“Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease’” (Genesis 8:20-22, ESV).
During the last national election in our country (Philippines), we could notice that even before the campaign period, some political candidates were trying already to engage in promotional campaign. What they were doing and what they were saying in their promises could give us an idea what they would do, or how they would behave once elected.
And before the day of election, the candidates would use their resources, effort and time to promote their credibility to hold the particular office. While the voters would also try to decide or decipher how a candidate would act or react to the challenges of the office. The more they know about the candidates, they could choose easily whom to vote.
In our case, who are elected even before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless, what do we have in mind about the Holy One who elected us? What could we know about Him?
This time let’s learn at least two things about the Holy God in our topic, WORTH KNOWING, as we focus on our text (Gen. 8:20-22).
So, what at least two things that we could know about the Holy God?
In Genesis 5, we read that though men lived for hundreds of years, yet God’s judgement on them was still executed: they died. However, we also saw that when God chose someone to receive His grace, in the case of Enoch, not only he was able to walk with God; he did not also experience death.
In chapter 6, Moses related that God instructed Noah to build an ark. He would destroy all flesh by a great flood, for “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5).
God told Noah to enter the ark along with his family and selected animals in chapter 7. For 40 days and 40 nights “rain fell upon the earth.” All men and animals and creeping things and birds were blotted out. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark were left. The waters prevailed on the earth 150 days (vv. 23-24).
In the early verses of chapter 8, it related that the waters had abated and God commanded Noah to “Go out from the ark…” (v. 15.)
Now, in our text in verses 20-22, we could see what Noah did as soon as he went out from the ark. At the same time, we could also learn at least two things about the Holy God. What are those?
I – HE COULD BE PLEASED (vv. 20-21A).
We read verses 20-21A, “Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma…”
It’s very significant to note what the ark builder, Noah, did after he went out from the ark. He did not plan to build where he and his family could dwell. But, the text states, “Then…” or the next thing that he did was he “built an altar to the Lord…” The first thing that came into his mind was to worship God, so the ark builder built an altar. And he gave an offering of thanksgiving.
The last part of the passage states, “… the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma.” In other words, God was pleased. It’s “A figurative way of saying that the Lord takes delight in his children’s worship of him.”
He was not pleased for the aroma of the smoke per se.
When God is pleased for a person, because of his God-given faith, God is also pleased for his works of faith, or actions produced by his faith. Noah realized that his God is Holy and worthy of worship. And so he gave Him his priority. He made a way, so he could worship God by building an altar and “took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird,” so he could give an offering of thanksgiving. And God “smelled the pleasing aroma…” – actually, He was pleased for what Noah did.
Almost everyone will worship God. But not every worship is acceptable to the Holy God. Jesus spoke of people who worshiped “in vain” (Matt. 15:9).
However, in the case of Noah, his worship was pleasing to God. He prioritized it over his personal needs. It blossomed from his great realization of what the Holy God could do – having the Sovereign Power to destroy all those who trampled on His Holiness. And his overwhelming gratitude for being chosen to be saved from the flood while others perished!
Truly, God was pleased for Noah’s worship – worship that was the fruit of his God’s grace given faith (Heb. 11:7).
Also, God was pleased for what King Solomon had requested of Him. In a dream, God asked Solomon what He should give him. Part of his answer was, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil…” (1 Kings 3:9A.)
Notice the reply of God in 1 Kings 3:10-12, “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.’”
God was pleased for the request of Solomon. Instead of asking for earthly things, he asked for “understanding to discern what is right.”
Believers or lovers of Christ, would you like also to please God?
Of course, we should. Paul wrote in Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
If we are not trying to please or seeking the approval of God, according to Paul, we would not be a servant of Christ.
So, let us strive to please the One who has the “good pleasure to give… (us) the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
Remember Noah who pleased God, when he prioritized God. Before his personal needs, he made a way first to worship and to give an offering to him. And because he pleased God, He blessed him (see Genesis 9:1-3).
Remember also Solomon who pleased God, when he asked for understanding what is right instead of asking for earthly favor. Not only God granted his request, but He also said in 1 Kings 3:13, “I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.”
And remember whatever effort we exert to please God, be sure it comes from our faith, which is God given. For “…without faith it is impossible to please Him…” (Heb. 11:6.)
Aside from knowing that the Holy God could be pleased, what else we could know?
II – HE COULD CURSE (v. 21B-22).
We read part of verse 21B-22, “…the LORD said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.’”
When God said, “I will never again curse the ground…,” it meant that He had pronounced a curse before. Literally, it means, “I will not add to curse…”
Remember that when the first man disbelieved God’s Word and staged his rebellion, God had pronounced a curse. In our text, the flood “ground-cursing consisted in using nature to curse man.” And God would never again use a worldwide flood to curse men (In the future, according to 2 Peter 3, it would be by fire).
And why did God bring down this curse of great flood? Moses related that “… for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (v. 21A). Actually, it did not mean that the evil in his heart just started when he was born. We read in Gen. 6:5B, “… every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” It’s the state or condition of man all the time, even when he was still in the womb.
So, men just deserve to suffer a curse, even without doing any evil act. And curse upon curse could be expected from Him for every evil thought or act that could be committed.
In Romans 8:7, we read, “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.” And in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
That’s why without experiencing a new birth, or without undergoing spiritual heart surgery, not only a man is doomed to die physically and suffer in hell eternally; but in God’s eyes, “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment…” (Isa. 64:6A.)
We are aware of those who died of covid and their bodies are cremated. But the spiritual disease of every man is more serious than covid or any other deadly and contagious diseases. They deserve to be “cremated” eternally in hell.
If we could only have at least a glimpse of God’s Holiness, we would not be surprised why a Loving God would curse what He had created.
Believers or lovers of Christ, aren’t you so grateful that instead suffering the curse that you deserve, you are blessed by God’s grace, which you do not deserve?
The Holy God could pronounce a curse, but we do not have to expect it. The writer of Romans wrote in chapter 5, verses 8-9: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”
Instead of God’s curse, He shows His love for us. Christ died for us. We are justified by His blood, so we are now saved from the wrath of God. We are no longer His enemies.
So, what should be our response? In verse 11, we read: “More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
In spite of the pandemic, or whatever pain or difficulty we are now enduring: rejoice! Celebrate! We are now reconciled with our Maker. He is now our Father.
Another thing that we can do, let’s consider what Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:11-12: “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!”
Since we know that all the glitters and gems on this earth will just be gone, let’s hold on to a life of holiness and godliness. As Peter wrote in his first letter, “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15).
Finally, a theologian pastor said, “The number one greatest thing is to know Christ; the second greatest thing is to make Him known.”
The Holy God could curse. Let it not happen to your loved ones, to your friends and even to others. Help them to be saved from God’s wrath. Make Christ known to them.
CONCLUSION:
During the election campaign period, my attention was caught by the reply of a certain political candidate. He was asked what he could say to those who accused his family of many wrong doings and labeled him with demeaning adjectives. With all those undesirable words that they could throw at him, the broadcaster asked him more or less this way: “Do you have, or what is now your advantage over your accusers?”
His answer was, “I know the truth!” And he won in the election!
As God’s children, we know really the truth. God is not only Love. He is Holy. He could be pleased, and He could curse. We know that Jesus Christ is the Truth. And God’s Word is Truth.
Satan may have greater knowledge about the truth than us. But he hates it. He rejects, twists, disobeys and dishonors it.
So, be not content just to know the Truth. Love it. Live by it. Do not just say, “I know the Truth!” Also say, “I love the Truth and I will proclaim it!”
