The Assurance of God's Covenant.

Introduction:

This morning we return to our series we’re calling Prologue as we are moving systematically through the first eleven chapters of Genesis together. The last time we were together we saw as Noah and his family came off of the ark after being on board for over a year. We saw that Noah, gripped with fear of God and for God offered literally dozens of burnt animal sacrifices to God and we saw God establish a new way of life for Noah and his family by laying down some laws upon which Noah and his descendants could build a new society upon. God commanded humanity to multiply, sustain and protect human life.

We can not downplay the emotions that Noah and his family must have felt coming off of that ark. The whole course of the flood had to have traumatized them.

Trauma can be defined as the normal human response to any event that shatters your safe world so that it is no longer a place of refuge. It’s more than just a temporary state of crisis. It’s normal reaction to abnormal events that overwhelm a persons ability to adapt to life- where they are left feeling powerless. It can have profound neurological and psychological effects upon the brain such as disassociation and PTSD.

Noah and his family had to have been terrified. They seemingly were left to themselves as the only eight people still alive after God’s judgement upon the world. While they may have felt they were all alone, they weren’t, God was with them, and God loved Noah and his family. Because God cared about Noah and his family and because God is omniscient, He knew that Noah and his family needed some reassurance they would in fact survive and be able to replenish the earth.

So, after an apparent pause in his dialogue with Noah between vs.7 and vs.8, God once agin speaks to Noah by establishing a covenant.

A covenant is a specific agreement (contract) between two or more parties where each freely agrees to do something. It is a word we see mentioned nearly 300 times in the Bible and there are at least 9 different covenants discussed in scripture.

However, the covenant that God establishes with Noah, known as the “Noahic Covenant” was different. This covenant, offered by God himself, was a unconditional, unilateral covenant that applied universally. It is what is called a “Covenant of Grace” or a “Covenant of Promise.” It is a covenant established and set up by God no matter how man behaves.

The Noahic Covenant was established by God alone and was not dependent on anything that man could do.

(v.9) “behold, I establish My covenant with you”

(v.11) “I establish My covenant with you”

(v.12) “the covenant which I make”

(v.15) “I will remember My covenant”

(v.17) “the covenant which I have established.”

we’re going to unpack the Noahic Covenant together this morning by observing:

The conferee’s of the covenant. (v.9-10)

The construction of the covenant. (v.11)

The certification of the covenant. (12-16)

1.) The conferee’s of the covenant. (v.9-10)

The promises of God’s covenant were initially given to Noah and his sons but, it extended beyond Noah’s immediate family to all of his descendants.

Noah now stood at the very head of the humanity, as the father of all humanity. When Noah stepped off of the ark, there were only four men on the whole earth and Noah was the father of three of them. This means that all of us are the descendants of Noah. God’s promises to Noah are God’s promises to us and our children by extension.

But the covenant didn't just stop with humanity, it extended to all of the living creatures on the earth.

Both man and animal were the recipients of God’s promises contained in the “Noahic Covenant.”

But, what are the promises that were given to Noah and his descendants?

2.) The construction of the covenant. (v. 11)

A.) It was a preexisting covenant.

v.11a- “ My Covenant...”- points to the fact it had already been established by God.

Established- to fulfill, to carry out, to continue or keep.

In telling Noah that He was establishing “His Covenant” with Noah, God was saying that he was fulfilling or carrying out His own personal covenant, the covenant already established with man.

What was this preexisting covenant that God was now reestablishing with Noah?

There was only one existing covenant with mankind at this time. That Covenant of the “promised seed” given to Adam after the fall. God now was reestablishing that covenant with Noah in order to assure him that he and his descendants would be in a direct line to the “promised seed.” God was reminding Noah of what he had already told him prior to entering the ark.

Genesis 6:18 NKJV

18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.

The Noahic Covenant is an expansion of the Adamic Covenant. It assured the continuation of the earth and of mankind in order that God could fulfill his covenant of sending a promised seed. In order for God to keep his promise to Adam and Eve of a savior to come, the earth and humanity had to survive.

B. )The Noahic Covenant added to God’s preexisting Covenant to Adam in two ways:

Never again would God destroy all mankind by a flood.

Never again would there be a global flood.

Noah couldn't ask for a greater assurance from God regarding his future than that. The greatest need for people who suffer from trauma is emotional security and unconditional love. God, in establishing his covenant with Noah, gave Noah and his family exactly what they needed most.

Application: Remember that this covenant applies to you and I as well.

We need not fear some global catastrophe that will equal the extinction of the human race. The polar ice caps are not going to melt and flood the entire earth, because God has promised to never flood the entire earth again. People will be upon the earth as long as the earth stands.

While Noah could be assured of a coming promised seed, we can be assured that the promised seed has indeed come. Jesus Christ is that promised seed, the savior of all who place their faith in him. Jesus will do for you what he did for Noah and that is save you from the wrath of God.

But, just as a drowning man has to call and then reach up for someone to save him, so we have to call and reach up for the Lord. We have to call upon the Lord to save us; we have to take the hand of the Savior and follow Him in order to be saved.

John 3:17–18 NKJV

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 5:24 NKJV

24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

Acts 2:21 NKJV

21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’

1 John 5:13 NKJV

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

3.) The certification of the covenant. (v.12-17)

God doesn't just tell Noah his promise but he certifies his promise to Noah by giving him a sign.

Like a notary places a seal and a signature to legal paper work.

Not only does God give Noah his word that no universal judgement would fall upon the earth until the final judgement of God; he also gives Noah a physical and reoccurring sign as a reminder.

Every time Noah and his descendants would see this sign it is meant as a stamp, a notary, of God’s lasting promise to mankind.

That sign was a rainbow and notice in v.13 God says “I set My Rainbow.” The rainbow belongs to God and he placed it there with his own hand.

Talk of how the world always perverts and counterfeits the work of God. The rainbow is a symbol of divine love not carnal and sinful lust.

Picture a thunderstorm, the kind that usually comes in late afternoon in most lands. Imagine its thunderous roar and flashing lightning, the apprehension—sometimes fear—that strikes most hearts because of its dangerous winds and lightning. The rainbow appears after the storm when the rays of sunlight break through the clouds and the most beautiful colors are reflected in the breaking clouds, colors that form a bow across the sky.

Every time that rainbow appears in the sky it is a seal, a sign and reminder of God’s covenantal promise to mankind to never flood the earth again.

The Rainbow was a double assurance of safety for Noah and his family. It’s God’s sign that the whole world will never be destroyed again until the end of time.

Between now and the end of the world, people will continue to live on the earth and be given time to repent and believe in the promised seed, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The rainbow symbolizes God’s mercy and love given to mankind and to his creation.

God gave this rainbow for two reasons:

As a reminder for himself. (v.15-16)-God never forgets His covenant, but, when the rainbow appears, He especially remembers and thinks upon the judgement of the flood and his covenant of promise with Noah.

As a reminder for us.- That we would also remember the terrifying judgment of God on the world through the flood. But also remember God’s great promise to never flood the earth again. To cause us to remember the great mercy of God extended toward sinful mankind through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 55:7 NKJV

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

Matthew 3:2 NKJV

2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Conclusion:

The Noahic Covenant is assured and will stand fast until the end of the world. God has established it by His word.

Matthew 5:18 NKJV

18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Matthew 24:35 NKJV

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Isaiah 40:8 NKJV

8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

1 Peter 1:25 NKJV

25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.