God's Promise To Humanity: The Covenant In Genesis Series

Intro:

DVD series – Case for Creation

Affirms the Christian view that God created the world

Genesis does not explain in a scientific manner how God achieved this. But it does account for a certain worldview.

David, got it right when he says in Psalm 19

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

3 They have no speech, they use no words;

no sound is heard from them.

4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

5 which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

6 It rises at one end of the heavens

and makes its circuit to the other;

nothing is deprived of its warmth.

It is not the celestial lights are gods, to be worshipped, but they speak of an amazing creator.

So what then is the book of Genesis about?

ANE – Polytheistic

Humans as an afterthought

Do manual jobs that the gods did not want to do

Hebrews/Israel – Monotheistic (one God)

Humans at height of creation

To have a relationship with the creator

Through Genesis

If there really is a God, who created the universe and everything in it, then how can we get to know this God?

The solution emerges that this is only possible when he reveals himself to human beings.

i.e. Evidenced in creation itself

Communicates directly to human beings

Genesis then is primarily about revelation; God’s revelation of himself to human kind.

The purpose of this self-revelation is to establish the notion of a covenant people. Sadly today the word, “covenant” is not widely used or understood in our 21st Century context. Despite this, the term is central to understand God and our relationship with him.

Continuing on with the Genesis series:

This is the first of three sermons on COVENANT in Genesis. Today we will focus on God’s covenant with Noah. Essentially God suspended judgement on the sins of humanity until the work of Jesus. In Jesus we can find forgiveness of sins, when we repent and therefore turn from our sins.

From the opening lines describing creation, we find the emerging theme, whereby God reveals his plan to build a people, committed to him, and he promises to commit to them. i.e. Gen 17:7-8 (Abram/Abraham); Deut 4:20 (Moses) – “I will be your God and you shall be my people.”

Very early on in the piece, the reader becomes aware of God’s concern that his creation ... in particular his prized creation – human beings are being consumed by their own wickedness.

Through the early chapters of Genesis we find an interesting pattern.

Cycle of:

Sin  Judgement Punishment Grace  Redemption

Adam and Eve

Cain kills Abel

Story of Noah:

Problem of sin  human wickedness  flood

God decides to blot out human beings

Sees the one righteous man, Noah and his family

Will give human beings one more chance

Genesis 6:18 promises a covenant with Noah, but is not specific as to the nature of this covenant.

So what is a covenant? Essentially it is a contract.

A covenant is more than a mutual agreement between parties. It is an “oath-bound promise” where one party pledges to bless or serve another party in some specified way.

In the biblical sense a covenant is always initiated by God.

Genesis 8:21-9:3, 7; 8-17

1. God Restores Creation (8:21-9:3, 7)

Sin continues

Never again curse the ground

Seasons will always come as expected

Humans to, “be fruitful, increase in number and fill the earth”

Things as they were after being expelled from the Garden of Eden

2. God’s Judgement Suspended (9:11)

See 6:5-8

Human wickedness  “deeply grieved”  wipe humans out

Found favour in Noah (and family)

 Because God found favour in Noah  he suspended judgement of human sin ... (9:11), “I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood again; never again will their be a flood to destroy the earth.”

NOTE: repeat = EXCLAMATION!

It is fair to say that in this story, and by our own experience, human beings have not become more holy ... therefore God’s judgement is required.

Instead, God has chosen not to immediately judge each and every sin during what is now known as the Old Testament period ... time leading up to Jesus Christ. Ever since God’s covenant with Noah (and all of humanity to follow), God has pledged himself to long-suffering and patience. He waited for Jesus Chris to be the full and final sacrifice for sins to do that (Acts 17:30-31)