How It All Began: “Climate Change”

Why Genesis?

Genesis means “beginning”. And that’s what the book of Genesis is. It is the God given real life history of the beginning of all things.

In this series, we are going to be looking at the first 11 chapters of Genesis. In these chapters we will see why the world is the way that it is, why we are they way we are, and what Go’s purpose is in it all.

We will also clearly see God’s character, get to know Him better, better learn who we are, and why all that matters.

Genesis helps us make sense of the world while also helping us know what our place is in it.

There is much you will be reminded of, and that’s good. There will be some things you will learn for the first time, and that’s great. My primary hope and prayer is that through this study all of us will grow in our understanding of God and His purpose for us so that we will better love, serve and worship Him in His creation.

Last time we waded through the flood in chapter 7. This week we will be taking a look at Genesis 8. The title of the message is “Climate Change”. The environment was very different after the flood. The atmosphere changed. The landscape changed. The weather changed. The climate of the culture had even changed. The flood brought true climate change. Let’s take a look…

Genesis 8:1–22 (NASB)

1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided. 2 Also the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained; 3 and the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the water decreased. 4 In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. 5 The water decreased steadily until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains became visible. 6 Then it came about at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made; 7 and he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; 9 but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. 10 So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark. 11 The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth. 12 Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again. 13 Now it came about in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. 15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 “Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by their families from the ark. 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. 22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.”

A word on climate change…

Environmental climate change is one of the most emotionally changed, discussed and debated subjects in science, politics and the media. The theory is that things people do, like cut down trees, build buildings and roads, use fossil fuels, and the like, all contribute harm the earth and change the climate. Most think that it is a threat to life on the earth and that if we continue using the resources on the planet like we are, then it will eventually become unlivable. That’s why there is such a big emphasis put on “going green” and using renewable resources. When I was a kid, it was primarily just called Global Warming. Today, most people refer to do refer to it as climate change. But are people right? Is the earth in danger of major climate change and becoming unlivable for future generations if we don’t go green?

No. I don’t think so.

22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.”

God says as long as the earth exists, the climate isn’t going to change to the point that is is unlivable nor will we use up all the earth’s resources. Yes, seasons, change, and yes, the surface temperature is hotter on concrete and asphalt, but the idea that driving a car with a gas powered engine or cows belching are going to destroy the earth, that doesn’t fit into a biblical worldview.

Also, no one changed the climate of our world more than God. Before the flood, there was no rain at all. None. Never. God brought massive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and made mountains and valleys and completely changed the surface of the earth and the atmosphere surrounding it. God brought so much climate change to the environment that people no longer live for hundreds of years. Prior to the flood and God’s climate change, many lived all the way into their 900’s. And apparently, prior to the flood we didn’t even have seasons. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter are all a result on the climate change God brought post flood.

So I just want to encourage you here. Yes, we need to be good stewards and care for God’s creation, but we shouldn’t have fear that the planet is going to be unusable for future generations. God has the whole world in His hands, and He promised that the earth will remain, along with its seasons and harvests, until Jesus returns at the final judgement. So be at peace dear Christian.

I wanted to make sure and address Climate Change as we get started here, because our text addressed it. That said, Environmental Climate Change isn’t what Genesis 8 is about, although it does describe it. The text is ultimately about God changing the climate of the culture in Noah’s day. God wants to bring climate change to our culture in our day today.

Let’s start by revisiting what God said about the cultural climate of Noah’s day…

Genesis 6:5–7, 11-12 (NASB)

5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”

11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.

How does God change a climate?

He removes.

1a But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark...

“Did it ever occur to you that nothing ever occured to God?” - Adrian Rogers

Genesis 7:19–23 (NASB)

19 The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. 20 The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered. 21 All flesh that moved on the earth perished, birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind; 22 of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died. 23 Thus He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth; and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark.

1a But God remembered Noah…

Exodus 2:24–25 (NASB)

24 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

He removed them from that culture in Egypt.

Zephaniah 1:2–4 (NASB)

2 “I will completely remove all things From the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. 3 “I will remove man and beast; I will remove the birds of the sky And the fish of the sea, And the ruins along with the wicked; And I will cut off man from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.

Quoting Genesis 6:7 as a warning for Judah…

4 “So I will stretch out My hand against Judah And against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, And the names of the idolatrous priests along with the priests.

He removed them during the Babylonian exile because they were the problem!

John 1:29 (NASB)

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Ezekiel 36:25–27 (NASB)

25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

He refines.

1b ...God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided. 2 Also the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained; 3 and the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the water decreased. 4 In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat. 5 The water decreased steadily until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains became visible. 6 Then it came about at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made; 7 and he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove from him, to see if the water was abated from the face of the land; 9 but the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth. Then he put out his hand and took her, and brought her into the ark to himself. 10 So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark. 11 The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth. 12 Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again.

Isaiah 48:10 (NASB)

10 “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Malachi 3:3 (NASB)

3 “He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.

Psalm 66:10 (NASB)

10 For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.

Proverbs 17:3 (NASB)

3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests hearts.

The refining, the sanctification process can be and often is painful. Having things stripped away that you love, even though you shouldn’t love them, is painful. But it is necessary.

It also takes time.

Noah was on the Ark for a little over a year. Think about that for a minute…

Sanctification takes a lifetime. Some of it may be quicker than others, but the refining won’t be complete until we get to heaven. Listen to this prayer from Paul for the church of Thessalonica…

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NASB)

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He renews.

13 Now it came about in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. 15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 “Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by their families from the ark.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait a lifetime to be renewed.

Titus 3:5–6 (NASB)

5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Acts 3:19 (NASB)

19 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

Psalm 51:10 (NASB)

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

God wants to refresh you and renew you today. In the midst of the removing and refining, God has renewal for you in Christ.

In closing:

20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. 22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.”

Revelation tells us that our prayers and worship are like a sacrifice of incense before the Lord. When we call out to God and rejoice in the Lord, it is a pleasing aroma to Him.

So call out to Him today. Ask Him to change the climate in our culture today, and join me by asking Him to start with us.

Let’s pray…

The Memory Verse of the Week:

Genesis 8:22 (NASB)

22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.”