A New Beginning

INTRODUCTION

We’d all like a new beginning. I think there are some people that would love a do-over. (Don’t nudge your husband!) Well here in Chapter 9 we see that Noah has a new start after the Flood - actually humanity has a new start.

In this New Beginning we will see a New Lease on Life and a New Promise from God.

A New Lease on Life

* Verses 1-7

Describe new lease (a chance to continue living or to become successful). Here we see a chance for humanity - a chance to continue living and be successful. So what does God want us to do with this new lease on life, this new beginning?

The Multiplication of Life

* Verses 1,7 - this new lease on life sees God’s desire to have a multiplication!

Imperatives here are be fruitful, multiply, replenish, bring forth abundantly.

Noah is a kind of second Adam.

Atrahasis Epic - Enlil is appeased only by a bargain involving Nintu, the Lady of Birth and Enki.

In addition let there be a third category amon the peoples, let there be among the peoples women who bear and women who do not bear. Let there be among the peoples the Pasittu-demon to santach the baby from the lap of her who bore it. Establish Ugbabtu-women, Entu-women, and Igisitu-women, and let them be taboo and so stop childbirth.

The Atrahasis Epic teaches the opposite of the biblical story - seeing a need for population control

the Bible always sees children as a blessing

Psalm 127:3–5 AV

3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Psalm 128:3–4 AV

3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. 4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

** Now it doesn’t mean that we need to have as many children as possible. While we have a lot, I’m not sure that’s God’s plan for every family. A husband and wife need to decide the size of their family before God.

The Priority of Life

* Verses 2-4 - this new lease on life brought about a new priority.

Here we see a significant change in the relationship between mankind and the animal kingdom from the Garden. Man was only vegetarian at the beginning. I guess you could say, Meat is now on the menu! This would strike fear in the animal kingdom. The animal kingdom is to serve the human kingdom not vice versa.

Permission like in the garden (Eat of the trees except of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil), now man can eat animals but now with the blood. There are several prohibitions regarding the blood:

Leviticus 3:17 AV

17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

Deuteronomy 12:15–16 AV

15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. 16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.

This continued to become and important issue for NT believers

Acts 15:29 AV

29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Blood is equated with life, therefore it was prohibited. This was very different from the rest of humanity at this time. No other civilization had this prohibition. It was permanently binding.

“The life is in the blood , and that life comes from God and should be respected.”

- Weirsbe

The Value of Life

* Verses 5-6 - in this new lease on life we’ll see God’s view of the value of life.

So we have a second prohibition here (1) don’t eat blood and (2) don’t kill people (this applied even to beasts who kill). Animals are accountable for this crime too.

Exodus 21:28 AV

28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.

Scripture treats blood as the basis of life, and regards the shedding of blood as representing the end of life.

Murder is clearly against God’s will. Giving and taking life is God’s domain.

Job 1:21 AV

21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

The reason murder is wrong is that to kill a human being is to kill someone who bears the image of God.

Study image

Abstract of Systematic Theology V. The Image and Likeness of God

There is certainly no reference to the bodily form of man. God, as pure spirit, has no body in the likeness or image of which man could be created

Abstract of Systematic Theology V. The Image and Likeness of God

It is as the dwelling-place of that spirit, and because of its intimate association with the life existent in that body, that any sacredness can be attached to the bodily form. It is this, therefore, that is doubtless meant by Gen. 9:6, where the shedding of the blood of man is made punishable on the ground that “in the image of God made he man.”

Numbers 16:22 AV

22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

Hebrews 12:9 AV

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

The required penalty for murder is death.

God requires it! The ultimate authority for the death penalty lies with God alone

But God may also delegate his authority to human beings Human Government

Interesting that this is to be carried out by man in v. 6. the punishment must fit the crime and thus we have the death penalty.

The death penalty is not itself a simple topic. Our government is flawed because it is full of sinful men and women. Innocent people are put to death. (require- investigate). Did Jesus undo the death penalty when He said to love our enemies? The Law of Moses had the death penalty for other things like homosexuality, cursing God, parents and even rebellion to parents and the Sabbath. In addition, God didn’t always carry out the death penalty (Cain, David, Moses).

But we find that God values human life and although a system of human government will always be flawed we should do our best to live to God’s ideal.

Romans 13:1–4 AV

1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Ultimately this passage seems to confirm the importance of human government in carrying out God’s will in this area of the death penalty.

A New Promise

* Verses 8-17 - this new promise is called the Noahic Covenant. But note that in v. 12 it is for perpetual generations.

Define, possible pic.

God Establishes the Noahic Covenant

* Verses 8-10

Now God transitions from speaking to Noah about Noah and his privileges and prohibitions to talking about God himself. Man was told some things to do and not to do and the same will apply to God.

Establish - to erect or make stand.

Animals receive this promise as well in v. 10. Animals play a big role throughout the Bible. They are part of the 10 plagues in Egypt, they are in the Garden of course, they are in the Millennial Kingdom.

That the covenant is extended to animals is certain proof that the validity of this covenant is not dependent upon acceptance by the recipient. Animals do not accept a covenant.

— Victor Hamilton

Like many of the covenants that God makes through Scripture, this was unilateral. This is the work of a sovereign God - He will keep His promises even if we don’t keep ours.

God Confirms the Noahic Covenant

* Verses 11-17

What is the great promise of this covenant that He further confirms - He won’t destroy the earth with a flood.

This is confirmed by a token or a sign - the rainbow.

I like this rainbow flag pin.

** This gives us three times in Scripture that we have a sign of one of God’s covenants.

The sign of circumcision

Genesis 17:11 AV

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

The sign of the Sabbath

Exodus 31:16–17 AV

16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

** The Sabbath at Creation, the Rainbow at the Flood, and Circumcision at the birth of the Nation of Israel.

** Token study.

Placed in the clouds

cloud study

This sign is also for ‘God’s benefit’ (a reminder to Him). Similar to the Passover in Egypt.

Exodus 12:13 AV

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

We find that God’s promises are completely believable - he is reliable and trustworthy. When He gives His word He acts!

Finally in v. 17 he sums it up by specifically speaking to Noah.

The Three Men Who Saw Rainbows

** By nature rainbows are associated with storms. On clear, dry, sunny days, we don’t have any rainbows in Tucson. But I want to share with you some final thoughts that I’ve studied and read about the three men in the Bible who saw rainbows. (This point is taken from Warren Weirsbe’s Commentary).

First of course is Noah here.

Second is Ezekiel in

Ezekiel 1:28 AV

28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Third was John

Revelation 4:3 AV

3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

Revelation 10:1 AV

1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

Noah saw his rainbow after the storm, Ezekiel saw his rainbow ‘in the day of rain’, and John saw his rainbow before the storms of God’s last judgments. (Weirsbe).

The rainbow means a storm, but the storm also means a rainbow - no matter what you’re going through, have gone through, or will go through, you can count on the promises of God.

CONCLUSION

I can tell you that God’s promises through Jesus Christ have never changed. The work of salvation is a one-sided work by Christ alone. You and I had nothing to do with it. But we must accept it. Do you need to admit today that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour? Trust Christ for forgiveness and salvation?

Maybe you’ve kind of made a mess of your life. Can I reassure you that God does allow some new beginnings! Yes we still may have the consequences of our sins, but a new path can be carved by your surrender to Jesus.