Latest revision as of 19:39, 29 October 2024

Genesis 9:1-17 Remain Loyal

Praise You in the Storm / Genesis 9:1-17

Theological Proposition/Focus: In Genesis 9:1-18, God establishes a covenant with Noah after the flood, commanding him to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. God establishes that human life is sacred and should be protected. He also promises never to destroy the earth by flood again, symbolized by the rainbow. By honoring and valuing all life, Christians reflect God's image and fulfill their role as stewards of creation, trusting in God's promises and pointing others to the ultimate covenant in Christ.

Christ Focus: In this passage, we see the foreshadowing of Christ as the ultimate covenant-maker who fulfills God's promise to save and preserve His creation. The rainbow serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the ultimate covenant through Christ.

Homiletical Proposition/Application: This passage reminds Christians of the sanctity of life and the importance of honoring God by respecting and valuing all life. It challenges believers to reflect God's image in how they treat others and care for creation. As bearers of God's image, humans have a responsibility to protect and honor life.

Introduction Memory Verse Romans 1:16

Image: The views expressed disclaimer

""The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the characters and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of this company or its affiliates."

It always makes me chuckle because, in essence, it's a way of covering ourselves in case anyone gets offended. What's even funnier is how hollow it feels. The idea is that the company isn't responsible for the actions or words of someone they've chosen to represent them. But the truth is, every company has a line they won't cross. So, in a way, the disclaimer is a bit of a joke. At some point, someone decided it was okay to include that speaker, character, or scene. It's about avoiding accountability, really. Yet, responsibility is a fundamental part of life—dare I say, even of creation itself.

Need: We have the job of representing God; we need to take it seriously.

Preview: In Genesis 9:1-17, we are going to see that mankind has the job of representing God to creation, and God has promised to preserve creation until the time when He fully redeems fallen creation.

Text: Genesis 9:1-17 read just prior to each main point in sections as in the main points.

Setting the Stage:

Genesis 9:1-17 occurs immediately after the flood narrative in the Bible, where Noah, his family, and the animals have survived the flood. God is reestablishing His relationship with humanity and creation after cleansing the earth of wickedness. Leading up to Genesis 9, the narrative focuses on humanity's corruption, God's judgment through the flood, and His plan for restoration through Noah and his family.

1. The Corruption of Humanity (Genesis 6:1-7)

The chapters preceding Genesis 9 describe a world descending into moral chaos. Genesis 6 explains that humanity had become exceedingly wicked, with every inclination of the human heart being evil continuously (Genesis 6:5). The violence and corruption had spread across the earth, causing God to regret creating mankind and to contemplate destroying it (Genesis 6:6-7).

2. Noah Finds Favor (Genesis 6:8-12)

In contrast to the corrupt world around him, Noah is described as righteous and blameless among his generation, and he walked faithfully with God (Genesis 6:9). Because of Noah's faithfulness, God chooses him to carry forward His plan to preserve humanity and creation. God instructs Noah to build an ark that will save him, his family, and representatives of every kind of living creature.

3. God's Judgment and Salvation: The Flood (Genesis 6:13 - Genesis 8)

God informs Noah that He is going to send a flood to destroy all life on earth, but Noah and his family will be saved through the ark. Noah obediently follows God's instructions, building the ark and gathering the animals as commanded. The floodwaters rise, covering the earth for 40 days and nights, and every living creature outside the ark perishes (Genesis 7:21-23). Noah, his family, and the animals remain safe inside the ark during the deluge. After 150 days, the waters begin to recede, and the ark comes to rest on the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:3-4). Eventually, Noah sends out birds to determine when the land is dry enough for them to leave the ark (Genesis 8:6-12).

4. God's Covenant and the New Beginning (Genesis 8:15-22)

Once the waters fully recede, God commands Noah and his family to leave the ark and repopulate the earth. Noah builds an altar and offers sacrifices to God, an act of gratitude for being spared. In response, God makes a promise: He will never again curse the ground or destroy all living creatures, despite humanity's sinful tendencies (Genesis 8:21-22). This sets the stage for God's covenant with Noah in Genesis 9. The end of Genesis 8 emphasizes God's mercy and His commitment to creation, foreshadowing the covenant and blessing that follows in chapter 9. Despite human failure, God is determined to maintain a relationship with humanity and creation, and the flood serves as a way to reset humanity's relationship with Him. As Genesis 9 begins, Noah and his family step into a new world, symbolizing a fresh start for humanity. This new beginning is marked by a divine covenant, God's blessing, and the call to replenish the earth, mirroring the original creation mandate given to Adam and Eve.

Body

Protectors of Life's Sanctity - Fundamentally, the job of mankind is to represent God to creation (9:1-7).

God's command to Noah and his family to "be fruitful and multiply" and the granting of animals for food, yet a prohibition against consuming blood, underscores the sanctity of life. This highlights the Christian responsibility to value and protect life, reflecting Christ's sacrificial love and His role as sustainer of all creation.

Mankind as a whole has responsibility for filling and subduing creation (1-3).

In Genesis 1:28 God had established a principle, mankind, created in his image was to represent God to creation.

Notice the text of Genesis 1:28: "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'" Compare this with Genesis 9:1: "Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.'" God has reestablished His initial command with Adam. I have said it many times, but God created Adam in His own image. I am convinced this has much more to do with Adam's role as representative and far less as a literal likeness of God. The idea here is that Adam was to represent God to creation and was given the task of managing creation on behalf of God.

In Genesis 9 God essentially tells Noah, you are to resume what humanity previously failed to do, represent God to creation.

Here in Genesis 9, God is reestablishing His creation mandates. Noah, you are to resume what humanity failed to do before: fill and subdue the earth.

However, there is also an interesting remark in verses 2 and 3. Noah is not just given responsibility for the earth but a unique level of dominion.

Noah and his descendants are allowed to use creation for their own benefit, not in an unlimited manner, but still in a very real manner.

Humanity is allowed to consume from creation. We do not know if the consumption of meat was permitted before the flood—many speculate not—but the text does not explicitly say. What we do know is that now, the consumption of meat is permitted. We also know that a fear and dread of humans falls upon the earth.

I think what we need to realize is that what was intended as a completely harmonious relationship between humans and creation is no longer harmonious. Humanity still has responsibility for filling the earth, but the harmony is broken. Humanity still has authority, but the harmony is broken.

Humanity's responsibility for filling and subduing the earth has not ended. Previously, humans had filled the earth with violence, and so God issued a hard reset. Now, humanity once again has a great responsibility.

But that responsibility does not give humanity unregulated authority (4).

Humanity is allowed to consume meat but not in a savage fashion, there is intentionality.

The strong adversative "but" introduces a very important prohibition. Humanity is allowed to consume, but human authority is not unlimited.

There are lines not to be crossed. In fact, this is an important restriction—the idea here is thoughtful intentionality. Humanity is not allowed to eat a living animal. Humanity is also not allowed to consume immediately after killing. Removing the blood requires some intentionality. Humanity is allowed to consume meat, but not in what we might call a savage fashion.

Life is precious to God!

Here God uses the blood to represent life.

In Hebrews 9:22 we learn that blood in the sacrificial system really represents life.

Life is precious to God, and while life can be taken, it must not be done without consideration. In the case of animals, that consideration involves careful attention to the use of blood. Later in the Bible, we begin to learn of the significance of blood in the sacrificial system, and this significance culminates in Hebrews 9:22: "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

Life is sacred, whether it is human or animal. We have a job of honoring and sanctifying life. That said, human life has a very special place in God's creation.

Human life is sacred and must be protected (5-7).

Even though the flood had brought the devastation of death front and center, life was still sacred.

It is possible that after the flood, people might think that God no longer viewed life as sacred. After all, in the flood, countless lives were taken. Nevertheless, God is not careless, and life is sacred to Him. Hence, here God establishes a very clear guideline: human life must be held sacred. The reason is clear—humans are created in God's image, as God's representatives.

The reason that human life is sacred according to verse 6 is that humans are made in God's image.

After Cain murdered Abel, we do not see an official institution of capital punishment. Violence ran rampant, and eventually, God judged with the flood. Now, God lays down some pretty heavy rules. The destruction of human life is held to be a high crime. Moreover, humanity is given the responsibility of holding humanity accountable for violence.

I would argue that this verse is the beginning of what we would call government. What we see here is that God expects humanity to keep tabs on humanity. This is government.

Image: God gave government one key job, to protect life. Romans 13:4-7

One of the best theological commentaries on human government is that of Romans 13:4-7: "For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."

I want us to take a moment and consider that the theological foundation for government is that government is responsible for curbing violence. This is incredibly important. Our government does many things—good things, things that promote flourishing and ensure that people have opportunities to thrive. However, the primary task, the prime directive, of government is to curb violence.

Every once in a while, a law is proposed which is primarily aimed at restricting the government's ability to restrain violence. We need to take a stand against such rules. Such rules literally strip government of its theological mandate.

MTR: Demand that life be held as sacred.

Promise of Preservation - God's promise is that He will preserve creation (9:8-11).

The significance of God's covenant with Noah, extending to all living creatures, assures us of God's commitment to preserve creation. These verses underscore the faithfulness of God and remind us of Christ, the fulfiller of God's ultimate covenant, encouraging believers to trust in God's promises. Verses 8-17 focus on God's promise, His covenant. We will look closely at that promise in the following verses, but for the moment, consider the universality of this promise.

God's promise was not just to Noah but to each of us alive today.

No matter how bad things get, no matter how much the clouds churn, God has promised He will not flood the entire earth again. Yes, there are local floods, but God's promise still stands.

The promise that God makes is first to Noah and his sons but more broadly to all their descendants. That includes you and me. God promises to preserve creation. We need to recognize the significance of the covenant being with Noah and his descendants; we are all recipients of this covenant. God has obligated Himself to a promise. No matter how bad things get, no matter how much the clouds churn, God has promised He will not flood the entire earth again. Yes, there are local floods, but God's promise still stands.

The 1995 movie Water World got it all wrong.

In 1995, the movie Water World came out. I was too young to watch it at the time, but eventually, I saw a made-for-TV version or something similar. I don’t remember much about the movie, but I do remember the plot revolved around the planet largely being covered with water, devastating life on earth. Well, this concept is not merely science fiction—it did happen. But it is also something that will never happen again. God has promised you, personally, that.

God's promise was not just to us but to all life.

In some sense all of creation was guilty by association and therefore God's promise here is one made to all life.

Image: The "unreasonable" substitute teacher who wrote me up.

Have you ever been guilty by association? I wouldn’t say I was a model kid, but I was a careful one. It wasn't that I didn’t misbehave; I was just careful not to draw too much attention when I did. So I have stories, but my stories of getting caught are few and far between. I do, however, remember one day in 7th grade. I was stuck at a table with some guys who weren't subtle about their misbehavior. We had a substitute teacher that day, and I was at the wrong table—guilty by association! Thankfully, when the teacher returned the next day, he reviewed the sub’s report and didn’t believe it, so we all got off the hook. I suppose that was a case of innocent by association.

Think about this: it wasn't only humanity that was judged in the flood; all of creation was judged. In Genesis 9:10, we see that God's promise to Noah now extends not only to humanity but to all of creation.

God's promise was specific.

In Genesis 9:11, God makes a very specific promise: there would never be another global flood to destroy all life on earth.

This promise is incredibly specific. We are only at the beginning, so we need to understand that God does not fully reveal His grace just yet. But even now, we see something important. Humanity is wicked—the heart of man is desperately wicked. Yet God has promised that He will not destroy humanity again in a flood. We can trust in a God who knows we will fail and is still willing to promise His grace.

Image: Failure to trust God, the Tower of Babel

Have you ever thought about the Tower of Babel in light of the flood?

Typically, when we discuss the Tower of Babel, we say something like this:

The Tower of Babel story (Genesis 11:1-9) describes humanity's unified attempt to build a city and a tower reaching the heavens, symbolizing their desire for power and independence from God.

In response, God confuses their language, making it impossible for them to communicate and work together. As a result, the people scatter across the earth, abandoning the project. This event explains the origin of different languages and highlights the consequences of human pride and defiance against God's will.

There is nothing wrong with that description, but consider this: God flooded the earth, then commanded humanity to spread out and fill the earth. Humanity disobeyed, and to ensure they would not face God’s judgment again, they built a tall tower as a refuge if another flood came.

It seems plausible that this may have been a real motive. The Tower of Babel is a symbol of rebellion and an attempt at insurance against God’s judgment. But God had already promised not to destroy humanity in a flood! The Tower of Babel represents a failure to trust God.

We need to trust God, to be truly loyal to Him.

MTR: Take a moment right now and thank God for the promise of preservation.

Rainbow: Reminder of Redemption - The world is broken, but our God is the Redeemer (9:12-18).

How can God make such a promise? Because He has made a much bigger promise: redemption.

I cannot over-emphasize this point. God's promise is that He will not flood the earth again. But remember, mankind is still fallen.

Won't it only take a few thousand years for everything to be back in a state of corruption and violence? Yes! So, how can God make such a promise?

Because God has a much bigger promise—redemption.

God has redeemed sinners. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God secured the salvation, the redemption, of every individual who accepts that death as complete payment for their sins. Then, God does something spectacular: He sends the Holy Spirit into the heart of the believer, literally beginning to change the individual from the inside out, conforming them to the image of Christ.

Let's carefully read a couple of passages.

Let me read to you Genesis 6:5: "The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time."

Notice the state of humanity in Genesis 6:5 and compare it with the description found in Galatians 5:16-17: "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want,"

and Galatians 5:22-25: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

In Genesis 9, God makes a promise, and that promise is reasonable because God has a greater plan—the redemption of people.

With that in mind, let's look at verses 12-13.

God does not leave us without a reminder of His promise (12-13).

The rainbow is the sign of God's covenant, symbolizing His promise not to destroy the earth by flood again. But let’s go a little deeper into this reminder.

The Hebrew word קַשְׁתִּ֕י does not literally mean "rainbow"; it simply means "bow," as in an archer's bow.

Our translators have tried to clarify by using the word "rainbow," but that is not exactly what the Hebrew text says. In fact, the word is used 80 times in the Old Testament, and apart from Genesis 9, there is only one other verse where it would be translated as "rainbow."

While this certainly refers to the rainbow we see in the skies, I believe there is more significance here.

I believe this is God figuratively placing His weapon of war back on its stand. God is saying, "I will not make war with humanity any longer."

This highlights God's grace and faithfulness. When we see the rainbow in the sky, we often remember that God will not flood the earth again, but I want us to go further: we should remember that we have peace with God!

Romans 5:1 states, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." The rainbow should remind Christians of the hope found in Christ's resurrection and His promise of eternal life.

The world was forever changed by the flood, but God's promise endures (13-17).

There is a story of a small Southern town. After the devastation of the Civil War, this Southern community was left fractured. Buildings stood burned, and families were divided. Yet, a remarkable gathering took place—people from both sides, each bearing wounds of loss, came together on a Sunday morning. As they prayed and sang hymns, the air filled with hope and humility. The painful memories of war were heavy, but the peace in their unity was sweet, a testament that even the deepest divides can be mended. War changes life, but peace offers healing.

The flood was nothing short of a war.

God stepped in and conquered the world He had created to address a major problem—sin. The war was devastating, and as many as billions of lives may have been lost, but peace came, and we now have peace because of Jesus Christ. God's promise endures.

God can make such a promise because He is the Redeemer.

At this point, I think I have thoroughly addressed God as the Redeemer, so let's move on to an application.

MTR: Take a moment and thank God for being our Redeemer.

We have a job—to represent God to the world. But here is the key: we are not just representing a sovereign overlord; we are representing the God who has redeemed.