A Promise Made

Genesis 8:21-22; 9:1, 11-16

And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse[a] the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”

  That the Lord smelled the “pleasing aroma” of Noah's sacrifice indicates that He found Noah's sacrifice acceptable. Paul referred to the death of Christ as “fragrant” (Eph. 5:2), indicating that God was pleased with Christ's sacrifice.

  The cataclysmic flood had disrupted the seasons. While the floodwaters covered the earth, there was no seed time and harvest-both essential for the sustenance of human life. After the flood, God reaffirmed that the seasons would return to their normal cycles. People would be able to plant, grow, and harvest.

  In Genesis 9:1, we see that Noah and his family represented the hope of a new beginning for humanity. In the same way in which God has blessed Adam and Eve (see Genesis 1:28), God blessed Noah and his sons. God also gave them the same charge He had given Adam and Eve-to reproduce and replenish the earth. Noah was like a “second Adam” whom God would use to usher in a fresh start for the human race. His sons and their wives would repopulate the planet. Ultimately the Messiah, foretold in Genesis 3:15 would come from the line of Abraham, who had come from the line of Noah's son Shem.

  Verses 11-12 of Genesis 9 describe the promise God made to Noah. God had told Noah before the flood that He would establish a covenant with him (see Gen. 6:18) but waited until after the flood to reveal the details of that covenant. In this covenant, God promised that He would never again use a flood to destroy all life on the earth. God stated essentially the same message twice in succession, emphasizing the certainty of the fulfillment of His promise. God did not say that He would never again use a universal flood as a form of judgment. Unlike other covenants in the Bible, this covenant is unconditional. God did not require humanity to do anything in order for Him to keep His promise.

  God often included visible signs to help His people remember His covenants. Circumcision, for example, was the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham (see Genesis 17:11). God designated the bow as the token or pledge of His covenant with Noah. The bow is a symbol of warfare and destruction. After the flood, however, God put down His bow and turned it into a symbol and guarantee of peace. God placed His bow in the clouds as a visible reminder that He would never again destroy all flesh with a universal flood.

  Interestingly, the bow is pointed upward to heaven and not downward to the earth toward those who deserve judgment. The rainbow is a reminder of God's gracious promise to Noah. God's promise, however, extended beyond Noah and his family to include perpetual generations-an indication that His covenant is an enduring and unending one with every living creature. The phrase every living creature includes more than people. It also includes all of the animals that Noah cared for on the ark and that later multiplied and filled the earth.

  In verses 14-16 of Genesis 9, God assured Noah every time the bow appears in the clouds. He would remember His covenant. The English “remember” refers to bringing to mind after forgetting. That was not the connotation of the Hebrew term. To remember a god in worship was to invoke the name of that god (see Hosea 2:17). Such invocation was not an act of recalling information but of calling the god to action. Similarly, when God remembered the covenant, He was not bringing to mind forgotten information but invoking His promise to keep the covenant. God keeps His promises. Because this covenant is unconditional, we can count on God to do what He said He will do.

  That is why in verse 16, when God sees the rainbow, He remembers the everlasting covenant that He made with all living creatures on the earth. We too should remember the covenant and reflect on God's goodness and the opportunities He offers to all who need to make a fresh start.  

Applying the Scriptures:

What reminders of God's faithfulness give you the most comfort? How does His faithfulness convict or inspire people to be faithful to Him?

  Serving Christ, Loving Others, and Growing Together,
Dr. Bryan Cox