Adam's Role in the Garden of Eden

I don't understand Covenant Theology so I am reading an introduction named, A Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explored by Michael G. Brown and Zach Keele. Genesis 3 is a pivotal chapter for covenant theologians. The authors explain Adam's role in the garden of Eden in the following quote. This explanation is new to me.

That the first Adam failed in his responsibility to carry out judgment on the serpent is further elucidated in verses 23-24, which tell us that the Lord relieved Adam of his priestly duty of protecting the holiness of the garden and gave it to the cherubim with the flaming sword. In Genesis 2:15 we are told that “the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work and keep it.” In order to reach the goal of the Tree of Life, Adam was to remain obedient in these covenant responsibilities. He was not only to take care of the garden as a gardener but also protect it as a guardian. Eden was a holy temple and sanctuary to the Lord. Protecting it from defilement was part of his priestly responsibility to the Lord. Thus, he failed in the covenant of works even before he ate of the forbidden tree. He failed when he allowed his wife to enter into league with the devil. At that very point, he should have exercised his priestly authority and executed judgment on the Serpent. Consequently, “the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life” (Gen. 3:23-24). Fallen Adam could continue in his responsibility to “till” or “tend” the earth (now cursed and bearing thorns) as an everyday function for life. But his holy responsibility of “guarding” the garden was taken from him and given to the cherubim as he failed in his priestly duty to protect Eden from defilement. If God’s elect were to reach to goal of the Tree of Life, God would need to send a new Adam to exercise judgment on the Serpent, which is precisely what he promises in Genesis 3:15: “He will bruise your head.” (p. 62-63)

Hebrews 12:22 -- Men and Angels

In Hebrews 12:22 we read:

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, (Hebrews 12:22 ESV)

F.F. Bruce in his commentary on Hebrews writes about verse 12:22:

He [the author of Hebrews] knows that the attendant angels are sent to minister to the heirs of salvation; how exalted the status of the heirs of salvation is may be gauged from the fact that the Son of God passed by angels in order to partake of flesh and blood with mankind. When, therefore, believers come to the myriads of angels it is not to worship them, but to worship the God whose servants they are. (p. 358, The New International Commentary on the the New Testament: The Epistle to the Hebrews)

Imagine it. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, stepped down from the Father's right hand and passed through the crowd of myriads and myriads of angels. I can almost see the crowd slowly parting and then bowing to let Jesus through. They would be in awe of what He was about to do. God did not send Jesus to die for the sins of the fallen angels or any of the heavenly hosts. God sent His Son to die for the sins of mankind. We need to bend our knees in thankfulness and look forward to the day when we will be in that festal gathering celebrating the victory of the Son.

Edwards's on the Christian spirit and society.

This is Jonathan Edwards's teaching on 1 Corinthians 13. The following paragraph is a meditation of excellency of spirit. He answers the question what if in our society we forbear wrongs like Christ does for us.

But let us consider how greatly we stand in need of God's long-suffering with regard to our injuries towards him. How often and how greatly are we injuriously behaving ourselves towards God; how ill is our treatment of him every day? And if God does not bear with us, and exercise wonderful longsuffering towards us, how miserable shall we be? What will become of us? Let these considerations, therefore, influence all of us to seek such an excellent spirit as that which has been spoken of, and to disallow and suppress every thing of the contrary spirit or practice. It would be of an happy influence in our towns and public societies in the management of all our public affairs if such a spirit as this prevailed. It would prevent contention and strife, and so would prevent a great deal of confusion with every evil work. Our affairs would all be carried on without any fierceness, without rage and bitterness of spirit, without harsh and opprobrious expressions to others, and malignant backbiting and comtemptuous speeches behind others' backs; and nothing would be lost by it

(Charity and its Fruits)

Ray Bradbury on Life's Purpose

Ray Bradbury in his essay, "Mars: Too soon from the Cave, Too far from the Stars," meditates on Man's purpose in the universe.

We are representatives of the Life Force. our hidden genetics propel us up, upward, and out. We cannot resist the impulse to footprint Mars as we did the Moon. And when we arrive there, what shall we say to the mysterious mothering universe? "We are here! Behold, we have cast our seed upon a windless wind in a lonely place that we shall make less lonely. Do we rest now?" To which the Cosmic response must be, "No." There can be no rest, but always moving on. For to rest means to stop, and to stop might well mean a fall back into the dust. In the words of the Cabal at the end of Things to Come, "Which shall it be?" The stars or the grave? It is a million-year journey. Sleepless at dawn, arise and go.

Bradbury (2000). According to Bradbury, there is no rest for mankind. However, the bible says differently.

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:11 ESV)

We, as Christians, must strive to enter the rest that Christ has provided for us through His death on the Cross. We, at the end of the age, will enter that rest and be in the presence of God along with other believers and the angelic host. We do not strive to find meaning, but we strive to find rest.