Genesis Session 16

Last night, following the thunder storm that rolled through the area, we witnessed appear in the sky that is truly amazing. Did anyone else see it? A double rainbow.

The colors were vivid, and the rainbow was bright as it appeared on the backside of the storm.

Lightning would appear behind the display and the thunder roared as the rainbow remained in view.

Now some might look at this and think, “what’s the big deal? Once you’ve seen one rainbow… you’ve seen them all.”

But the rainbow is far more than a natural phenomenon that occurs when the conditions are just right. The rainbow was given to us as a sign from God… a reminder of His covenant that He made with Noah thousands of years ago.

The rainbow was created by God on purpose, for a purpose, and that purpose remains to this very day.

When we see a rainbow… we see physical, visible evidence of both the existence of God AND His promise He made to us.

This evening we are looking at the center section of Genesis 9 - a chapter in the Bible wherein God is found making a covenant with Noah and his sons.

The previous section of chapter 9 revealed the privileges and prohibitions God gave to the survivors of the flood.

The rest button had been pressed. The world was starting over. And although the wicked culture and world-wide violence had been washed away… sin remained. The price for the universal sin problem had yet to be paid.

Therefore, it was necessary to reestablish the dos and don’ts with Noah and his family.

The stage had been reset… the world had been brought back to where it was following Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Once the parameters had been reestablished, God does something that is super important.

God establishes a covenant with Noah regarding the flood.

Consider this: what was the reason for the flood in the first place? Sin. The wickedness of humankind had reached its tipping point. It had progressed so far that God said in Genesis 6:7

Genesis 6:7 NIV

7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”

SIN was the cause of the flood and… the universal sin problem still remained. Although Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord, there was no guarantee that his descendants would!

The problem that led to God flooding the earth still remained. Sin was still a very real factor. So God does something that should capture our attention. He makes a promise to never again do what He just did.

Genesis 9:8–17 NIV

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” 17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

Now… what was the likelihood of sin becoming a MAJOR problem once again on earth? Yet God would choose to never flood the earth again. God would choose to go so far as to make a promise with humankind that included a visible reminder.

Why was this reminder needed? Why Would God place a sign in the sky? I believe it was for a very good and important reason.

God said it was a reminder… for Him. But I also believe it served another purpose.

Aftershock

Does anyone know what an aftershock is?

When referring to earthquakes, they are smaller seismic events that result from a larger quake.

Emotionally, an aftershock is the aftereffect of a distressing or traumatic event.

After a person walks through a troubling event, certain details or similar situations might trigger a person to begin to relive the fear of the original traumatic experience.

The world had just been destroyed by a flood - by water that covered the entire surface of the world. Does anyone know how that flood started?

In Scriptural order according to Genesis 7:

Springs of the great deep burst forth

Floodgates of heaven were opened

Rain fell on the earth 40 days and nights.

Things happened that had never happened before. AND… God set into motion the meteorological processes on earth. Rain was now a part of life on earth.

Recall that before sin entered the world, Scripture tells us the Garden of Eden was watered not by rain but by a river.

God had established a natural irrigation system for the paradise He had created for humankind.

But now rain was in the picture… and although the flood would never happen again… rain would certainly happen again.

Can you imagine how the world felt when the first thunderheads began to appear on the horizon? Can you imagine how they felt when they saw the first bolt of lightning or heard the first clash of thunder?

Even in our day, the violence of a storm can be unsettling. But consider a people who had NEVER seen or heard such a thing! The power of a storm can be terrifying!

So imagine how Noah and his family might have felt when the first thunderhead appeared… after the flood. They may have felt fear. They may have ran for cover. They may have thought, “This is it… God is flooding the earth again… and this time we have no ark.”

Storms are very much a part of life. They may have begun with the destruction of the world by flood… but they did not continue for that purpose.

Consider this: There is no rainbow without a storm.

Interesting thought - Whenever a storm appears, could it be a statement saying the world deserves judgement, but the rainbow proves God is showing restraint and mercy?

God made a promise to Noah and sealed that promise with a sign - the rainbow. So as storms are seen as coming and going… the appearance of a rainbow REMAINS His sign that water will never again be used to rid the earth of wickedness.

The rainbow is a sign of promise and in some regard… peace. BUT… the rainbow is NOT to be seen as God taking a position of indifference regarding sin. God still HATES sin.

God is still opposed to the wickedness, corruption, violence, and evil that moved Him to flood the earth in the firs place. SIN STILL COMES WITH THE CONSEQUENCE OF DEATH.

But in this case, God promised that life on earth would not end as a result of another world-wide flood.

This is true… even when the sign that God gave the world… is used to promote sin in our day and age.

I do not believe it is any accident today that the rainbow is the symbol of the LGBTQ community.

According to sources, the rainbow was chosen for its diversity of color. It symbolizes the diversity of sexuality among the people within that community.

I have no doubt the enemy (not the people) influenced that decision - to take God’s sign of promise and to use it as a sign of promiscuity.

It’s as if the devil is mocking God saying, “what can You do about it? You made a promise to never destroy the earth by way of flood for the sake of sin!”

The rainbow was NOT created as a sign of pride or promiscuity… it was created as a sign of promise. it was created by God. And God has kept that promise.

Despite sin running like crazy… God has remained faithful to the promise He made to Noah thousands of years ago. We live in that promise still today.

God made that promise to Noah knowing that sin was still a problem. And God would choose to do something about that universal sin problem that would cover the cost once and for all.

God would cleanse the world… not by water… but by the blood of His son. It is a washing of sin that is complete and made available to all who would believe.

A New Covenant

We know the story well. And that story can be summed up in a well-known verse.

John 3:16–17 NIV

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

With water, God condemned the world. With blood, He saved it.

Consider the turn around here. In Noah’s day, all died for their disbelief and disobedience. Only one man and his family survived.

In the NT, One died for the sins of the world, while all survived and are given the chance to be forgiven and redeemed.

In Noah’s day, sin still remained even though Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. But sin was CONQUERED through the ministry and work of Jesus Christ even while we were yet sinners.

In Noah’s day, death was everywhere. Nothing could survive the devastating effects of the great flood. But death was conquered by one man who overcame it.

Jesus came to save the world for sin. Jesus came to wipe out sin once and for all.

Jesus is God’s answer to our universal sin problem. Yes, sin is still evident in our world today… maybe even more so today than it was in Noah’s day.

But BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE FOR US, God sent His Son instead of a flood to contend with the wickedness of the world.

Instead of ending life, Jesus came to give life to the full.

Those living outside of having a relationship with Christ, are drowning in sin. They are being pulled under by the weight of their wrong doings. Jesus is the ONLY hope of overcoming sin and transgressions.

Those who believe and accept Jesus now experience a level of new life that cannot be found in anything or anyone of this world.

God truly mad a way where there seemed to be no way.

And similar to Noah’s day, storms still come, lightning still flashes and thunder roars, But God’s promise remains.

He will never again flood the earth with water.

But He never said anything about flooding the earth… with His love!

God’s desire is for ALL people to come to know Jesus. He does not want ANYONE to perish. Period.

All of us deserve judgement. But as believers, we have received forgiveness. We have been given eternal life.

God NEVER goes back on His Word.

The rainbow serves as a reminder that God will never again do what He did in Noah’s day.

The cross serves as a reminder that God conquered sin, death, and the grave once and for all through His Son, Jesus.

He has flooded this world with His love and grace for all who will receive. I pray that we will not only receive His love… but that we would spread His love to the lost souls around us.