Biblical Covenants and Hermenuetics Part 2: Noahic Covenant

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I. Introduction

a. This is the first covenant mentioned in Scripture.

b. We will look at three passages on the Noahic Covenant

c. Question to ask:

i.      How is God’s grace shown in the Covenant?

ii.      Is the way you interpret the Noahic Covenant the same hermeneutical principle you interpret other Biblical Covenants?

II. Genesis 6:17-20 (PRE-FLOOD)

a. Setting

i.      V.17- God will judge the world for their sins.

ii.      V.17- God will flood the world.

b. Recipient

i.      V.18- Noah, his wife, sons and son’s wives.

c. Requirement

i.      V. 19- Two (male and female) of every kind of animals into the ark.

ii.      V.20- Keep the animals alive (“keep them alive”)

iii.      V.21- Gather food for animals and family

d. Promise

i.      V.18- Covenant to protect Noah in the Ark

e. Notes

i.      Note how God’s righteous judgment (v.17) is foundational to understanding God’s grace in the providing of the Ark (v.18).

ii.      Note how God’s grace by providing the ark (v.18) comes before the commands (v.19-21)

iii.      Note Noah’s obedience (v.22)

III. Genesis 8:20-22 (POST-FLOOD)

a. Setting

i.      V.19- Ark open, animals went out

b. Recipients

 i.      V.20- Noah

c. Promise

i.      V.21- “I will never again curse the ground of account of man, for the intent of man’s earth is evil from youth…”

ii.      V.21- “I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.”

 iii.      V.22- Seasons

d. Notes

 i.      V.20- Noah presents an animal sacrifice to God

IV. Genesis 9:1-17 (POST-FLOOD)

a. Setting

i.      After the Flood

b. Recipients

 i.      V.9- Noah and his descendants (cf. v. 8)

ii.      V.10- Every living creature (cf. v. 12)

iii.      V. 12- Successive generation

 iv.      See also v.11-12, 15-17

c. Requirement

 i.      V.1- “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”

1. Reinstating Genesis 1:28 in the Post-Fall

2. Cf. v.8

ii.      V.  4- Not eat animal alive or with it’s blood still in it

1. Devestating consequences is stated in verse 5

iii.      V. 6- Death penalty for murder because man is still in the image of God

d. Promise

i.      V. 2- Dominion over animals given

ii.      V. 3- Animals can be eaten

iii.      V. 11- No more global flood to destroy the earth (Cf. v.16)

e. Sign

i.      V.13- A rainbow

ii.      V.14- “It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud”

iii.      V.15- Rainbow is for God “to remember” showing it’s fulfillment is dependent upon God (cf. v. 16-17)

V. Conclusion

a. This covenant is God’s Covenant with all creatures for all generations

b. The promises in it still stands

i.      God will not destroy the world through a global flood.

ii.      Stability of the four seasons

iii.      Dominion over animals

c. The requirements still stand

i.      Be fruitful and multiply

ii.      Not to eat animals alive or with it’s blood still in it

iii.      Death penalty for murder

d. Application

i.      Looking at creation and the rainbow should prompt us to praise God for His mercy and Grace

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