Genesis 8:15-22 Remain Submissive - Revision history

Wakefien: /* Can yuo imagine the weight of responsibility and the challenge of surviving? */

2024-10-25T14:03:05Z

‎Can yuo imagine the weight of responsibility and the challenge of surviving?

Wakefien: /* My Leslie MAtrix Population Model estimates that the pre-flood population was in the billions. */

2024-10-23T02:45:25Z

‎My Leslie MAtrix Population Model estimates that the pre-flood population was in the billions.

Wakefien: /* Stewardship of life involves doing the work God has given (19). */

2024-10-23T02:44:37Z

‎Stewardship of life involves doing the work God has given (19).

Wakefien: /* So how does all of this fit with my main point: "Submitting to God does not mean abandoning a full and fulfilled life?" */

2024-10-23T02:44:00Z

‎So how does all of this fit with my main point: "Submitting to God does not mean abandoning a full and fulfilled life?"

Wakefien: /* It is not just together that we serve, that we steward, but it is also according to God's plan. */

2024-10-23T02:43:20Z

‎It is not just together that we serve, that we steward, but it is also according to God's plan.

Wakefien: /* Stewardship of life involves doing the work God has given (19). */

2024-10-23T02:42:05Z

‎Stewardship of life involves doing the work God has given (19).

Wakefien: /* Image: Our worship and obedience, inspired by Christ's ultimate sacrifice, secure our place in God's ongoing narrative of redemption and restoration. */

2024-10-23T02:37:08Z

‎Image: Our worship and obedience, inspired by Christ's ultimate sacrifice, secure our place in God's ongoing narrative of redemption and restoration.

Wakefien: /* Surety is the regular Divine response to submission (21-22). */

2024-10-23T02:36:42Z

‎Surety is the regular Divine response to submission (21-22).

Wakefien: /* Sacrifice is an essential component of submission (20). */

2024-10-23T02:34:46Z

‎Sacrifice is an essential component of submission (20).

Wakefien: /* Submission in Stewardship - Submitting to God does not mean abandoning a full and fulfilled life (8:18-19). */

2024-10-23T02:25:28Z

‎Submission in Stewardship - Submitting to God does not mean abandoning a full and fulfilled life (8:18-19).

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 ====Nevertheless, only eight people emerge from the ark.====
 Of all the people on earth prior to the flood, only 8 emerge. These 8 people will have the task of repopulating the entire planet. But at this point, my guess is the task of repopulating was not the primary thought in their mind. At this point, they probably just wanted to survive.
-====Can yuo imagine the weight of responsibility and the challenge of surviving?====
+====Can you imagine the weight of responsibility and the challenge of surviving?====
 <p>
 Take a minute to think about it. You are now one of eight people. You are on a mountain. You don't exactly have a lot of animals you can go hunt. You have some grain left, but really, you are going to have to plant seeds and pray to God that the crop grows.</p>

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 ===Stepping out of the ark was a step of faith (15-16).===
-====My Leslie MAtrix Population Model estimates that the pre-flood population was in the billions.====
+====My Leslie Matrix Population Model estimates that the pre-flood population was in the billions.====
 One of the things that I did as a fun project at one time was develop a Leslie Matrix Population model of the Earth prior to the flood. The model uses a technique that allows for variance in life-span and predicts population growth. Using the lifespans from the book of Genesis and assuming that there are no generational gaps, my model predicted a population in the billions prior to the flood. Now, I don't really know what the population was, but what I do know is that it probably wasn't some trivial number.

@@ Line 101: / Line 101: @@
 ===Stewardship of life involves doing the work God has given (19).===
 ====It is not just together that we serve, that we steward, but it is also according to God's plan.====
-=====In our western way of thinking, verses 18 and 19 feel like a tedious repetition. However, this is not true in Hebrew style. For a Hebrew reader, verses 18 and 19 emphasize order and intentionality. Noah, in contrast to those who perished in the flood, is obeying God exactly and doing exactly what God commanded <ref>K. A. Mathews, *Genesis 1-11:26*, vol. 1A, *The New American Commentary*, Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996, 390.</ref>=====
+=====In our western way of thinking, verses 18 and 19 feel like a tedious repetition. However, this is not true in Hebrew style. For a Hebrew reader, verses 18 and 19 emphasize order and intentionality. Noah, in contrast to those who perished in the flood, is obeying God exactly and doing exactly what God commanded=====
 =====Verse 19 tells us that the animals came out of the ark one kind after another. There is carefulness here, there is intentionality. Noah did not just open up the ark and say, "See ya later, I hope you make it." No! Noah carefully, meticulously takes on the work God has given him.=====
 =====I imagine Noah and his sons using a carefully spelled out plan, or checklist, as he systematically releases the animals.=====

@@ Line 108: / Line 108: @@
 =====So how does all of this fit with my main point: "Submitting to God does not mean abandoning a full and fulfilled life?" =====
-So how does all of this fit with my main point: "Submitting to God does not mean abandoning a full and fulfilled life?" Well, think about this: Noah and his family were the only people left, but by following God, Noah and his family were able to enjoy a family, enjoy jobs of significance, and live full lives. Yes, Noah had to do what God assigned Noah to do, but I suspect that at the end of life, there are very few people who are able to talk about a full life of significance in the way Noah can. And Noah was not left to do it alone. Noah was left with a family to do the task together with.
+Well, think about this: Noah and his family were the only people left, but by following God, Noah and his family were able to enjoy a family, enjoy jobs of significance, and live full lives. Yes, Noah had to do what God assigned Noah to do, but I suspect that at the end of life, there are very few people who are able to talk about a full life of significance in the way Noah can. And Noah was not left to do it alone. Noah was left with a family to do the task together with.
 ===Image: Climbing Long's Peak the right and wrong way.===

@@ Line 101: / Line 101: @@
 ===Stewardship of life involves doing the work God has given (19).===
 ====It is not just together that we serve, that we steward, but it is also according to God's plan.====
-<p>
+=====In our western way of thinking, verses 18 and 19 feel like a tedious repetition. However, this is not true in Hebrew style. For a Hebrew reader, verses 18 and 19 emphasize order and intentionality. Noah, in contrast to those who perished in the flood, is obeying God exactly and doing exactly what God commanded <ref>K. A. Mathews, *Genesis 1-11:26*, vol. 1A, *The New American Commentary*, Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996, 390.</ref>=====
-In our western way of thinking, verses 18 and 19 feel like a tedious repetition. However, this is not true in Hebrew style. For a Hebrew reader, verses 18 and 19 emphasize order and intentionality. Noah, in contrast to those who perished in the flood, is obeying God exactly and doing exactly what God commanded <ref>K. A. Mathews, *Genesis 1-11:26*, vol. 1A, *The New American Commentary*, Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996, 390.</ref> Verse 19 tells us that the animals came out of the ark one kind after another. There is carefulness here, there is intentionality. Noah did not just open up the ark and say, "See ya later, I hope you make it." No! Noah carefully, meticulously takes on the work God has given him.
+=====Verse 19 tells us that the animals came out of the ark one kind after another. There is carefulness here, there is intentionality. Noah did not just open up the ark and say, "See ya later, I hope you make it." No! Noah carefully, meticulously takes on the work God has given him.=====
 =====I imagine Noah and his sons using a carefully spelled out plan, or checklist, as he systematically releases the animals.=====

@@ Line 152: / Line 152: @@
 ===Image: Our worship and obedience, inspired by Christ's ultimate sacrifice, secure our place in God's ongoing narrative of redemption and restoration.===
-We are going to sing a song of invitation here shortly, but as you sing, don't just sing. No, consider this as an act of worship. [https://ref.ly/logosref/BibleNIV.Ro12.1 Romans 12:1] calls on us: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." I want to encourage you in worship to submit yourselves, offer yourselves completely to God. Why? Because I believe this offering, this sacrifice, this submission is a pleasing aroma to the God of the universe, one that He values and appreciates more than we will ever realize.
+<p>We are going to sing a song of invitation here shortly, but as you sing, don't just sing. No, consider this as an act of worship. [https://ref.ly/logosref/BibleNIV.Ro12.1 Romans 12:1] calls on us: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." I want to encourage you in worship to submit yourselves, offer yourselves completely to God. Why? Because I believe this offering, this sacrifice, this submission is a pleasing aroma to the God of the universe, one that He values and appreciates more than we will ever realize.</p>
 ===MTR: Reflect on the blessings that God has given and count those as surety for what is to come.===

@@ Line 137: / Line 137: @@
 ===Surety is the regular Divine response to submission (21-22).===
-Verse 21 is interesting because God does not say that mankind has changed and will no longer sin. No, in fact, God states that nothing has really changed about mankind. The heart of man is still broken and fallen. In fact, God states that every inclination of the heart is evil from childhood.
+====Verse 21 is interesting because God does not say that mankind has changed and will no longer sin. No, in fact, God states that nothing has really changed about mankind.====
-So, why does God promise not to destroy all living creatures again? Well, context helps us understand—the worship and sacrifice of Noah lead God to give assurance.
+=====So, why does God promise not to destroy all living creatures again?=====
 Here is what we need to realize: sin is devastating, but God is a God of compassion and grace, and He shows compassion. Noah's submission in sacrifice was enough to move God to declare a lasting compassion.
 We have the advantage of 20-20 hindsight, and we know that Christ's submission and sacrifice on the cross are enough to secure not just a promise that God will not destroy all life but a promise of eternal life to all who accept.
@@ Line 146: / Line 149: @@
 So what can we gather from this?
-I want us to understand the significance of submission in sacrifice to God. God made an incredible promise because of Noah's sacrifice. I am not sure we really understand how much our submission and sacrifice mean to God.
+<p>I want us to understand the significance of submission in sacrifice to God. God made an incredible promise because of Noah's sacrifice. I am not sure we really understand how much our submission and sacrifice mean to God.</p>
 ===Image: Our worship and obedience, inspired by Christ's ultimate sacrifice, secure our place in God's ongoing narrative of redemption and restoration.===

@@ Line 119: / Line 119: @@
 ===Sacrifice is an essential component of submission (20).===
-After what must have been a long day, week, month, year? (I don't know how long it took Noah to unload the ark), Noah does the next thing on the list: offer a sacrifice to God. Why not, right? Think about this for a moment. Food is scarce, animals are scarce, so what does Noah do? He takes several of the animals and offers them to God in an act of worship. This is nothing short of an act of complete submission.
+<p>
-It is one thing to submit to God with that which costs you nothing or nearly nothing. It is something else entirely to submit something scarce to God. We need to see here the worship and significance. Noah was willing to truly sacrifice to God, but more, notice the wording, "some of all the clean animals."
+====It is one thing to submit to God with that which costs you nothing or nearly nothing. It is something else entirely to submit something scarce to God.====
-According to [https://ref.ly/logosref/BibleNIV.Ge7.2 Genesis 7:2], Noah had taken seven pairs of clean animals. Now it appears that Noah makes a sacrifice from all of these groups. What I see here is not Noah offering a single goat. I see Noah offering up a vast and abundant sacrifice to God. Noah has just come through the worst disaster in the history of the world, and he responds with abundant worship to God.
+<p>We need to see here the worship and significance. Noah was willing to truly sacrifice to God, but more, notice the wording, "some of all the clean animals." According to [https://ref.ly/logosref/BibleNIV.Ge7.2 Genesis 7:2], Noah had taken seven pairs of clean animals. Now it appears that Noah makes a sacrifice from all of these groups. What I see here is not Noah offering a single goat. I see Noah offering up a vast and abundant sacrifice to God. Noah has just come through the worst disaster in the history of the world, and he responds with abundant worship to God.</p>
-Submission to God requires more than just a sacrifice of convenience. Submission to God requires that we give abundantly.
+====Submission to God requires more than just a sacrifice of convenience. Submission to God requires that we give abundantly. (2 Samuel 24:24)====
 [https://ref.ly/logosref/BibleNIV.2Sa24.24 2 Samuel 24:24] is a significant verse in helping us understand what sacrifice really looks like.
@@ Line 131: / Line 132: @@
 In [https://ref.ly/logosref/BibleNIV.2Sa24.24 2 Samuel 24], King David conducts a census of Israel, which displeases God, leading to a deadly plague as judgment. When the prophet Gad instructs David to build an altar to stop the plague, David seeks to purchase the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite for the altar. Araunah offers to give David the land and oxen for free, but David refuses, stating, "I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing." This demonstrates David's understanding that true worship requires sacrifice and personal cost.
-We need to be willing to offer sacrifice to God even if it costs us to do so.
+=====We need to be willing to offer sacrifice to God even if it costs us to do so.=====
-But our sacrifice is not in vain. God provides great assurance in the midst of sacrifice. Let's look at verses 21-22.
+=====But our sacrifice is not in vain. God provides great assurance in the midst of sacrifice. Let's look at verses 21-22.=====
 ===Surety is the regular Divine response to submission (21-22).===

@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 ==''Submission'' in ''Stewardship'' - Submitting to God does not mean abandoning a full and fulfilled life (8:18-19).==
-As the family emerged from the ark, they had a job to serve as God's stewards of the new Earth. This job, done together, would bring great fulfillment. Noah's obedience in bringing out all the animals reminds us of our call to stewardship and obedience in the roles God has given us.
+<p>As the family emerged from the ark, they had a job to serve as God's stewards of the new Earth. This job, done together, would bring great fulfillment. Noah's obedience in bringing out all the animals reminds us of our call to stewardship and obedience in the roles God has given us.</p>
 ===Stewardship involves living life in relationship and drawing strength from each other (18).===
-There are no accidents with God, which means that whenever we see God doing something different, we should pay attention. So what difference do I see in verse 18?
+====There are no accidents with God, which means that whenever we see God doing something different, we should pay attention. So what difference do I see in verse 18?====
 When God created, He created one man and one woman, tasked them with the care of the earth, and allowed all humanity to descend from this pair. However, in the ark and now in the post-flood world, God has used 8 people. Why? Because the job was a bigger job, and 8 people were needed. Okay, I need to be honest here—the text does not tell us that the job required 8 people, but I do know our God, and I know He is not a God of accidents but rather a God of intentionality.
+</p>
 Take a second and think about the differences between creation and the post-flood world. In creation, God did not necessarily create only two of every animal. In fact, based on fossils and my limited knowledge of creation research, I suspect that God created abundance within each species of animal. Second, God placed Adam and Eve in a garden after creating them, not on the side of a mountain.
+</p>
 In short, God placed Adam and Eve into a world that was very good, whereas Noah and his family were placed in a world rocked by devastation. I would argue that in this post-flood world, God knew that Noah and his wife would need mature adult children to help with stewardship of the world.
+</p>
 In our fallen world, we have each other. We should not shy away from drawing strength from each other. Part of submitting to God involves relationships with each other. Part of living a full life involves submitting to God together as we steward what He has entrusted to us.
+</p>
 ===Stewardship of life involves doing the work God has given (19).===
-It is not just together that we serve, that we steward, but it is also according to God's plan.
+====It is not just together that we serve, that we steward, but it is also according to God's plan.====
+<p>
 In our western way of thinking, verses 18 and 19 feel like a tedious repetition. However, this is not true in Hebrew style. For a Hebrew reader, verses 18 and 19 emphasize order and intentionality. Noah, in contrast to those who perished in the flood, is obeying God exactly and doing exactly what God commanded <ref>K. A. Mathews, *Genesis 1-11:26*, vol. 1A, *The New American Commentary*, Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996, 390.</ref> Verse 19 tells us that the animals came out of the ark one kind after another. There is carefulness here, there is intentionality. Noah did not just open up the ark and say, "See ya later, I hope you make it." No! Noah carefully, meticulously takes on the work God has given him.
+</p>
 I almost imagine Noah and his sons with a checklist as they carefully open each pen, each container, and each cage, letting animals out in an orderly fashion and in a way that ensures their maximal chance for survival. Genesis is not a global apocalypse survival manual, so we don't expect all the details, but I do wonder how many details God gave to Noah. You know, details like "Before you release the lion, make sure you have both fed the lions and given the wildebeests sufficient time to get away from the ark." None of those details is present in the text, but we know that Noah did it one kind after another. That simple statement helps us to see that there was order and intentionality. Noah did the work God assigned him.
+=====So how does all of this fit with my main point: "Submitting to God does not mean abandoning a full and fulfilled life?" =====
 So how does all of this fit with my main point: "Submitting to God does not mean abandoning a full and fulfilled life?" Well, think about this: Noah and his family were the only people left, but by following God, Noah and his family were able to enjoy a family, enjoy jobs of significance, and live full lives. Yes, Noah had to do what God assigned Noah to do, but I suspect that at the end of life, there are very few people who are able to talk about a full life of significance in the way Noah can. And Noah was not left to do it alone. Noah was left with a family to do the task together with.
+</p>
 ===Image: Climbing Long's Peak the right and wrong way.===
 One of my all-time favorite climbs was summiting Long's Peak. Actually, it took me two attempts. The first attempt was a failure because we took a wrong turn. We ended up summiting Mt. Meeker right next to Long's Peak, a harder but lower mountain. Why? Because we didn't properly follow the trail. At the end of the day, we were so tired and exhausted, but worst of all, we were left with an emptiness. We had climbed all day only to find we had climbed the wrong mountain. The next year, we followed the trail, climbed the mountain very quickly, enjoyed the view, and went home tired but full of energy. Likewise, when we submit to God in stewardship, we confidently journey towards a life of abundance and purpose, not restriction or emptiness.