous pastor referred to years ago as the “scarlet thread of redemption” that runs all the way from Genesis 3:15 to the end of the human experience. We’re going to chase it down, because again, Satan knows that the only way God can remain God is to keep all of this intact. If Satan can do anything to destroy this “scarlet thread of redemption,” then the whole thing falls apart.
Now, it starts right off as soon as Adam and Eve have the two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain rises up and kills Abel. Well, in our day and time, it’s just another murder, but so far as Cain and Abel were concerned it was Satan’s attempt to immediately break the scarlet line of redemption, because the Redeemer was to come through Abel (certainly not Cain). Now, in order to pick up that “scarlet thread of redemption,” I’m going to take the easy way out, and I’m going to jump all the way up to Matthew chapter 1. We’ll have to finish the genealogies of the scarlet thread in Luke chapter 3. But first, let’s look at the genealogies in chapter 1.
Now, it’s been a long time since we’ve done this on the program, so I hope I’m not guilty of repeating something that doesn’t need repeating. But, again, one of the intricacies of Scripture is that Matthew’s genealogy of Christ’s first advent only goes from Christ back to Abraham. That, of course, is the reason that the King is what Matthew presents, and the King was an unknown entity of Scripture until we get to Abraham. So, Matthew’s genealogy will only go from Abraham until we get to the coming of Christ in His first advent. Then we’ll have to pick up Luke chapter 3 to find the genealogy from Abraham back to Adam.
Matthew 1:1a
“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, (The One that was born at Bethlehem who is referred to here as:) the son of David, (That, of course, kicks right back to the Davidic Covenant. That’s what the covenant was all about: that through the line of David would come Israel’s Redeemer and Messiah.) the son of Abraham.” Now, here comes the genealogy.
Matthew 1:2
“Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;” You come all the way down through this genealogy, generation after generation until you get to verse 16. This Jacob is not the same Jacob of Abraham and Isaac, but a Jacob of Christ’s time;
Matthew 1:16
“And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” All right, now if you skip over to Luke chapter 3, we can pick up the rest of that “scarlet line of redemption” that Satan constantly attempted to disrupt. But, God providentially prevented it. Now, in Luke 3 starting in verse 23, we start from the birth of Christ and go backwards. Now, Matthew started with Abraham and came forward. But here, Luke is going to do just the opposite, and again, we won’t read all of the names. I merely want to make the point that we have that constant genealogical line all the way from Adam up to Jesus and His birth in Bethlehem.
Luke 3:23a
“And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph,…” Of course, we know that Joseph was not His physical father, he was merely the legal father.
Luke 3:23b-24a
“…Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 24. Which was the son of Matthat,…” And so on down and we’re not going to read all these names, but you can do that in your spare time. Then, all of a sudden, you come down to verse 34 where the names get familiar.
Luke 3:34-35
“Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara (Terah), (Now, we’re going beyond what Matthew had.) which was the son of Nachor, 35. Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec,…” All the way down to verse 36 and 37.
Luke 3:36b-38a
“…which was the son of Noah, which was the son of Lamech, 37. Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, who was the son of Cainan, 38. Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth,” Now, that name rings a bell. He’s the one who took Abel’s place.
Luke 3:38b
“…which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” By virtue of creation. All right, now if you just look at human history and one of the more graphic examples is the Book of Esther. In the Book of Esther, you remember there was this one wicked individual by the name of Haman in the government of King Artaxerxes. He got the grand idea that if he could just get the king to make a decree to destroy every Jew in the kingdom, he would rise to a place a preeminence, because he hated the Jews. Well, he almost made it work. But, you see, the queen was a Jewess, and she intervened on behalf of her people, and of course through God’s providence, Queen Esther was able to stop the decree. Haman went to the gallows instead of the Jew that he was trying to get rid of and so the “scarlet thread” line continued on.
But always remember, from day one, from the very onset of Adam coming out of the Garden, Satan is going to do everything in his power to thwart the fulfillment of God’s prophetic program. Of course, at the heart of it, once we get past Abraham, is the Nation of Israel. I’m always pointing that out, especially in my local classes. Don’t ever wonder why the Jews are so hated by mankind in general. It isn’t because they deserve the hatred, it’s because Satan knows that they are instrumental in fulfilling all the promises of God. If you take the Jew off the scene, then the whole Bible falls apart, because you cannot have end time prophecy without Israel in the land.
So, even today, why is the Arab world so intent on driving every last Israeli into the Mediterranean Sea? Well, it isn’t just the Arab world; it’s Satan behind it. He is determined to get rid of the Nation of Israel, so he will be the winner and God will be the loser. But you see, fortunately God is still the all-powerful, and God has decreed that it will never happen. Again, look at the way things are shaking out in the Middle East. We know that the peace process, once again, is becoming front page news, but behind the scenes, remember, there’s still that satanic effort that no matter what the little Nation of Israel does he wants it to be their demise. He wants it to set the stage for their final destruction. Of course, I haven’t even mentioned Hitler and the Holocaust. That, again, was another satanic endeavor to get rid of the Jew, to cleanse the earth of every last one of them. Then, of course, Satan would be victorious. But fortunately, we have the promises of Scripture that God is always going to be superior.
Now, drop back with me a minute to Jeremiah 31 because we know there are so many, especially prominent preachers and Bible teachers, who take the approach that God’s all through with Israel, and that even the Jews that claim to be Jews aren’t Jews at all. They’re impostors. Well, I beg to differ on the basis of the Word of God, and we’ve used these verses before, and we’ll probably use them again, especially when we get to the New Covenant. Jeremiah 31, and drop down to verse 35. This just guarantees that in spite of all Satan’s power, in spite of his fomenting the hatred of the Jew, God has mandated that it’s not going to happen. Israel is not going to disappear.
Jeremiah 31:35a
“Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night,…” In other words, He’s in control of all of the universe. Every body of space is under His control. Like I’ve mentioned in previous programs, have you ever stopped to think, that with all those billions upon billions upon billions of stars and bodies in space, why they’re not crashing into each other? They are all in perfect harmony one with another. Why? Well, that’s no accident. The Creator God is in control. All right, now if He is in such control of the universe, then how much more can He control our little solar system, because it is just a little nothing compared to the whole. But here it is.
Jeremiah 31:36
“If those ordinances (the sun and the moon and the stars) depart from before me, saith the LORD, (In other words, if the moon should fall out of its orbit. If the sun would suddenly burn out and quit sustaining the universe. If that should happen.) then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.” Then, in verse 37, He gives another analogy.
Jeremiah 31:37
“Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.” But it’s not going to happen, because absolutely they have not been the most obedient people. They’ve been anything but. But, as we’re going to see coming up through the covenants in coming programs, God does not give up on the Nation of Israel. He’s still going to have that remnant left for the end-time events.
So, we have this guarantee that the “scarlet thread of redemption” is going to be fulfilled, which, of course, led to His first advent. We also have the guarantee that all of the end-time prophecies promised to the Nation of Israel will come to fulfillment in spite of everything.
In fact, in light of the present day headlines, I’m going to take you back a minute; this thought just came to mind. Come back with me Matthew 24, because every one of us as believers, every one of us who love the Nation of Israel simply because they are God’s chosen people, we have to understand why things are taking place the way they are. All right, in Matthew 24 which, of course, is all Tribulation. We’re not there yet. We’re not in the Tribulation, although I think we’re getting close. I know we’re getting closer! I’ve said that before, we know we’re getting closer. But look in Matthew 24 verse 9. As you see the world’s hatred and the pressure from all the governments of the world upon Israel, to give in to the demands of the Palestinians and hating them if they don’t. This is what the Lord Himself said:
Matthew 24:9
“Then (That is, when the Tribulation comes.) shall they (That is, all the other segments of the world.) deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be (What?) hated(Now this is Scripture! This is what we can stand on. That the Jewish people are going to be hated.) of all nations (Because they’re so despicable? No. Why?) for my name’s sake.” Because He has decreed it, and we’re going to see that in the coming covenants. He has decreed that they are His covenant people. No matter how much they rebel, no matter how much the majority may be in disobedience, yet God’s mercy, as He says, will never depart from them.
All right, now in the few moments we have left, let’s go back to Genesis chapter 3, where we have this running confrontation between Satan and the seed of the woman, which of course is a reference to Christ.
Genesis 3:15b
“…it (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy head…” The head of Satan, which, of course, took place at the cross. When Christ finished the work of the cross, He signaled a total victorious power over Satan and all of his demonic powers. So, that’s where his head was crushed. But, because of the suffering that Christ entailed:
Genesis 3:15c
“… and thou shalt bruise his (the Messiah’s) heel.” So, here is the whole big picture of redemption and the coming of the Redeemer and the running battle between God and Satan in verse 15.
All right, now then, we’re going to move on to the third part of this Adamic Covenant, which is God’s dealing with the woman. You know, it’s amazing how many phone calls I get, and I had one again the other day which reminds me of this, that after all, it was Eve who ate first, and Eve precipitated the curse. No! No! Eve ate first, but she was not responsible. She was caught in a moment of weakness. She didn’t realize what she was doing and before she knew it, she had eaten. But…and here’s the vast difference, and this is what folks have to understand. The curse came about because of Adam’s disobedience, not Eve’s.
But Eve is not left scot-free, and so we’ll look at her punishment in verse 16. Here is what’s going to happen to the female part of the race because of Eve’s failure to understand what she was doing.
Genesis 3:16
“Unto the woman he (God) said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children;…” Now you know, I make people smile when I refer to the Kingdom where flesh and blood people, who have come in at the front end, are going to have children. They’re going to be living the whole thousand years.
I read another article by a well-known theologian the other day and he affirmed my same thinking that they’re going to live the whole thousand-year period of time. Well, now ladies, you can smile if you want. But you see, if they have children without the curse of the pain of childbearing, having children is going to be the most delightful thing on earth! I think they’re going to have hundreds! I really do. I think women are going to have children throughout that whole thousand year period of time, and every child will be a delight because there’s not even the pain of delivery or anything, because that was brought about by the curse, and that will be lifted.
Genesis 3:16b
“…and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” Then wonder of wonders, the feminists should really smile at this. It’s because of the curse that the woman has been subjected to the headship of the man. That’s another thing that people can’t get through their heads. Why should women be subjected to the husband? Because Eve ate first.
That much God is going to put on her because of her not knowing better and succumbing to the wiles of Satan. So, that’s all part of the curse as it fell on the female of the human race – the sorrow and the pain of childbearing, but also that the woman is to be subservient to the husband.
All right, now let’s just look at a few of the Pauline verses with regard to that. This is exactly why Paul writes what he writes. It is because of what God covenanted here in Genesis chapter 3. The first one I want to refer to is in Ephesians chapter 5, and the next time someone raises the question in your Sunday School class or a Bible Study or something, “Why should women be subservient to their husbands?” This is the reason.
Ephesians 5:21
“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” In other words, this is what makes for good relationships, whether it’s in the home or in the local church or in a work environment, it’s giving in one to another.
Ephesians 5:22
“Wives, submit (You all know what that word means. It means to give in.) yourselves to your own husbands, as (This is what makes the difference.) unto the Lord.” Now, when we come into the spiritual picture of all this, it makes beautiful sense. Next verse:
Ephesians 5:23
“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as (Now, here’s the Biblical perspective…the husband is over the wife.) Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” That is the church, which is His body. Now goodness sakes, does Christ ever make life miserable for members of the Body? No.
He’s a benevolent head. Of course, the lesson is: this is what we, as men, are to be to our wives. We are to be benevolent instruments and never make them feel like a second-class citizen, which too many husbands do. The whole concept is that the husband is going to be the head of the wife because Eve, in a weak moment, ate of the fruit of the tree.
All right, now I’ve only got a couple of minutes left. I’m amazed how fast they go. Come with me to I Timothy chapter 2 and here again Paul is going to deal with the subservience of the woman to the husband, drop down to verse 11. You have no idea how many phone calls I get on this one.
I Timothy 2:11-12a
“Let the woman learn in silence with all (What?) subjection. (Submission – now here’s the reason.) 12. But I suffer (permit) not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man,” That’s the key statement. Now, I tell people all the time that women can teach, women can pray, women can do all kinds of things in the local church, but Scripturally, they should not be the senior pastor. I make no apology for that. On the other hand, I will say this, God has always been a God with a direct will, but also a permissive will, and there may be instances where He will permit a lady to maybe lead a church. Maybe a small, little church out in the boondocks where men will not go, or what ever the case may be. Maybe in the mission fields God will permit a woman to be the minister or the pastor in order to keep the church from going down completely. But God’s original purpose is that the man should be the one in authority. Now, verse 13, here’s the reason. Here’s the Biblical reason:
I Timothy 2:13-15a
“For Adam was first formed, (Adam was created first.) then Eve. (Now, here’s the second part of the reason.) 14. And Adam was not deceived, (So the curse fell because of Adam. He knew what he was doing.) but the woman being deceived was in the transgression, (She was still guilty.) 15. Notwithstanding (Even though she was part and parcel of it.) she shall be saved in childbearing,..” Now, that doesn’t mean her own children, but she’ll be saved by ‘the’ childbearing, which is a reference to Christ.
So, the woman will be saved by the finished work of the cross, just like the man. But the order of the sexes was established back at the beginning.