# What covenant was the people under from Adam to Abraham?



## truthman1972 (May 19, 2004)

I am somewhat new to Covenant Theo. and trying to work through the doctrine and was wondering if I could get some help?

My question is what covenant were the people under after the fall and before Abraham? It seems simple enough to say they were of course under grace as is the way all men are saved, but did or did not the covenant need to be established with someone for it to be ratified as was the case with Abraham?


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## truthman1972 (May 19, 2004)

Please excuse the poor english - What covenant were the people under....


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## Scott Bushey (May 19, 2004)

Hi Tony!
First post!
It was ratified in the 'Lamb' slain before the foundation of the world.


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## Ianterrell (May 19, 2004)

The Cov. of Grace is the outworking of the Covenant of Redemption between the Father and Son which concerns election and predestination. Anyone who believed in God was brought into this covenant from Adam to Abraham and beyond. 

Isn't there a bit of a messianic promise given in the fall? The seed of woman/seed of the serpent conflict is described. The Covenant of Grace begins to be worked out corresponding with the fall of man I think you are correct to say &quot;they were of course under grace.&quot; The covenant is described and adorned further in Abraham's covenant, it does not start there.


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## sastark (May 19, 2004)

From Adam to Noah the people were under the Adamic Covenant (which God established with Adam post-fall). 

From Noah to Abraham, they were under the Noahic Covenant (which God established with Noah after Noah and his family came out of the ark. The rainbow was given to us as a sign of this covenant).

Of course, both the Adamic covenant and the Noahic covenant are administrations of the covenant of grace which stretches from creation to the second coming.

I good book on covenant theology is &quot;The Christ of the Covenants&quot; by O. Palmer Robertson. I found it to be very helpful in understanding covenant theology, particularly the OT covenants.

PS - Welcome to the board!


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## Ranger (May 20, 2004)

We also need to realize that there is a covenant between God and all of mankind in creation. The sabbath, marriage and labor were all a part of this covenant which happened before the humanity's fall.


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## Puritan Sailor (May 20, 2004)

[quote:2fdc17ed04][i:2fdc17ed04]Originally posted by Ranger[/i:2fdc17ed04]
We also need to realize that there is a covenant between God and all of mankind in creation. The sabbath, marriage and labor were all a part of this covenant which happened before the humanity's fall. [/quote:2fdc17ed04]
Do not mix the covenants. Though there was a condescending on God's part to make this covenant with Adam, it was not grace, and the only thing we merit from that covenant now is wrath. The first covenant made with Adam was a covenant of works. The second was the covenant of grace. In the Cov of works, Adam was the federal head. In the cov of grace made with Adam, the Seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent, He is the federal head.


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## sastark (May 20, 2004)

I think Kyle means that marriage, work and rest were all creation [b:786e077a98]ordinances[/b:786e077a98] (correct me if I'm wrong, Kyle).


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## Ranger (May 20, 2004)

I didn't mean to mix my covenants there. I misread and was thinking he was wondering what covenants were from creation to Abraham, not specifically Adam to Abraham. My bad. I did mean that they are remaining ordinances though.


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## Puritan Sailor (May 20, 2004)

Ok. Just checkin'


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## truthman1972 (May 24, 2004)

Let me get this straight. 

All (elect) men &amp; women are under the covenant of Redemption between the Father and the Son. 
Understood.

The covenant of Grace is the covenant administrations to men under the Cov. of Redemption along with unelect?

And there was no administration of the Cov. of Grace (except for hints) that was ratified with man until Abraham.

Am I close, way out there, or on target?

Someone let me know please.


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## fredtgreco (May 24, 2004)

The covenant of grace began in Genesis 3:15.


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## Scott Bushey (May 24, 2004)

&lt;Adding to what Fred has stated&gt;
......and was ratified prior to the foundation of the world in the 'Lamb slain'.


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## sastark (May 24, 2004)

[quote:f9ea0b3223][i:f9ea0b3223]Originally posted by truthman1972[/i:f9ea0b3223]
Let me get this straight. 

All (elect) men &amp; women are under the covenant of Redemption between the Father and the Son. 
Understood.

The covenant of Grace is the covenant administrations to men under the Cov. of Redemption along with unelect?

And there was no administration of the Cov. of Grace (except for hints) that was ratified with man until Abraham.

Am I close, way out there, or on target?

Someone let me know please. [/quote:f9ea0b3223]

Hi Tony,

Like Fred said, the Covenant of Grace (let's call it &quot;COG&quot; for short) began in Gen. 3:15. We have the elements here of a covenant: A blood sacrifice and an agreement initiated by God with man (that's your basic covenant). So, that was the beginning of the COG and it was made with Adam, hence it is called the &quot;Adamic Covenant&quot;. All &quot;Adamic Covenant&quot; means is that it is an administration of the COG. A &quot;sub-covenant&quot; if you will. The &quot;blood-shedding&quot; process was repeated with Noah after the flood. See Gen. 8:19- 9:17. Here Noah offers a sacrifice and God initiates a new administration of the COG. See 9:8-9 [i:f9ea0b3223]&quot;Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: 'And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you'&quot;[/i:f9ea0b3223].

So, from Noah to Abraham, the people were in the COG, under the Noahic Covenant. The rainbow is the sign of the Noahic Covenant, by the way.

Then the Abrhamic Covenant begins in Gen. 15, when God passes through the pieces of Abraham's sacrifice. We see more details of this covenant in Gen. 17.

The Abrahamic administration lasted until Moses, at which time the Mosaic covenant was established by God. See Exodus 34:27 (also Exodus 24). Also, please note Exodus 2:24, 6:4-5: These verses show the continuity of the covenants, from Abraham to Moses.


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