New Beginnings Part 14

1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

If the first verse sounds familiar, that’s because it’s a repeat of what God said to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28. This is Eden all over again.

God commissions Noah and his family to spread out across the earth and re-establish human civilization. Noah is to become the patriarch of a vast clan that will eventually branch out to form all the various tribes and nations on earth.

Just as Adam was head of the human race in the beginning, Noah is now the head of the reconstituted human race after the flood.

Everything flows from him through his three sons.

And now God adds one significant permission: Humans are given permission to use animals for food.

Evidently before the flood, everyone was a vegetarian. But now it is permissible to hunt animals for food and to raise animals for meat.

That’s the first 3 verses and there is a vital spiritual truth underlying these verses

that God will not be defeated by human sin, not even by sin as gross as the immorality that brought on the flood.

Your sin may seem (from a human point of view) to hinder God’s plan, it may seem to delay it for days or months or years or even for generations, but in the end, God’s will will be done.

What God has spoken must come to pass. No evil done by men can thwart the plans of the Almighty. Has he not spoken? Will he not do it? Who dares to stand against him? Some may dare, but none can succeed.

This truth is hugely encouraging because it gives us hope when we have messed up royally. We may wonder, and may secretly think, that God is through with us because of our sin.

Isaiah 55:7 contains a wonderful invitation to those who feel their sin is too great to be forgiven: “Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” The King James translates the last phrase—”he will abundantly pardon.” I like that because that’s precisely what I need. When I stray, when I fall, when I make a mess of my life, I need a God who will “abundantly” pardon me.

Essie thinking she’s always going to get a spanking with the belt

The hope found in these verses and the hope found really in all of Genesis is that with God there is always the possibility of a new beginning. (BIG IDEA????) And that’s precisely what we see here in the beginning of Genesis 9. God has given Noah, his family, and all of humanity a new beginning.

Then God is going to give Noah the rules to this new permission.

Genesis 9:4–7 NIV

4 “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. 6 “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind. 7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”

Noah now learns the “rules.” If God is going to start over again, Noah needs to know what rules to follow. These verses tell us there is basically only one rule—”Respect Life.” Everything else flows from that.

That rule is applied in two sub-rules.

First, don’t eat living animals.

That’s the meaning of verse 4, which sounds strange to our ears. Since God now gives permission to eat animals for food, he adds the restriction that they must first be put to death and the blood drained from them.

This becomes one of the most important food laws in the OT. DT 12:16-25, 1 Sa 14:32-34 and this text anticipates the later biblical instruction that the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11). The blood carries the pulse of life.

The point of first killing the animal, draining the blood, and then eating it is to show respect for God who gave life in the first place.

Life for Life

The second sub-rule is: Murderers should be put to death. This is the plain meaning of verses 5-6.

If a man sheds the blood of another man, by the hand of man his own blood will be shed. Life for life.

If you kill, you will be killed. If you murder, you will be put to death. If you show such disrespect for human life that you murder it, then you have forfeited your right to your own life.

The reason given for this rule is crucial. Verse 6 says it is because man is made in the image of God.

Remember that the pre-flood history has been characterized by violence and murder. Abel’s murder went unavenged, Lamech was proud of his disdain for human life and so now a strict retribution was introduced.

Everyone we know, everyone we meet, everyone in the whole world is made in the image of God. To put it stronger, God made each one of them in his own image.

He stamped all of us and each of us with his divine image. We were each created with the ability to know God, to love him, and to serve him. We were made with an inner desire to know our Creator.

It’s the very thing that separates us forever from the dogs and cats and mules and robins and beetles and rabbits and whales and gophers and monkeys.

Those creatures are creatures. Nothing more and nothing less. But humans are made in God’s image. That makes each one of us unique and valuable and worthy of respect and honor and protection.

And that image of God means that human life is valuable inside the womb, from the very moment of conception.

These verses show us that God values human life tremendously!!!

Now I know that with a crowd this size it’s very probable that someone has been affected by abortion in their past.

Let me just say, before we move on, that does not define you. That does not diminish the plans and purposes God has for you and it most certainly does not disqualify you from being able to have a New Beginning in Christ.

The focus of this law given is not to make sure people are repayed for their sins, the focus of this law is to show the worth of our lives in God’s eyes.

That if you take so lightly the life of another person then the penalty is going to cost you the greatest thing you have to give, your own life.

So God sets Noah in place of Adam in hopes Noah will succeed where Adam failed and now God is going to form a covenant with Noah

Genesis 9:8–17 NIV

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” 17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

The Promise: God promised never again to flood the entire earth.

The Pledge: God placed a rainbow in the sky as the sign of his promise.

In theological terms, this is the first great covenant of the Bible

We typically operate most of our agreements in terms of a contract.

Although there are similarities between a contract and covenant they are not the same

The biggest difference is that a contract focuses on the outcome while a covenant focuses on the relationship

A contract says if you do this than I’ll do that.

Pay $100 to verizon they will provide cell service

If you dont they will cut you off

A Covenant says I promise to do this and you do that

When one party can not uphold their promise the other party does not break off the covenant but rather helps the other party uphold their end of the agreement.

Jesus says, “be holy as I am holy.” We cant do that, so instead of breaking His promises He sends His Son to help us uphold our end of the covenant.

This is the Noahic Covenant. It is important for several reasons:

First, it is an unconditional covenant. That is, there are no conditions to be met by us. God didn’t say, “If you obey me, I promise never to flood the earth again,” or “If you offer a sacrifice, I promise never to flood the earth again.”

To the contrary, God asks nothing of the human race. No obedience, no sacrifice, no faith, no prayer. Nothing at all. This isn’t a two-way street where we do something and then God does something in response.

This is a promise made by God in spite of the fact that the world had just been destroyed because of sin, and in full knowledge that the world was soon to plunge back into the pit of sin. (As we will see in the next sermon, it is Noah the man of faith who will lead the parade in the wrong direction.)

This is a covenant of pure grace, made in spite of human sin, not because of any supposed human goodness or human faith or human obedience. In spite of our continuing sin, God promises never again to destroy the entire human race with a flood.

Second, it is a covenant guaranteed with a sign.

We have tended to sentimentalize this part of the story, and for good reason. Rainbows are beautiful, and it’s easy to think that this is just a sweet touch. But it’s far more than that.

Rainbows occur all over the world, thus making the sign available to the same extent as the flood itself. Rainbows are a startling phenomenon. When you see a rainbow, the natural urge is to point it out to someone else. Rainbows display their colors across the full spectrum of light, covering all possible shades and hues. Here is a sign perfectly fitted for the entire human race, at all times, in every location. And it is a sign easily understood by all ages.

The text tells us that when we see a rainbow, we are to think, “God promised never again to send a flood upon the entire earth.” And when God sees a rainbow, it reminds him of the promise he freely made to us.

As we meditate on the rainbow promise, notice what the text does not say. Nowhere does God say, “I will never send a storm again.” Nowhere does God promise that life will be free of storms, trials, troubles and difficulties. Most rainbows appear only after the storm has come and gone. If there were no storms, there would be very few rainbows.

The message to us is obvious. God never promises a life free from pain and suffering. That’s life in a fallen world. There are floods and fires and tornadoes. No one is immune from disease. And bad news is only a phone call away.

The rainbows come after the rain, not before. Weeping endures for a night, joy comes in the morning. We know that all things work together for good, and we know that the “all things” must include tears and suffering, unanswered questions, and moments of anger, terror and sadness.

And even when we quote the coffee mug verse, the verse we put on our instagrams and write #blessed the famous words of Joseph in Genesis 50:20, when he tells his brothers, “You meant it for evil but God meant it for good,” we must realize that you can’t get to the last phrase without going through the first phrase.

In wrath God remembered mercy. In wrath God always remembers mercy. When he judges, it is to purify and to discipline, not to destroy. And sooner or later, his mercy will be seen. And it is after the wrath is over that his mercy is most clearly displayed.

Two other thoughts fill the mind as we bring this message to a close.

First, the judgment and the mercy both come from God. It’s not as if the devil sent the flood but God sent the rainbow. Oh no. God himself sent the terrible judgment of the flood. He is the one who sent the rain and opened up the fountains of the deep. He is the one who ordained that the world of that day should perish. And he is the one who after the flood showed his mercy in giving the human race a second chance and in making the promise and guaranteeing it with a rainbow.

Second, without the judgment the mercy would not appear as merciful. The rainbow is beautiful always, but the promise is more glorious because of the flood that preceded it. Three times God says, “Never again!” He really meant it. Never again will there be a worldwide flood. Mercy is still mercy but mercy shines ever brighter, like a diamond set against black velvet, when seen against the backdrop of God’s righteous judgment.

It’s through God’s mercy that we are afforded the opportunity for a New Beginning. It’s His mercy.

Our New beginning does not rely on our ability but is given through Christ’s mercy

And that mercy was shinning brightest on the cross.

Once again we see a moment clouded with darkness, the day that Jesus hung on a Cross.

But in that darkness God’s grace and mercy shined brightest

And that grace and mercy is given for you and for me

Let me talk to you for just a couple more minutes and then we will dismiss:

First, there is a word here for those that might be in a “spiritual rut” if you will. You have put some distance between yourself and the Lord. You love the Lord but the cares of this world and the temptations of life have put you in a bad place, far from the conscious presence of God. Today you are under the cloud of guilt, and deep inner unhappiness. Things are just not right and you know it. Perhaps you feel so frustrated that you wonder if things can ever change or ever be different. Here is good news. If you will return to the Lord, run to the Lord, the darkness will part, the sun will shine, joy will come and overhead you will find the rainbow of God’s mercy. Why live in the “far country” of guilt, shame, sin, when you as a child of God can feast at the Father’s table?

Second, If you’ve never surrendered you life to Christ, your sin, no matter what it is, has already been judged. The Day of Judgment happened 2,000 years ago when Jesus died on the cross for you. We spent last week talking about the line from the garden to the cross and talked about what Jesus did for us on the cross. His blood is so powerful that it paid in full the price for all your sins.

Your sins were judged at the cross. Today is the day of mercy. All you must do to receive it is to confess Christ as Lord.

Final Thoughts:

I find no coincidence that when John saw the vision of heaven in Revelation 4, he saw a rainbow encircling the throne of God (v. 3). That symbolizes the completeness of God’s mercy. The blood of Jesus has transformed the throne of God from a throne of judgment into a throne of mercy.

If you come to Jesus, you will not be turned away. His blood will save you. The rainbow promise guarantees that God’s mercy is for you. And for all of us who labor under heavy burdens and deep personal sorrows, this promise is for us, too. Look up and you will see the rainbow, the sign that God has not forgotten you.

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