Last week, we began our exploration of of Genesis 9 with verses 1-7, a passage about new beginnings. We discussed how God extended mankind’s diet, and the dominion that humans have over other creatures and the world. We also touched on the importance of respecting both animal and human life.
Today, we turn to verses 8 through 17 and explore God’s covenant with Noah and all living beings on the earth. This is an important part of our history which serves as a reminder of God’s faithfulness and mercy towards His people.
Genesis 9:8-17
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
I. God Establishes His Covenant with Noah and All Life on Earth (8-11)
A. God speaks to Noah and his sons
It is interesting that God addresses primarily Noah and his sons. They were all married, that’s the only way they could have carried the mandate to increase and fill the earth. This reinforces the notion that men are intended to be the leaders of their households. Though women are essential, their role is subordinate to that of their husbands. Verse 9 commences with the word “behold”, which underscores the weightiness of the forthcoming statement. Every word spoken by God is significant, but when He uses the term “behold”, it signifies double importance. In this instance, God is establishing a covenant with Noah, his sons, and all life on the planet, demonstrating His loving care for all of His creation. The terms of the covenant are what, exactly?
B. Establishes a covenant that no flood will ever again destroy life
God made an unequivocal promise that He would never again bring about a flood of such magnitude that it would obliterate all life on earth. However, we must exercise caution to avoid misconstruing God’s words. It’s vital to note that God did not assert that floods would never occur again. Instead, He stated that no flood would ever approach the scale of the one that Noah witnessed, which resulted in the complete annihilation of all life on earth.
Why was it important for God to make a covenant with Noah and all life ?
The sheer enormity of what Noah and his sons endured during the endless deluge, with the rain incessantly pouring down and showing no signs of abating, is, in my opinion, beyond our comprehension. It is plausible that they heard the wails and agony of people perishing, and as a result, the mere sight of rain could have instilled a sense of dread and terror in them. Therefore, God’s covenant with Noah, a promise never to destroy all life on earth again, was a crucial reassurance to them all.
II. The Sign of the Covenant (12-17)
A. God sets the rainbow in the clouds as a sign of His covenant
Noah and his sons, much like Abraham, might have needed more than just God’s promise, conveyed through His word, that He would never again obliterate all life on earth. Hence, the rainbow in the sky served as a tangible symbol to reassure them. God didn’t have to give Noah and His sons any visible sign, because as we learn in the book of Hebrews, it is impossible for Him to lie ( by nature HE Can’t lie , HE is GOD). God’s word alone was enough, but the sign of the bow was really for Noah, his sons and their offspring ( us included), to reassure all of us about God’s promise.
We have become so desensitized to the significance of the rainbow that we often overlook its true meaning. Sadly, the LGBTQ movement has taken the colors of the rainbow and used them to stand in open defiance of God. By doing this, they show their blatant disregard for the sign and all that it represents, GOD’s promise not to flood the earth again. Noah and his sons probably became overwhelmed with gratitude every time the rainbow showed in the clouds, what about you and I. Oh that the LORD will lead us to be sensitive to His signs.
PS: I started Tayibs.com for the sole purpose of exploring difficult questions about the Christian faith that most of us shy away from. All the content generated on this website is thoroughly analyzed prior to being shared. And the site is run solely by myself, your generous support is very much appreciated
My name is Tayib Salami and I started Tayibs.com for the sole purpose of exploring difficult questions about the Christian faith that most of us shy away from. In 2017, I entered a very dark time in my life and it’s only by the grace of the Living God that I’m still alive today. It led me to really go deeper in my faith and consider a myriad of questions that I never thought about asking myself or others before. Welcome and enjoy the ride with me.