Series:
SUPPLANTING The LEGACY Of WICKEDNESS—Genesis 6:9—10:32
A—GOD’s REMOVAL STRATEGY—Genesis 6:9-22
Toward Removing the Legacy of Wickedness
B—GOD’s DESIGNED DESTRUCTION(& Salvation)—Genesis 7:1-24
C—SALVATION REALIZED(Getting to Normal)—Genesis 8:1-19
D—EXPERIENCING The VICTORY(Man’s Response)—Genesis 8:18-22...
OR RATHER--MANIFESTATIONS Of ACCEPTANCE—Genesis 8:18-22
E—CONSTRAINTS Of RESTORATION-IV—Genesis 9:1-19
1. CONSTRAINTS For FRUITFULNESS(Success)—Genesis 9:1-7
2. GOD’s COVENANT With The EARTH—Genesis 9:8-17
F—SAME Ol’ SAME Ol’—Genesis 9:20-29
G—The NATIONS—Genesis 10:1-32
Attention:
Commercial for Physician’s Mutual Dental Insurance...
•A dentist & the assistant are both looking at an x-ray & discussing their diagnosis & the particular course of action in alleviating a patient’s situation. They speak in hushed tones behind the patient The dentist quietly make’s an ominous statement to his assistant, “Oooooh, just what I thought...It's all going to have to come out!”...
•Then you see the x-ray that they are examining... & it is an x-ray of the patient’s wallet!
•“If you don’t have dental insurance, paying the bill can be really expensive.”...“Take the pain out of big dental bills, with physician’s mutual.”
According to that particular dentist, the constraints involved in the restoration of a patient’s teeth, was the removal of all their money!
Likewise, there are certain ‘uncomfortable’ constraints by which mankind’s restoration before God can be accomplished!
Our Success as Christians is Constrained thru certain relationships & actions.
CONSTRAIN—‘To severely restrict the scope, extent, or activity of.’ OR--‘To compel or force toward a particular course of action.’
OR rather--for OUR/Today’s APPLICATION--‘To keep within God’s limits.’
Need:
The constraints attending mankind’s restoration may not be what you may imagine!
God blessed Noah’s family with a restoration based on relationship.
Man’s restoration is to be constrained/limited contained/determined thru relationships.
How do relationships constrain/determine our restoration?
3 relationships constraining/determining our restoration.
We have already found that ‘Our Restoration is constrained thru relationship with’...
1. GOD(:1a)
2. REINSTATEMENT(:1b-2)
3. CREATION(:3)
4—Restoration is constrained thru relationship with...
MAN(:4-7)
Explanation: (:4-7)
:4—“But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.”
Though animals are allowed to be killed for mankind’s sustenance, there is to be a continual reminder in such preparation for consumption. The provision to take of animal life in order to sustain Noah’s(& progeny) is a seeming paradox/contradiction seeing as all have been partakers in salvation(Rom. 8:18-25). However, at the same time, this preserves a real distinction between animals & mankind—made in the image of God Himself.
Rom. 8:18-25—“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. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
The “blood” of even meal-bound animals is never to be eaten. The “blood” of an animal is considered as the very essence of its “life.” Thus The “blood” of every animal is to be deeply ‘considered.’
“Respect for life, & beyond that, respect for the giver of life, means abstaining from the ingestion of blood. This is a universal concept & anticipates the Jewish sacrificial Law.
Abstinence from blood is one of the very things which the Jerusalem Council wanted to ensure was shared with & secured among the Gentile Christians(Acts 15). Thus this is a timeless application which directly confronts paganism with a constant reminder of the perfect design of the One Creator God as well as the preciousness(to God) of the result of such design.
Acts 15:19-29—““Therefore I[James] judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, & from blood. For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath. Then it pleased the apostles & elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul & Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, & Silas, leading men among the brethren. They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, & the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, & Cilicia: Greetings. Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised & keep the law”--to whom we gave no such commandment-- it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas & Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas & Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, & to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, & from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
“Eat”—lka aw-kal'—Qal Imperfect—1) To eat, devour, burn up, feed—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To eat (human subject), 1a2) To eat, devour (of beasts & birds), 1a3) To devour, consume (of fire), 1a4) To devour, slay (of sword), 1a5) To devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought), 1a6) To devour (of oppression). Strong—a primitive root; To eat (literally or figuratively).
“Flesh”—rsb baw-sawr'—1) Flesh—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.
“Life”(See :5)—vpn neh'-fesh—1) Soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion. Strong—properly, A breathing creature, i.e. Animal of (abstractly)--Vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental).
“Blood”(See :5— “Lifeblood”)—Md dawm—1) Blood—1a) Of wine (fig.). Strong—Blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy--The juice of the grape; figuratively(especially in the plural)--Bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood). Strong—Flesh (from its freshness); by extension--Body, person; also (by euphemism)--The pudenda of a man.
:5—“Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, & from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man.
Noah(& the reader) is given explicit direction concerning one particularly troubling aspect of man’s corruption by sin...Man(due to his sinful nature(Rom. 7:14—8:1) without God is prone to violence(Gen. 6:11-12) even against his own kind.
Rom. 7:14-8:1—“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, & bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Such violence(pre-Flood) had become manifested generally in the extreme perversion of a wanton taking of human life(4:23). This had escalated before the Flood especially as those lacking respect for the word of God increased numerically. Such a proliferating legacy of wickedness had demanded/called for/earned judgment from man’s Originator & Creator.
Gen. 4:8—“Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.”
Gen. 4:23-24—“Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting me. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.””
Gen. 4:7—““If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.””
Sin’s proliferation is ultimately the responsibility of the sinner!
Gen. 6:5, 11-12—“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”.....“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.”
Thus in order to avoid the same scenario, God placed a responsibility upon Noah’s, & succeeding generations. For such violence as that which had called for the response of the Flood, there will be a reckoning. God’s intent is to nip-it-in-the-bud before such destructive behaviors can pervert & limit mankind’s witness of God. IF mankind would see fit to enforce such respect of human life, by Divine attitudes & demands, the problem of violence would be thwarted or at least hindered for future generations.
This word is a blatant & powerful reminder for all generations concerning the worldliness of such violence.
Therefore from animal(Ex. 21:28-29) to neighbor to “brother,” “life” will be “required” of the one that takes it upon himself/itself to unrighteously take a life(See 4:8, 23-24).
Ex. 21:28-29—““If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then the ox shall surely be stoned, & its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be acquitted. But if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, & it has been made known to his owner, & he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned & its owner also shall be put to death.”
Human life is so precious to God that even animals are held to account for their interfering in human affairs with violence.
“Surely”—Ka 'ak—Adverb—1) Indeed, surely (emphatic); 2) Howbeit, only, but, yet (restrictive). Strong—A particle of affirmation, Surely; hence(by limitation)--Only. Used 22X.
“Lifeblood/Blood of your lives”(See :4—“Blood”)—Mkytvpnl Mkmd—Md dawm—1) Blood—1a) Of wine (fig.). Strong—Blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy--The juice of the grape; figuratively(especially in the plural)--Bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood). Strong—Flesh (from its freshness); by extension--Body, person; also (by euphemism)--The pudenda of a man.—+—vpn neh'-fesh(See :5)—1) Soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion. Strong—properly, A breathing creature, i.e. Animal of (abstractly)--Vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental).
“Hand”(See :2)—dy yawd—Noun Fem.—1) Hand—1a) Hand (of man), 1b) Strength, power(fig.), 1c) Side(of land), part, portion(metaph.) (fig.), 1d) (various special, technical senses)—1d1) Sign, monument, 1d2) Part, fractional part, share, 1d3) Time, repetition, 1d4) Axle-trees, axle, 1d5) Stays, support(for laver), 1d6) Tenons(in tabernacle), 1d7) A phallus, a hand(meaning unsure), 1d8) Wrists. Strong—a primitive word; A hand(the open one[indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from Pk kaph, the closed one); used(as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally & figuratively, both proximate & remote.
“Beast”—yx khah’-ee—Noun Fem.—4) Living thing, animal—4a) Animal, 4b) Life, 4c) Appetite, 4d) Revival, renewal; 5) Community. Strong—Alive; hence, Raw(flesh); Fresh(plant, water, year), Strong; also(as noun, especially in the feminine singular & masculine plural)--Life(or living thing), whether literally or figuratively.
“Require”—vrd daw-rash'—Qal Imperfect—1) To resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To resort to, frequent(a place), (tread a place), 1a2) To consult, enquire of, seek—1a2a) of God, 1a2b) of heathen gods, necromancers, 1a3) To seek deity in prayer & worship—1a3a) God, 1a3b) heathen deities, 1a4) To seek(with a demand), demand, require, 1a5) To investigate, enquire, 1a6) To ask for, require, demand, 1a7) To practice, study, follow, seek with application, 1a8) To seek with care, care for. Strong—a primitive root; properly, To tread or frequent; usually--To follow(for pursuit or search); by implication--To seek or ask; specifically--To worship.
“Man”—Mda aw-dawm'—1) Man, mankind. Strong—Ruddy i.e. A human being(an individual or the species, mankind, etc.).
From—Mda aw-dam'—To show blood(in the face), i.e. Flush or turn rosy.
“Man’s”—vya ‘iysh—1) Man—1a) Man, male (in contrast to woman, female), 1b) Husband, 1c) Human being, person (in contrast to God), 1d) Servant, 1e) Mankind, 1f) Champion, 1g) Great man; 2) Whosoever; 3) Each(adjective). Strong—A man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term(& in such cases frequently not expressed in translation).
“Brother”—xa awkh—1) Brother—1a) Brother of same parents, 1b) Half-brother (same father), 1c) Relative, kinship, same tribe, 1d) Each to the other(reciprocal relationship), 1e) (fig.) Of resemblance. Strong—a primitive word; A brother(used in the widest sense of literal relationship & metaphorical affinity or resemblance.
:6—“Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.”
Man’s unique status as having been made in God’s image(5:3), is the very reason bloodshed against him is forbidden & condemnatory.
Mankind’s new progeny(thru Noah) is expected to operate very differently from that of his former world(Gen. 6:5, 11-12—Wicked, Evil, Violent, Corrupted). They are to respect the life of their fellow man, that has been graciously given by God. Mankind has another beginning. Mankind is starting out on ‘the right foot’ as it were...favorably equipped with all things to magnify & solidify God’s design & plan! Yet consider the LACK of the indwelling Holy Spirit!
By this verse, righteously governed mankind is justified in establishing civil punishment for homicide. This is stated even though there are only eight people, of the same family, upon which civic ‘government’ can be established. This anticipates the fulfillment of the twin directives to be fruitful & multiply(:1, 7).
“Shed”—Kpv shaw-fak'—Qal Participle Active(The participle represents an action or condition in its unbroken continuity... It may be used of present, past or future time)—1) To pour, pour out, spill—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To pour, pour out, 1a2) To shed (blood), 1a3) To pour out (anger or heart) (fig). Strong—a primitive root; To spill forth(blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also figuratively--To expend(life, soul, complaint, money, etc.); intensively--To sprawl out.
“Image”—Mlu tseh'-lem—1) Image—1a) Images (of tumours, mice, heathen gods), 1b) Image, likeness (of resemblance), 1c) Mere, empty, image, semblance (fig.). Strong—from an unused root meaning to shade; A phantom, i.e. figuratively--Illusion, resemblance; hence, A representative figure, especially--An idol.
“Made”—hse aw-saw'—Qal Perfect—1) To do, fashion, accomplish, make. Strong—To do or make, in the broadest sense & widest application.
:7—“And as for you, be fruitful & multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it.””
Only after having stated the guidelines for hindering homicidal violence(:4-6), Noah & his family are told to fulfill the mandate previously stated(:1).
With an explicitly stated respect for 1)God & His creation, 2)Animals, but especially 3)Mankind...
Noah & his family are now ready to begin living as the founders of a new age free of wickedness. However it must be remembered that there is a fatal flaw with mankind as has been stated in 8:21—“the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” There is the tendency for mankind to slip away from God ‘s desire & into his own violence. Perhaps these will be able to “rule over”(4:7) the sin that so easily besets them(Heb. 12:1-2).
Heb 12:1-2—“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, & the sin which so easily ensnares us, & let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author & finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, & has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Mankind’s fruitfulness & multiplication is commanded & expected of His newly established creation, particularly with its explicit directives.
The call to “bring forth abundantly” is the same wording used of the sea creature’s directive to make the waters “abound”(‘teem’) with living creatures in 1:20.
Mankind’s fruitfulness is to mimic that of even the minuscule creatures of the sea. Mankind has that which is needed to superabound physically as well as righteously.
“Fruitful”(See :7)—hrp paw-raw'—Qal Imperative—1) To bear fruit, be fruitful, branch off. Strong—a primitive root; To bear fruit(literally or figuratively). Used 29X.
“Multiply/Increase”2X(See :7)—hbr raw-baw'—Qal Imperative—1) Be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To become many, become numerous, multiply(of people, animals, things), 1a2) To be or grow great 2) (Qal) To shoot. Strong—a primitive root; To increase(in whatever respect).
“Bring forth abundantly”—Urv shaw-rats’—Qal Imperative—1) (Qal) To teem, swarm, multiply—1a) To swarm, teem, 1b2) To swarm. Strong—a primitive root; To wriggle, i.e. by implication--Swarm or abound. Used 14X.
Argumentation:
**Lev. 19:9-18—“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. ‘And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor & the stranger: I am the LORD your God. ‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. ‘And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. ‘You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. ‘You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the LORD. ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. ‘You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, & not bear sin because of him. ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.”
Mat. 5:43-48—““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor & hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, & pray for those who spitefully use you & persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil & on the good, & sends rain on the just & on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Rom. 13:8-11—“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” & if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”
Jn. 15:9-17—Jesus said:—““As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments & abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, & that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you & appointed you that you should go & bear fruit, & that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”
Jn. 13:34-35—““A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””
1Jn. 4:7-19—“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; & everyone who loves is born of God & knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, & His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, & He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen & testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, & he in God. And we have known & believed the love that God has for us. God is love, & he who abides in love abides in God, & God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”
Illustration:
Why do nations go to war?/
Imagine you have a vineyard, which borders another man’s property/Every year the rows closest to your neighbor appear to be unfruitful/However, you find that your neighbor has been taking the fruit without permission from you(the owner) & using it for his own ends!
1)Your neighbor has a disrespect/disdain for your property!
2)You have a disdain/disrespect for being abused!
•Restoration(to man’s fullness intended by God) is constrained thru relationship with MAN
•God has relationship with both these neighbors. And both these neighbors have a relationship with God. One is distant & one is close.
•Only one of the neighbors has a saving’ relationship with God. There is only one of the neighbors whom God favors to be in His heaven.
Both say much about one’s fruitfulness & thus restoration in God’s eyes!
Is the fruit-less-ness of your vines, actually fruitful in relation to YOUR neighbor?
Application:
? Is Your Restoration constrained thru Relationship with MAN?
? Is Your Restoration determined by God’s desire...or your own?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Dentist’s plan for the patient’s restoration involved extracting money from the patient’s wallet!
Likewise, there are specific constraints by which mankind’s restoration before God can be accomplished!
Action:
Our Restoration is constrained thru relationship with...
4. MAN(:4-7)
1. GOD(:1)
2. REINSTATEMENT(:1b-2)
3. CREATION(:3)
Pt# 4 only! Presented 11/03/2019am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave(SE Ave. A).
Carrabelle, FL 32322
Pt#s 1-3 Presented 05/20/2012am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
