October 27, 2023

Genesis 9 (HCSB)
God’s Covenant with Noah
9 God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority. 3 Every living creature will be food for you; as I gave the green plants, I have given you everything. 4 However, you must not eat meat with its lifeblood in it. 5 I will require the life of every animal and every man for your life and your blood. I will require the life of each man’s brother for a man’s life. 6 Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image. 7 But you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it.” 8 Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, 9 “Understand that I am confirming My covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you—birds, livestock, and all wildlife of the earth that are with you—all the animals of the earth that came out of the ark. 11 I confirm My covenant with you that never again will every creature be wiped out by the waters of a flood; there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all future generations: 13 I have placed My bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember My covenant between Me and you and all the living creatures: water will never again become a flood to destroy every creature. 16 The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look at it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all the living creatures on earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have confirmed between Me and every creature on earth.” Prophecies about Noah’s Family 18 Noah’s sons who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were Noah’s sons, and from them the whole earth was populated.  20 Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine, became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked. 24 When Noah awoke from his drinking and learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said: Canaan will be cursed. He will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers. 26 He also said: Praise the Lord, the God of Shem; Canaan will be his slave. 27 God will extend Japheth; he will dwell in the tents of Shem; Canaan will be his slave.28 Now Noah lived 350 years after the flood. 29 So Noah’s life lasted 950 years; then he died.

Garnett Cothern
After Noah left the ark, he built an altar and made sacrifices of clean animals and clean birds. “Then God BLESSED Noah and his sons.” And He “gave them everything”. God blesses you and I daily! Oh-it might not be what we (humanly) might wish for, but –He has a plan for each of us. He will, and does, provide everything needed for us to fulfill His plan in us.Then, God said He would “demand an accounting”! This accounting related to other people, but maybe this accounting is also relative to us as we should share His message with others. How are you performing? For me –I fall short too many times. Then, God makes the ‘covenant’ (the rainbow) –never to destroy the earth by flood again. After all the protection, caring and provision Noah received -he got drunk! How many times do we know of God’s protection, feel His caring hand and are even given sufficient provisions –but –we “stray”. Maybe not “drunk on wine”, but maybe (just maybe) we get “side-tracked” by our own plans, desires,  and personal selections –all ‘away’ from God and His plan and will for each one of us. Noah was about 600 years of age when exiting the ark and died at the age of 950. I would like to think those 350 years between were filled with love of God and complete service and obedience. As we each age (and we do), I wonder if our own ‘between years’ are filled with ‘total” service and obedience. I think we all know the answer is not as positive as it should be. But God –still –loves, cares, and provides for His own. What a wonderful, caring, loving, and providing God. Thinking of that –are you as “broken” as I am?