Genesis

NOAH now takes his place as the second head of the human race. There was to be a new beginning, a fresh start, full of hope and with every Divine guarantee of blessing. Sin had been punished, grace was working, and God was ready to guide and bless those through whom the earth was to be peopled and ruled.

The new start is made at the only possible point, that of the Divine blessing (Gen 9:1). God blessed Noah and his sons; just as God blessed

Adam and Eve (Gen 1:28), so it was necessary that the same Divine blessing should rest upon the new progenitors of the human race.

Divine exhortation naturally follows Divine blessing (Gen 9:1). "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." Again we are reminded of the primeval command (Gen 1:28). God thereby took the necessary steps for the propagation of life.

The Divine promise appropriately follows (Gen 9:2). Noah is assured that fear and dread should be upon everything on the earth for his sake. Into his hands they were all to be delivered, thereby assuring him of protection and power.

Divine provision was also assured to him (Gen 9:3). Food and sustenance were thus assured. It would seem from a comparison of this verse with Gen 1:29, that it was only after the Flood that animal food was permitted to man.

Divine prohibition is included in this new commencement (Gen 9:4). The sacredness of life is taught by this prohibition about the eating of blood, and still more the thought of what that blood was to symbolize in atonement is probably here first brought before us (Lev 3:17).

Divine warnings are another element in this passage (Gen 9:6). Noah and his sons are told still more about the sanctity of life. Blood shed will be required, and this great principle is based upon the highest sanction, for in the image of God made He man.

Divine expectations fitly close the section (Gen 9:7). God again exhorts and encourages Noah and his sons to fruitfulness, thus indicating that He expected them to fulfill the conditions of life and blessing, and to realize thereby the Divine purpose.

It is often said that God never gives a command without providing the grace needed to obey, and we have a striking illustration of this great principle in the passage before us. Following naturally and appropriately after the Divine counsels given in the preceding section we have the assurance of needed grace in connection with the Divine covenant.

The Source of the covenant naturally comes first (Gen 9:9). Its author was God. Human covenants were entered into mutually between two parties, but here the entire initiation was taken by God. "I, behold, I" (Gen 9:9); "I will" (Gen 9:11); "I make" (Gen 9:12); "I have established" (Gen 9:17). The significance of this is due to the fact that it was of God’s free grace alone that the covenant was made. His blessings were to be bestowed even though nothing had been done by man to deserve them. Everything is of grace from first to last.

The Scope of the covenant is also noteworthy (Gen 9:9-10). It comprehended Noah and his seed, and not only these, but every living creature. Thus the blessings of God were to be extended as widely over the earth as they could possibly be. This is not the only place in Scripture where the destiny of the lower creation is intimately connected with that of man (Isa 11:6-8; Rom 8:19-22).

The Purpose of the covenant should be carefully noted (Gen 9:11). It was associated with the assurance that human life should not be cut off or the world destroyed any more by a flood. The appropriateness of this revelation is apparent, for at that time it must have been a real perplexity to know whether there would be any repetition in the future of what they had experienced in the Flood.

Everything connected with their relations to God had been altered by that catastrophe, and now God does not leave man ignorant, but, on the contrary, pledges Himself not to bring another similar judgment upon the earth.

The Sign of the covenant is specially emphasized (Gen 9:12-13). The rainbow is now given a specific spiritual meaning, and nature for the first time becomes a symbol of spiritual truth. We know from subsequent passages what a great principle is brought before us in this way. It is what is known as the sacramental principle. In one of the Homilies of the Church of England, Sacraments are defined as visible signs to which are annexed promises, and the rainbow was the first of such visible signs illustrative of spiritual truths. We think of the Passover Lamb, the Brazen Serpent, Gideon s Fleece, and especially of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as illustrations of this Divine method of revealing and assuring us of spiritual truth. As Lange beautifully says, God’s eye of grace and our eye of faith meet in the Sacraments. Our faith lays hold of the promise annexed to the sign, and the sign strengthens and confirms our faith that God will fulfill His word. At the same time it must never be forgotten that if there is no faith in the promise there can be no assurance in the sign. The word and the sign necessarily go together, and can never be separated. This revelation of the spiritual meaning of the rainbow was God’s response to Noah’s altar. Divine faithfulness thus answered to human faith, and it is of real interest that in the symbol of the prophet Ezekiel (Eze 1:28), and of the Apocalypse (Rev 4:3; Rev 10:1), the rainbow is again brought before us.

The Message of the covenant should be carefully pondered (Gen 9:14-15). It was an assurance of God’s faithfulness. He was prepared to carry out all His promises, notwithstanding all the previous failures of mankind. The emphasis upon My covenant and My bow should be noted (cf. Gen 6:18), and it is specially to be observed that the sign of the covenant is associated with God’s remembrance rather than man’s. I will remember (Gen 9:15). I will look upon it, that I may remember (Gen 9:16).

The Duration of the covenant is also revealed (Gen 9:12, Gen 9:16). "For perpetual generations." "The everlasting covenant." The unconditional and permanent character of the covenant is thus emphasized. God did not demand any pledge of obedience in response to the covenant, but assured Noah of the unconditional Divine faithfulness to His word throughout all generations.

The Guarantee of the covenant is not to be overlooked (Gen 9:17). God said unto Noah, "This is the token of the covenant." The covenant is thus based upon the Divine word. It is God’s character and word that guarantee the fulfilling of His promises. "Two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie" (Heb 6:18). Here is our strong and invincible assurance, the unchanging faithfulness of the word of the living God.

The word covenant is one of the great Bible words. It means a coming together (co-venant, con-venire). As used of a human transaction, it implies a bargain, one party giving and the other receiving. It also sometimes partakes of the nature of a voluntary undertaking or pledge, with out any expectation of a return. This latter view is its characteristic in the passage before us, for we read only of God’s covenant with Noah, not Noah s covenant with God. God binds Himself, and lays down the line of His relationship to man. It was for Noah simply to receive this, to reckon upon it, and to rely upon its blessings. It was essentially a covenant of grace, and like the New Covenant of the Gospel, the essence of it is a gift.

1. The Contents of the Covenant.

It declared God’s mercy in relation to the past. It told Noah that there would not be another flood of judgment.

It declared God’s power in relation to the present. It reminded the patriarch and his sons that they could depend upon the regular order of nature not being disturbed, and not being subject to chance and mere caprice.

It declared God’s faithfulness in relation to the future. It bid them look forward, and rest quietly in the assurance, that as each day came, all would be well with their life.

It declared God’s grace in relation to man. There is a clear distinction between mercy and grace. Mercy partakes largely of the element of pity and compassion for those who are in need. Grace is much more than this, and is Gods attitude of unmerited, undeserved favour towards those who are not merely negatively non-deserving, but also to those who are positively undeserving.

The covenant of grace is at the foundation of everything which God bestows upon us.

It was intended to elicit faith. This was to be the human response to the Divine faithfulness. Man’s trust was to answer to God’s truth, and in this confidence man would find peace and strength.

It was intended to elicit hope. Hope differs from faith in this respect, that it looks onward to the future rather than being limited to the present. Faith accepts a present gift, hope expects a future gift. Faith looks upward to the Promisor, hope looks forward to the thing promised. Faith appropriates here and now, hope anticipates the coming blessing. Day by day Noah and his sons were intended to exercise hope as they rested upon the covenant of God.

It was intended to elicit love. Just as the altar expressed Noah s gratitude, so we may be perfectly sure that this renewal and establishment of the covenant would stir him to grateful and adoring love. We love, because He first loved us.

2. The Characteristics of the Covenant.

Let us dwell on the rainbow as illustrating the Divine Covenant.

Consider its naturalness. A temporal feature was used to express and symbolize spiritual truths. God definitely associated nature with grace. This is but one out of many instances in which nature is a symbol of the supernatural.

Consider its conspicuousness. All could see the rainbow, and the covenant of God in like manner was intended to be seen by all without difficulty or hindrance.

Consider its universality. As the rainbow in the heavens so was the universal scope of the covenant. All the earth was included in it, not one of God’s creatures was exempted.

Consider its uniqueness. The rainbow has been rightly described as the joint product of storm and sunshine. It comes from the effects of the sun on the drops of rain in a rain-cloud. So is it with the covenant of God. On the one hand it is due to the cloud of human sin, on the other to the sunshine of Divine grace.

Consider its beauty. There is scarcely anything more exquisitely beautiful than the rainbow, and assuredly there is nothing in this universe more beautiful than the grace of God. The term "grace" has for one of its meanings that of beauty, and the Apostle Peter speaks of the variegated grace of God (1Pe 4:10). John Wesley aptly writes of the Victorious sweetness of the grace of God.

Consider its union of earth and heaven. As the rainbow spans the sky and reaches the earth, so is it with the covenant of grace. Like Jacob’s ladder, it is set up on the earth and the top reaches to heaven.

Consider its permanence. Mr. Eugene Stock (Lesson Studies in Genesis) calls attention to the fact that while we do not always see a rainbow owing to the clouds hiding the sun, yet if we could get above the clouds we should see the rainbow on them. Thus there is never rain without a rainbow being visible if we could only get to the right spot to see it, but God is always above the clouds and He always sees it. This is exactly what is taught us. The bow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it. It is not our sight of the rainbow, but God’s, that constitutes the power and peace of this covenant.