The Everlasting Covenant - 3.1 References AEE

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3.1 References AEE
Hubert F. Sturges, www.everlastingcovenant.com, September 1, 2010

Topics:
1. Who is Jehovah?
2. Law and Dominion
3. The Weekly Cycle
4. The Friend of God, Covenant Relationship
5. In the Image of God
6. Creation of Eve
7. Creation Sustained by God
8. Free Will
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1. See article #8.4, Who is Jehovah?


2. Law and Dominion. Man was given some definite instructions as to how to live:

Replenish the earth and subdue it, giving general supervision over all creation.
Be fruitful and multiply. Have families and raise children (Genesis 1:18).
A diet of fruit, nuts, and grains. No flesh food in Eden (Genesis 1:26-29).
Seventh-day set aside for rest and worship of God (Genesis 2:1-3).
Take care of the Garden (Genesis 2:8, 15).
Mine the gold and precious stones (Genesis 2:11,12).
Avoid the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16,17).
Name (and take care of) all living creatures. (Genesis 2:19,20).
Cleave to his wife, Eve ( see fruitful above) (Genesis 2:23,24)

These were very practical instructions. Was there a moral law, like the ten commandments? The moral law is a description of the character of God. Adam and Eve patterned their lives after what they saw in God, and naturally kept the moral law. We have no record that they were given ten commandments. The only test of their obedience was to avoid eating the forbidden fruit.

Some have described this command as “obey and live, disobey and die.” However, it was not a burdensome command. As sinless beings they were well able to keep it. In this test they were to show their trust in God and their willingness to do His will in all things.
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3. The Weekly Cycle

The weekly cycle was established by the Word of God. The year is governed by the rotation of the earth around the sun. The day is marked off each twenty four hours by the rotation of the earth. The months are shown in the rotation of the moon around the earth. But what about the week?

There are no natural phenomena to mark off the succession of weeks. It is only by the Word of God and the story of Creation that we have the weekly cycle. Numerous attempts have been made to change the weekly cycle. All have failed. There have been adjustments to the calendar. Days have been added at times. For instance, if ten days is added to Wednesday July 4, the next day is Thursday July 14. The weekly cycle is unchanged.

This earth is thousands of years old. During those first thousands of years, people did not keep written records. Has a day has been lost here and there?

Historically, one of the first of the sciences has been astronomy. And the early astronomers were amazingly accurate – though limited because of lack of telescopes. In this setting the passage of time was also accurately noted. When Jesus was on this earth, he had no problem knowing when the Sabbath was. And since that time we have written records and calendars.
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4. The Friend of God, Covenant Relationship

Human kind were created for fellowship with God. God would be first in their lives, and everything they did was to show love, praise, and obedience to Him. This is how things began in Eden. God intended for this to continue for eternity. After the fall, mankind was lost to the bondage of sin. But God stepped in and man was given the Everlasting Covenant with its promise of restoration. Fellowship with God again became possible.

We have some examples: Abraham frequently talked with God. The covenant was given to him in detail at least six times. God even came to him in human form, it seems, just to visit. Abraham was called the “friend of God.” Moses talked with God. Priests and prophets through the ages have communed with God.

Now, as Christians, what does God want of men? If we make Him first in our lives, will we not spend time with Him? If we understand that God came to this earth, lived among men, and died for our sins, will we not love Him? Can we not, too, become “friends of God?” It may be that we start by keeping the commandments, but God wants us to go far beyond that. He wants us to restore the commitment and fellowship that Adam and Eve had in Eden. He has Himself covenanted to make that possible through grace.
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5. In the Image of God

Comment: This rather extensive quotation is included as it offers fresh thoughts on what it means to be in the image of God. Please read with understanding, and look up all words that are not clear to you. ~HFS

Human beings are created in the image of God and thus possess personality, self-transcendence, intelligence, morality, gregariousness and creativity.

The key phrase here is “in the image of God,” a conception highlighted by the fact that it occurs three times in the short space of two verses in Genesis:

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26-27)

That people are made in the image of God means we are like God. We can also say that God is like us. But the Scriptures really say it the other way. “We are like God” puts the emphasis where it belongs – on the primacy of God.

We are personal because God is personal. That is, we know ourselves to be (we are self-conscious), and we make decisions uncoerced (we possess self-determination). We are capable of acting on our own. We do not merely react to our environment but can act according to our own character, our own nature.

No two people are alike, we say. And this is not just because no two people have shared exactly the same heredity and environment but because each of us possesses a unique character out of which we think, desire, weigh consequences, refuse to weigh consequences, indulge, refuse to indulge – in short, choose to act.

In this each person reflects (as an image) the transcendence of God over his universe. God is totally unconstrained by His environment. God is limited (we might say) only by His character. God, being good, cannot lie, be deceived, act with evil intent and so forth. But nothing external to God can possibly constrain Him. If He chooses to restore a broken universe, it is because He “wants” to, because, for example, He loves it and wants the best for it. But He is free to do as He wills, and His will is in control of His character (Who He Is).

So we participate in part in a transcendence over our environment. Except at the very extremities of existence – in sickness or physical deprivation (utter starvation, imprisonment, for example) – a person, having free will, is not forced to any necessary reaction.

Step on my toe. Must I curse? I may. Must I forgive you? I may. Must I yell? I may. Must I smile? I may. What I do will reflect my character, but it is “I” who will act and not just react like a bell ringing when a button is pushed.

In short, people have personality and are capable of transcending the cosmos in which they are placed, in the sense that they can know something of that cosmos and can act significantly to change the course of both human and cosmic events. This is another way of saying that the cosmic system God made is open to reordering by human beings.

Sire, James W.: The Universe Next Door. IVP Academic, Downers . 2004, p. 31,32.
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6. When was Eve created?
    “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).
    “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:22).
Was Eve created on the sixth day of creation (Gen. 1:27)? Or was she created some time later, after Adam had named all the animals (Gen. 2:22)? The Bible record is not always strictly chronological. Gen. 1:27 states that “male and female created he them.” Gen. 2:22 records God taking a rib from Adam to create Eve. Since this came after Adam had named all the animals, it would be very difficult to put this event on the sixth day of creation. Nor is it necessary to do so. We do not know the make-up of Adam, but we can suggest that he possessed chromosomes for both male and female. Thus the “female” was created in the DNA of Adam right from the first.
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7. Creation sustained by the power of God

The Bible tells us that God Created this earth and all living things. Did God create this earth to run on its own power and direction? No! This earth was created because God is a God of love. God supports and guides His Creation to make happiness and beauty for all His creatures. He looks for their praise and love in return. Creation could not have happened without God and could not continue without God. The following paragraphs explain this in beautiful language:

    “The seed has in itself a germinating principle, a principle that God Himself has implanted; yet if left to itself the seed would have no power to spring up. Man has his part to act in promoting the growth of the grain. . . “There is life in the seed, there is power in the soil; but unless an infinite power is exercised day and night, the seed will yield no returns. . .
    “Without the life of God, nature would die. His creative works are dependent on Him. He bestows life-giving properties on all that nature produces. We are to regard the trees laden with fruit as the gift of God, just as much as though He placed the fruit in our hands.
    “In the production of earth’s harvests, God is working a miracle every day. Through natural agencies the same work is accomplished that was wrought in the feeding of the multitude. Men prepare the soil and sow the seed, but it is the life from God that causes the seed to germinate.
    “God’s handiwork in nature is not God Himself in nature. The things of nature are an expression of God’s character; by them we may understand His love, His power, and His glory; but we are not to regard nature as God.” White EG: Medical Ministry, p. 7-11.^ Return to Top

8. Free Will

There are many verses in the Bible indicating the need for man to choose to serve God; and just as many showing that man has chosen not to serve God. From these we must recognize that man has the capability to choose his destiny, and has free will to serve God willingly, or to rebel.

Below is a partial list enjoining the Christian to choose to find and to serve God. There are many more. There are also verses stating what is God’s choice, even some verses giving God’s predestined will. One must read these and other verses carefully. I believe the best understanding is that God DOES predestine all to be saved, and that He will bless, guide, and change the life of ALL who trust in Him. In these things the will of God is effective and cannot be countermanded EXCEPT by the free will decision of the person himself.

Deuteronomy 4:29 if . . thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart. .
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve;
Isaiah 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
Isaiah 1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword:
Isaiah 65:12 but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
Ezekiel 33:11 I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live:
Ezekiel 18:24 when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness,...in his sin that he hath sinned, ...shall he die.
Amos 5:4 For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
John 3:16 he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,
Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold; . and white raiment; . and anoint thine eyes
Revelation 3:20 I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him,
    “God placed man under law, as an indispensable condition of his very existence. He was a subject of the divine government, and there can be no government without law. God might have created man without the power to transgress His law; He might have withheld the hand of Adam from touching the forbidden fruit; but in that case man would have been, not a free moral agent, but a mere automaton. Without freedom of choice, his obedience would not have been voluntary, but forced. There could have been no development of character. Such a course would have been contrary to God’s plan in dealing with the inhabitants of other worlds. It would have been unworthy of man as an intelligent being, and would have sustained Satan’s charge of God’s arbitrary rule.” White EG: Patriarchs and Prophets, 49^ Return to Top