Attention:
A woman hired a contractor to repaint the interior of her house. The woman walked the man through the second floor of her home & told him what colors she wanted for each room.
As they walked through the first room, the woman said, "I think I would like this room in a cream color."
The contractor wrote on his clipboard, walked to the window, opened it & yelled out, "Green side up!" He then closed the window & continued following the woman to the next room. The woman looked confused, but proceeded with her tour. "In this room, I was thinking of an off blue."
Again, the contractor wrote this down, went to the window, opened it & yelled out, "Green side up!"
This baffled the woman, but she was hesitant to say anything. In the next room, the woman said she would like it painted in a light rose color.
And once more, the contractor opened the window & yelled, "Green side up!"
Struck with curiosity, the woman mustered up the nerve to ask, "Why do you keep yelling 'Green side up' out my window every time I tell you the color I would like the room?"
The contractor replied, "Because I have a crew of blondes laying sod across the street."
The Contractor had to honor His commitment/Covenant!
Likewise, God has made a Covenant with the Earth which He must honor.
GOD’s COVENANT With The EARTH—Genesis 9:8-17
Previously we had witnessed that mankind’s Fruitfulness is constrained thru relationship with...
1. GOD(:1)
2. CREATION(:2-3)
3. MAN(:4-7)
Now we are going to look at the same fruitfulness from a Covenant perspective.
COVENANT—A legally binding agreement of commitment between two or more parties.
M-W—1) “A usually formal, solemn, & binding agreement : A Compact.; 2a : A written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action.
Need:
God covenanted with the earth regarding His response to sin.
God maintains a covenant with the earth regarding His response to sin.
What has God covenanted with the earth?
How has God covenanted with the earth?
3 challenges/factors/features/observations establishing God’s covenant with the earth.
1—Covenant people acknowledge...
The PARTIES/Constituency Involved (:8-10, 12, 15, 17)
Explanation:(:8-10, 12, 15, 17)
:8 Then God spoke to Noah & to his sons with him, saying:
God had previously(:1-7)blessed Noah with fruitfulness under the constraints of his relationships with God(:1), Creation(:2-3), & Man(:4-7).
God now “speaks” “to Noah & to his sons.” His sons were “with him.” The wives are not mentioned here for implied reasons. It is possible that Husband-Wife role relationship is implied here.
This entire conversation/revelation/declaration(:) is directed at Noah & his sons, who act as mediators for the entire extended family & in a limited sense, representing all animals to man.
“Spoke”—rma aw-mar'—Qal Imperfect—1) to say, speak, utter—1a) (Qal) To say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend. Strong—a primitive root; To say (used with great latitude).
:9—“And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you & with your descendants after you,”
:10—“& with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, & every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth.”
Herein are contained the actual words of God as directed to Noah & his sons.
“As for Me”—God takes it upon Himself to “establish” a “covenant” that is entirely His “covenant.” There is nothing in Noah to warrant this “covenant” other than his own faithfulness(6:8-9). God establishes it “with” Noah, but it is a “covenant” which will remain with Noah’s “descendants” who will follow Him. Thus it can be said that this “covenant” is for all generations of humanity, until the end of these ‘current’ things(8:22; Rev.21:1) for all perpetuity(:12, 17).
The “covenant” God is initiating & establishing is not solely lodged in Noah(humanity), but in “every living creature”(bird, cattle, & beast) as well. All these creatures are considered to be “with” Noah(they had been on the ark for a full year!). Perhaps God is telling Noah & his sons closely associated with their exiting the ark, so that the animal’s presence will make God’s heart-desire more applicable & Noah et al, more responsible. They have a responsibility to abide by the God-ordained respect for animals but for humanity particularly(:2-7).
“Establish”(See :11, 17)—Mwq quwm—Hiphil Participle—1) To rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up—1e) (Hiphil)—1e1) To cause to arise, raise, 1e2) To raise, set up, erect, build, 1e3) To raise up, bring on the scene, 1e4) To raise up, rouse, stir up, investigate, 1e5) To raise up, constitute, 1e6) To cause to stand, set, station, establish, 1e7) To make binding, 1e8) To carry out, give effect to. Strong—a primitive root; To rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive & causative).
“Covenant”(See :11)—tyrb ber-eeth'—1) Covenant, alliance, pledge; 2) (phrases)—2a) Covenant making, 2b) Covenant keeping, 2c) Covenant violation. Strong—A compact(because made by passing between pieces of flesh).
Corresponds to LXX—diayhkh—1) A disposition, arrangement, of any sort, which one wishes to be valid, the last disposition which one makes of his earthly possessions after his death, a testament or will; 2) A compact, a covenant, a testament—2a) God's covenant with Noah, etc. Strong—properly, A disposition, i.e. specially--A contract (especially a devisory will).
“Descendants/Seed”—erz zeh'-rah—1) Seed, sowing, offspring. Strong—Seed; figuratively--Fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity.
“After”—yrxa akh-ar'—1) After the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time). Strong—properly, The hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, After(in various senses).
“Every”2X(also “All”)—lk kol —N. m.—1) All, the whole. Strong—properly--The whole; hence--All, any or every(in the singular only, but often in a plural sense). Used 25X.
:11—“Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
:12—“And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me & you, & every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:”
The actual covenant is stated here...It directly relates the past action of the Flood to the current state of affairs resulting from its termination/culmination.
God, thru the covenant He initiated states that “all flesh” will “never again” be “cut off” by a flood. It is reiterated & expanded to say that the earth(as known & as we know it) would never be “destroyed” by a flood as Noah et al had just experienced.
Two clarifications:
1)This does NOT mean that the earth would never be destroyed, but only that it would not be destroyed by a similar world-wide flood! The NT is very plain that both the current heavens & earth will one day be destroyed with fervent heat & replaced with a new heavens & earth(2Pet. 3:7-13; Rev. 21:1).
2)Nor is God stating that there will never be localized flooding thruout our current earth’s remaining time(Isa. 43:2; Gen. 8:22).
Jos. 3:14-16—“So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, & as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, & the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, & rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, & were cut off; & the people crossed over opposite Jericho.”
Somebody upstream experienced a flood!
“Establish”(See :9)—Mwq quwm—Hiphil Participle—1) To rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up—1e) (Hiphil)—1e1) To cause to arise, raise, 1e2) To raise, set up, erect, build, 1e3) To raise up, bring on the scene, 1e4) To raise up, rouse, stir up, investigate, 1e5) To raise up, constitute, 1e6) To cause to stand, set, station, establish, 1e7) To make binding, 1e8) To carry out, give effect to. Strong—a primitive root; To rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive & causative).
“Covenant”(See :9)—tyrb ber-eeth'—1) Covenant, alliance, pledge; 2) (phrases)—2a) Covenant making, 2b) Covenant keeping, 2c) Covenant violation. Strong—A compact(because made by passing between pieces of flesh).
“Flesh”(See :4, 16, 17)—rsb baw-sawr'—1a) Of the body—1a1) Of humans, 1a2) Of animals, 1b) The body itself, 1c) Male organ of generation (euphemism), 1d) Kindred, blood-relations, 1e) Flesh as frail or erring (man against God), 1f) All living things, 1g) Animals, 1h) Mankind. Strong—Flesh (from its freshness); by extension--Body, person; also(by euphem.)--The pudenda of a man.
:15—“& I will remember My covenant which is between Me & you & every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”
:17—“And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me & all flesh that is on the earth.”” “
Argumentation:
Mat. 28:18-20—“And Jesus came & spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven & on earth. Go therefore & make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; & lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
Mk. 16:14-16—“Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; & He rebuked their unbelief & hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, “Go into all the world & preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes & is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
Rom 8:18-23—“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”
God, Man & Nature exist at God’s command.
Illustration:
Political climate in America during this election year/Unfortunately they play to those who will get them elected/The PARTIES & Constituency Involved
Any businessman who has a contract drawn up with another business/The PARTIES/Constituency Involved
God is...well, He’s God!
Animals are more or less, innocent/innocuous players
But People/mankind...we are made in God’s image!
Application:
?You Acknowledge the PARTIES Involved with God’s covenant?
?Are you of God’s Covenant People?
2—Covenant people acknowledge...
The COMMITMENT Required
Explanation:(:11, 15)Perseverance
:11—“Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.””
:15—“& I will remember My covenant which is between Me & you & every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”
“Remember”—rkz zaw-kar'—Qal Perfect—1) To remember, recall, call to mind. Strong—a primitive root; properly, To mark(so as to be recognized), i.e. To remember; by implication--To mention; also(as denominative from rkz zaw-kawr') To be male.
“Waters”—Mym mah'-yim—1) Water, waters—1a) Water, 1b) Water of the feet, urine, 1c) Of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.). Strong—Water; figuratively--Juice; by euphemism--Urine, semen.
“Never again/Neither...any more”—al:w Mk:ta—al lo—1) Not, no. Strong—a primitive particle; Not(the simple or abs. negation); by implication--No; often used with other particles—&—ta ayth—1) With, near, together with.
“Cut off”—trk kaw-rath'—Niphal Imperfect—1) To cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant—1b) (Niphal)—1b1) To be cut off, 1b2) To be cut down, 1b3) To be chewed, 1b4) To be cut off, fail. Strong—a primitive root; To cut(off, down or asunder); by implication,--To destroy or consume; specifically--To covenant(i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh & passing between the pieces).
“Never”—al lo—1) Not, no. Strong—a primitive particle; Not(the simple or abs. negation); by implication--No; often used with other particles.
“Again”—dwe `owd—subst—1) A going round, continuance; adv.—2) Still, yet, again, besides. Strong—properly, Iteration or continuance; used only adverbially(with or without preposition), Again, repeatedly, still, more.
“Flood”2X—lwbm mab-buwl'—1) Flood, deluge. Strong—from lby yaw-bal'(properly, to flow; causatively, to bring(especially with pomp)) in the sense of flowing; A deluge. Used 13X.
“Destroy”(See :11)—txv shaw-khath'—Piel Infinitive—1) To destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay—1b) (Piel)—1b1) To spoil, ruin, 1b2) To pervert, corrupt, deal corruptly (morally). Strong—a primitive root; To decay, i.e. (causatively)--Ruin(literally or figuratively).
a. Implication—God’s heart
Grieved
Torn—Parentally challenged(by Joy & reward with restraint & Sadness, judgment & punishment,)—knowing man’s potential & the innocence of animal kingdom.
Gen. 6:5-8, 11-12—“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, & that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, & He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man & beast, creeping thing & birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.””.....“The earth also was corrupt before God, & the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, & indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”
b. Promise—Never another world-wide flood
Gen. 8:20-22—“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, & took of every clean animal & of every clean bird, & offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. While the earth remains, Seedtime & harvest, Cold & heat, Winter & summer, And day & night Shall not cease.””
c. Time/Extent—Perpetual/Everlasting
:12—“And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me & you, & every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:”
:16—““The rainbow shall be in the cloud, & I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God & every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.””
Gen. 8:22—“While the earth remains, Seedtime & harvest, Cold & heat, Winter & summer, And day & night Shall not cease.””
“Perpetual”(See :16—“Everlasting”)—Mlwe o-lawm'—N. m.—1) Long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world. Strong—properly, Concealed, i.e. The vanishing point; generally--Time out of mind(past or future), i.e. practically--Eternity; frequentatively adverbial(especially with prepositional prefix)--Always. Used 439X.
“Generations”—rwd dowr—1) Period, generation, habitation, dwelling. Strong—properly, A revolution of time, i.e. An age or generation; also A dwelling. Used 167X.
“Everlasting”(See :12—“Perpetual”)—Mlwe o-lawm'—N. m.—1) Long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world. Strong—properly, Concealed, i.e. The vanishing point; generally--Time out of mind(past or future), i.e. practically--Eternity; frequentatively adverbial(especially with prepositional prefix)--Always. Used 439X.
Argumentation:
Jn. 3:16-18—““For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 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.”
1Jn. 4:9-10, 19—“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us & sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”.....“We love Him because He first loved us.”
Rom. 8:31-33—“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”
1Tim. 1:16—“However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.”
Illustration:
A Christian parent is always saddened & grieved when their children do not follow God/The make poor & life-changing decisions/Their reputations become questionable/Their potentially simple life is encumbered/It broke our hearts when our oldest daughter began dating a young man by the name of Billy Bob(name changed to protect the innocent)/He promised her things which he couldn’t bring about/He brought her a puppy(which we adamantly told her that she couldn’t have!)/Discovered he was an impulsive liar/Typical teenage guy after...you know what/The COMMITMENT Required
Application:
?You Acknowledge the COMMITMENT Required by God’s covenant?
?Are you of God’s Covenant People?
3—Covenant people acknowledge...
The CONTRACT Observed
Explanation:(:12-17) Rainbow/Promise
:12—“And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me & you, & every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:”
God accompanies His covenant with a “sign.” The purpose of a “sign” is to provide an outward & visible connection/correlation for a verbal—& otherwise undetectable—commitment.
Again, the covenant is for all mankind for all time(until the end).
This particular “covenant” is “perpetual” & the sign of it must thus be “perpetual” as well. Thereby, this perpetual covenant with its accompanying sign remain in place regardless of the Mosaic Law & Christ’s coming. It will remain in force until the new earth is established.
“Sign”(See :13, 17)—twa 'owth—1) sign, signal—1a) A distinguishing mark, 1b) Banner, 1c) Remembrance, 1d) Miraculous sign, 1e) Omen, 1f) Warning; 2) Token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof. Strong—A signal(literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.
“Between”—Nyb beyn—1) Between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between. Strong—properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from Nyb biyn; A distinction; but used only as a prep.--Between(repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, Either...Or.
:13—“I set My rainbow in the cloud, & it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me & the earth.”
The promised “sign” of God’s covenant with the earth consists of a now commonly perceived phenomenon—the existence of a rainbow.
It is promised that whenever the “rainbow” appears “in the cloud”(conceivably during the threat of storm) it is a witness to the perpetual covenant which God has initiated to never bring the waters together for a flood of total destruction. Herein is a hint that flood conditions will remain without mimicking The Flood.
God’s covenant is with the entire “earth,” which entails all life including man.
“Set”—Ntn naw-than'—Qal Perfect—1) To give, put, set—1a1) To give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend, 1a2) To put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate, 1a3) To make, constitute. Strong—a primitive root; To give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.).
“Rainbow”—tvq keh'-sheth—1) Bow—1a) Bow (for hunting, battle), 1b) Bowmen, archers, 1c) Bow(fig. of might), 1d) Rainbow. Strong—from hvq kaw-shaw' in the original sense (of vwq qowsh) of bending: A bow, for shooting(hence, figuratively, strength) or the Iris.
“Cloud”(See :14, 16)—Nne aw-nawn'—1) Cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass. Strong—A cloud(as covering the sky), i.e. the Nimbus or thunder-cloud.
:14—“It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;”
“When” God causes the storm “cloud” to appear over the earth” He will also bring a visible rainbow(His rainbow(:13)) with it. This is not so much for man as it is for God Himself to witness(:15).
“Bring...over”—Nne aw-nan'—Piel Infinitive—1) (Piel) To make appear, produce, bring (clouds). Strong—a primitive root; To cover; used only as a denominative from Nne aw-nawn'(“Cloud”), To cloud over; figuratively--To act covertly, i.e. Practice magic.
“Cloud”(See :13, 16)—Nne aw-nawn'—1) Cloud, cloudy, cloud-mass. Strong—A cloud(as covering the sky), i.e. the Nimbus or thunder-cloud.
“Seen”(See :16—“Look on”)—har raw-aw'—Niphal Perfect—1) To see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider—1b) (Niphal)—1b1) To appear, present oneself, 1b2) To be seen, 1b3) To be visible. Strong—a primitive root; To see, literally or figuratively(in numerous applications, direct & implied, transitive, intransitive & causative).
:15—“& I will remember My covenant which is between Me & you & every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”
The presence of the visible rainbow will cause God to “remember” His covenant with the earth. The Noahic covenant is again stated(:11) but very concisely here.
“Waters” will indeed come upon the earth. These may threaten life & livelihood but God will never allow these to “become a flood” capable of “destroying all flesh.”
:16—“The rainbow shall be in the cloud, & I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God & every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” “
The purpose of the rainbow is surprisingly for God’s “remembrance.” It is for God because in this covenant neither man & animals(the very ones effected) play any active or real part in maintaining the covenant. It is a covenant based entirely on God’s willingness to fulfill it. Praise his Holy Name that our God is ultimately faithful to His character & thus His promises(2Tim.2:13)!
Why is this rainbow so important a concept for God? Because God is continually reminded that every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart is only evil continually(:5). God’s pain at man’s trust in finite flesh is indeed ever-present before Him(6:5-6). God knows(omniscience) man’s way will remain corrupted(6:12) even as before the Flood(but dust). Man’s sinfulness
Ps. 103:13-18—“As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, & it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them.”
“Look on”—har raw-aw'—Qal Perfect—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To see, 1a2) To see, perceive, 1a3) To see, have vision, 1a4) To look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out. Strong—a primitive root; To see, literally or figuratively(in numerous applications, direct & implied, transitive, intransitive & causative).
“Everlasting”(See :12—“Perpetual”)—Mlwe o-lawm'—N. m.—1) Long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world. Strong—properly, Concealed, i.e. The vanishing point; generally--Time out of mind(past or future), i.e. practically--Eternity; frequentatively adverbial(especially with prepositional prefix)--Always. Used 439X.
:17—“And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me & all flesh that is on the earth.”” ”
This completes & concisely reiterates the framework of the covenant with its sign. These have already been “established” by God Himself & they concern a limiting relationship(“covenant”) “between” God & “all flesh” upon “earth.”
*!When God determines something it is as if it has already happened...as if that which is promised exists presently in reality...because it actually is reality!
*!What beauty of God’s intention, we would exhibit/exude/express, were we to respond to our world with such positive, godly confidence!...What undeniable ambassadors for Christ we would be if our ‘Yes’ was ‘Yes’ & our ‘No’ was ‘No’(Mat. 5:37)!
Argumentation:
Num. 23:19—““God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, & will He not do? Or has He spoken, & will He not make it good?”
1Sam. 15:26-29—“But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the LORD, & the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, & it tore. So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, & has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.””
Hab. 1:12-2:4—“Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, You have marked them for correction. You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he? Why do You make men like fish of the sea, Like creeping things that have no ruler over them? They take up all of them with a hook, They catch them in their net, And gather them in their dragnet. Therefore they rejoice & are glad. Therefore they sacrifice to their net, And burn incense to their dragnet; Because by them their share is sumptuous And their food plentiful. Shall they therefore empty their net, And continue to slay nations without pity? I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected. Then the LORD answered me & said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, & it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”
2Thes. 2:3-12—“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, & the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes & exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth & destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, & lying wonders, & with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Jer. 25:8-14— [concerning all the people of Judah] ““Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Because you[Judah] have not heard My words, ‘behold, I will send & take all the families of the north,’ says the LORD, ‘& Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, & will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, & against these nations all around, & will utterly destroy them, & make them an astonishment, a hissing, & perpetual desolations. ‘Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth & the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom & the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones & the light of the lamp. ‘And this whole land shall be a desolation & an astonishment, & these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. ‘Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon & that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,’ says the LORD; ‘& I will make it a perpetual desolation. ‘So I will bring on that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied concerning all the nations. ‘(For many nations & great kings shall be served by them also; & I will repay them according to their deeds & according to the works of their own hands.)’””
These things took place. God was faithful then & He is faithful now!
Isa. 30:18 “Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.”
Mal. 3:1-6—““Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner & a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold & silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness. “Then the offering of Judah & Jerusalem Will be pleasant to the LORD, As in the days of old, As in former years. And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners & widows & orphans, And against those who turn away an alien-- Because they do not fear Me,” Says the LORD of hosts. “For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”
The Contract of God’s faithfulness to the promise of His Son Jesus our Savior & Lord is observed/seen in the resurrection!
Mat. 12:38-42—“Then some of the scribes & Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered & said to them, “An evil & adulterous generation seeks after a sign, & no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. “For as Jonah was three days & three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days & three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation & condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; & indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation & condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; & indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”
*Heb 6:17-20 “Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure & steadfast, & which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Rom. 11:29—“For the gifts & the calling of God are irrevocable.”
Illustration:
Building Contractor—The contractor promises/commits—in writing or with a handshake—to provide what the homeowner desires/The homeowner may have a design or blueprints drawn-up or may require it of the contractor/The written, visible, accessible contract itself holds the contractor legally liable for his work/The CONTRACT Observed
Application:
?You Acknowledge the CONTRACT Required by God’s covenant?
?Are you of God’s Covenant People?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Green Side Up!
Action:
Covenant people acknowledge...
1. The PARTIES/Constituency Involved
2. The COMMITMENT Required
3. The CONTRACT Observed
Presented 06/10/2012pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
