Islington Baptist Church April 8, 2001
Sermon text: Genesis 9:8-17
Scripture readings: Exodus 24, Genesis 17, Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 8-12, Romans
Last week we began a study of Genesis 8:20-9:17. One of the things I drew your attention to was the big picture of this passage. Blessings. This passage is all about blessing—blessings that come by extension to us, in response to Noah’s seeking of the face and favor of God.
Last week we had time to consider 3 of the 4 major blessings bestowed by God
1. The continuing ability to have children: Be fruitful and multiply is what God said
-Here worded as a command and evidencing that God’s creation commands of Genesis 1 are still in effect.
2. Provision: God’s provision of the animals for food.
-until this time people were supposed to be vegetarians. Now….
3. The third blessing of our text is this: Protection.
Because we as humans are made in the image of God our lives are of incredible worth. Hence a protective law given, with a stiff penalty, designed to protect human life and uphold its value.
This week, amongst other things, we are going to consider the 4th blessing detailed for us in Genesis 8:20-9:17
4. The fourth blessing, which we didn’t have time for last week, is this: an unconditional covenant instituted by God that guarantees to this day that God will never again destroy our world by means of a world wide flood.
Where we are going:
1. Read Genesis 9:8-17
2. Address why the term covenant is one we must understand
3. Consider the covenant instituted by God here in this text: A covenant that has a sign –being the rainbow- that ought to make preachers of us all.
READ TEXT
I. WHY THE TERM COVENANT IS ONE WE MUST UNDERSTAND.
7 times in today’s passage the term “Covenant” appears. When something is noted 7 times in such a short passage it means its important.
A covenant is a binding agreement. A bond is formed and entered into. It’s a pact of sorts, made between at least 2 parties. In the Bible the covenants most often featured are between God and man; sometimes they are between people i.e David and Jonathan. Sometimes these covenants are conditional, sometimes they are unconditional.
The topic of covenants permeates the entire fabric of the whole of the scriptures. It’s not a topic that a student of God’s word can ignore.
Throughout the scriptures, covenants are the vehicles by which God enters into lasting relationship with people. One wonderful truth to contemplate is this: God’s making and entering into covenants with people speaks of his relationality and of our created purpose: walking and relating with God.
Understanding the concept of covenant ought to be important to us because that is how we as Christians are related to God. If you are a Christian you have been brought into a relationship with God by means of a covenant—a covenant grounded in the person, work, and blood of Jesus Christ.
A whirlwind tour of some of the major covenants of the Bible—excluding today’s feature covenant: the one God makes here in Genesis 9
1. Abrahamic covenant: Genesis 12, 15, 17
Land, descendants, blessing. In Genesis 15 the covenant making ceremony is recorded. The animals cut in two, etc.
2. Davidic covenant: II Samuel 7
God’s promise to David regarding their always being a man upon the throne of David.
There are some conditional and some unconditional aspects to this covenant (the same goes for the Abrahamic)
3. Mosaic covenant, the covenant of law, the covenant made between God and the people of Israel at Mount Sinai.
This morning when we read Exodus 24 we observed the ratification of the covenant.
As you might remember this is where the 10 commandments come on the scene and all the requirements of the law. During the covenant making process groups of Israelites gathered on 2 different mountain tops. The one group shouted out all the blessings that would be theirs if they kept the law God gave and remained faithful to this covenant. The second group shouted out all the curses and punishments that would be their if they violated the law and broke the covenant.
One important feature of the Mosaic covenant or the covenant of law was this: it was sealed and made with blood.
Note Exodus 24:4b-8 “He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up 12 stone pillars representing the 12 tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the LORD. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant (the law with all its stipulations) and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.” Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
By this ceremony involving blood the covenant was ratified, sealed, made, consummated.
FAST FORWARD TO THE NEW TESTAMENT AND THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
Mark 14:23 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many”
Luke 22:20 “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you”
As blood was necessary to ratify the covenant of the law so Jesus’ blood was required to ratify the new covenant, the covenant of grace of which Jesus is the mediator (Hebrews 12:24)
As blood was sprinkled on the people so we as Christians have been spiritually sprinkled and marked with the blood of Jesus.(Hebrews 12:24)
It is because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross that a person can have the forgiveness of sins and a relationship with God.
TODAY, IF YOU ARE CHRISTIAN, You exist in a relationship with God by the means of a covenant. A better covenant, a far more glorious covenant, a covenant ratified and built upon the person, work, and blood of Jesus Christ.
One big implication: The keeping of the law as a means of salvation and condition of relationship with God is no longer required. We are not under law but under grace. Coming to Jesus is what is necessary for salvation and a relationship with God. A relationship with Jesus results in a persons inheriting eternal life and salvation.
ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS ABOUT THE 3 COVENANTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT I HAVE BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THIS:
They all find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
To Abraham God covenanted and promised Land, descendants, and Blessing. To begin with the land in mind was the physical land of Israel but that’s not all that was in mind…… In respect to descendants, God promised Abraham numberless descendants. Today that promise still being worked out for every Christian is reckoned to be of the line of Abraham. In respect to blessing…Jesus Christ…..
To David God promised that their would never fail to be a ruler or king upon the throne of David. Jesus is the ultimate one that God had in mind. Jesus was of the line of David and indeed he is the King of Kings.
In respect to the Mosaic covenant, the covenant of law; it, with all its sacrifices and what not, were just a shadow, a marker that pointed forward to the person of Jesus Christ and his once for all sacrifice for sins.
II. As I mentioned at the beginning of today’s message, the fourth blessing given in Genesis 8:20-9:17 concerns a promise made by God, a promise cemented by a covenant. This was God’s promise: to never again destroy our world by means of a world wide flood.
-the covenant in question in this text is an unconditional one. Noah, his family, the animals, etc and by extension us, didn’t have to do a thing. It was all God.
-this covenant was made with more than just people in mind—the animals too.
-this covenant came with a sign: a rainbow
In a moment I want to challenge you with this: the appearance of rainbows ought to make preachers of us all. But first I want to take a brief detour in respects to covenantal signs
-God gave us the rainbow as a physical sign guaranteeing that he will never again destroy our world by means of a world wide flood—no matter how sinful we get.
-When God made his covenant with Abraham a sign was required of Abraham and his male descendants: circumcision: if not circumcised they cast out and not considered to be one of God’s people.
-in the OT scriptures it is also noted that Sabbath keeping, amongst other things, was a sign of the Mosaic covenant
For us who are Christians God has given us a sign guaranteeing his promises, promises that are all yes in Jesus Christ.
As signs accompanied God’s covenants in the OT so too there is a sign or seal given that speaks to us as Christians that we are in a covenantal relationship with God: The Holy Spirit.
In Ephesians 1:13-14 it says “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession- to the praise of his glory. (also see II Corinthians 1:20-22)
Now some may ask, how do you know if you have the Holy Spirit? The Bible tells us that you can only confess that Jesus Christ is Lord if you have the Spirit. The saved person is the one who by the Holy Spirit declares that Jesus Christ is Lord- which in spite of the circularity of this reasoning, is evidence that a person is indwelt by Holy Spirit. (Note I John 4:13ff)
Having the Holy Spirit indwell you is the sign and guarantee of your being in relationship with God.
As I mentioned a moment ago: the appearance of a rainbow ought to make preachers of us all.*********
1. The appearance of a rainbow affords us first and foremost an opportunity to testify to the faithfulness of God to his promises.
Not only does it afford us an opportunity to testify to the faithfulness of God to his promises, the appearance of a rainbow also ought to personally build our faith in regards to God and his promises- for at times we waver and need encouragement.
2. The appearance of a rainbow affords us an opportunity to talk about sin and the need for repentance
Why is it that we have a rainbow, because God in the first place destroyed the world because of sin. Sin is every persons main problem. Sin separates a person from God. Sin brings the wrath of God. Our sinfulness and our awareness of it—which is the work of the Holy Spirit- is what leads a person to Jesus Christ. It’s when we understood the depths of our sinfulness that Jesus and why we need him, made sense.
3. The appearance of a rainbow affords us an opportunity to draw a persons attention to the beauty and majesty of this world: God’s creation—which in itself testifies to God’s existence and wondrous power
4. The appearance of a rainbow affords us an opportunity to warn of the coming and imminent day of judgment
God has promised that he will never again destroy the world by means of a world wide flood, yet this must be kept in mind: the end of the world has been announced and that day is coming. God will not let sin go on forever. A day is coming when this world will be destroyed by fire. Our job is to warn people of the coming day of wrath, urging them to get right with God while they can.
5. The appearance of a rainbow affords us to speak and reflect upon the grace of God.
God was not bound to make the covenant of Genesis 9; He did it freely and graciously.
One of the things we must proclaim is the depths of God’s grace towards a sinful world that deserves not grace but judgment.
Many lament that God is not good enough or gracious enough. That is more than scandalous. If anything, God is too good and too gracious.
The appearance of a rainbow ought to make preachers of us all. Your audience may be your children, your spouse, your coworker, your golfing or fishing buddy. Our responsibility is to testify to the greatness and wondrousness of God.
It may even be that on occasion the greatest beneficiary of a rainbows appearance is you. You might be in a spot where you need the reminder of God’s rainbow.
CONCLUSION
Next week: Easter Sunday and “Did Jesus really rise from the dead?”
Today: wrapped up our studies for now in the book of Genesis
Big point of Genesis 8:20-9:17 “The blessings of God”.. 4 Blessings:
1. First one wrapped up in God’s command to be fruitful and multiply
2. Provision: God’s giving of the animals for food
3. Protection: because we made in the image of God and hence so precious, God has instituted a law, with a stiff penalty, to, amongst other things, act as a protective deterrent
4. An unconditional covenant instituted by God guaranteeing that he will never again destroy the world by means of a world wide flood.
Why the term covenant is one we must understand…..
Rainbows: how they ought to make preachers of us all
