Genesis 9:1-29

Background

Last week we saw the end of the global flood, which destroyed all life on the earth except for Noah and his family. God released them and all the animals with them on the ark onto dry land, and God promised that He would never again curse the ground because of mankind’s sin.

Gen. 9:1-7

God’s discourse continues from chapter 8 (no chapter/verse in original), and from His promise that He would not destroy the earth again in such a fashion, He blesses Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

This echoes the original blessing that God gave to Adam and Eve in Gen. 1:28, but now there is a difference:

In the original blessing, Adam is told to subdue the earth and rule over the creatures of the earth.

God also gives him plants of the earth for food.

In this blessing (Gen. 9:2-3), the creatures of the earth are now afraid of mankind. This was absent on the ark. An interesting note: animals react differently to fear - fight or flight.

Based on the word used, it is the same kind of fear that God instilled when He liberated the Hebrews from Egypt. Another interesting note: people react out of fear towards God in different ways.

Mankind is still to rule over all creatures (Psa. 8:4-8; Jam. 3:7).

God now additionally gives all living creatures as food for mankind. Notice He says, “as I gave the green plant.” This is now the first time meat is eaten (Isa. 11:6-7; 65:25).

There is one caveat - no eating blood. The blood must be drained from the kill before eating.

Similar command with tree of knowledge.

God reveals that life is in the blood. The shedding of man’s blood dishonors the image of God.

Lev. 17:10-14; Deut. 12:23-25; Acts 15:28-29.

This is why murder is punishable by death - it is prescribed in Scripture (Exo. 20:13; 21:12; Num. 35:31, 33-34).

This justice is necessary to prevent the defiling of the land, the way things were before the flood.

This is also why sacrifices were effectual atonement for sin; it is a life for a life (Heb. 9:11-14, 22-28).

Christ’s perfect sacrifice takes away the need for blood sacrifice for sins.

God repeats His command to be fruitful and multiply.

Gen. 9:8-17

God now specifically establishes His covenant with Noah and his descendants (and all living creatures) - God will never destroy all life on the earth by flood.

However, He will still destroy the earth one day (2 Pet. 3:6-7).

BERIYTH

To “cut a covenant” was to kill an animal and pass between pieces of flesh, as though the dead animal represented the one who breaks the covenant.

This was not the first time God mentioned a covenant with Noah - the first was in Gen. 6:18. He promised that He would establish it with them in the future.

As is typical for covenants, God gives a sign for the keeping of the covenant: the rainbow.

This is one reason why I believe there was no rain before the flood - the description implies that this is a new thing.

Notice how the covenant is one-sided - mankind does not do anything to ensure the covenant is kept, because God will unfailingly keep the covenant.

The covenant is with all flesh, not just mankind.

Gen. 9:18-29

Mankind now descends from Noah and his 3 sons. In other words, we’re all related back to Noah.

Noah's sons are the fathers of many tribes and nations. Though they had the same parents, their wives did not, and thus the genetics become diversified.

Canaan is mentioned specifically because they are a significant people group in Israel’s history, as will be seen, and in anticipation of Ham’s curse.

Noah did what came naturally, what his people had done before the flood - farming.

We see an interesting chain of events take place that echo Noah’s ancestor Adam - agriculture, sin, nakedness, shame, blessing and cursing.

We also see the transgression of his youngest son, Ham, by dishonoring his father. While he isn’t the firstborn, it is reminiscent of Cain’s failing.

Noah was a righteous man, but he was still just a man. He got drunk and exposed his nakedness, which is inherently shameful thanks to Adam’s Fall.

Drunkenness is, at a minimum, unwise (Prov. 20:1) and, at most, sinful (Gal. 5:19-21). Why? Prov. 23:29-35.

Why was Ham’s deeds considered sinful? Hab. 2:15-16.

His brothers did not disgrace their father or themselves, but covered Noah and honored him, and therefore inherited his blessing (Exo. 20:12).

Noah knew what Ham had done, and when he was in his right mind, he cursed Ham’s son Canaan (which was in actuality a prophetic curse to the tribes that would come from him) to servitude.

As will be seen, Noah most assuredly lived to see Canaan born, which will be seen in the records of Gen. 10.

The consequences of Ham’s sin trickled down to his descendants and affected their future.

Noah also blessed the descendants of his other sons, Shem and Japheth.

Shem, who is most likely Noah’s firstborn, takes a prominent place amongst the blessing, even housing Japheth.

Shem is the ancestor of Abraham, Israel, and therefore Jesus.

Noah lived another 350 years after the flood, for a total of 950 years. He was the last human to live longer than 600 years, and lived long enough to meet Abraham’s father Terah. In fact, he died only 2 years before Abraham was born.

APPLICATION

Though mankind is fallen, God still recognizes that we bear His image.

Sin has consequences, even if we are spared from eternal punishment.

Next week, we will examine the descendants of Noah.

Communion: We practice open communion, which means if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you may join the church in taking the Lord’s Supper. Communion is a practice of remembering what Christ has done by eating and drinking, and we are told that we must examine ourselves in the taking of communion, so that we do not eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner. Take this time to examine yourself before we take communion together.

1 Cor. 11:23-26 — For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.