God’s Covenant With The Earth

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).