So, originally I wanted to just post a cheesy picture or the theme song to Rainbow Brite...but then I decided to not be lazy. Maybe Noah's story is way cooler than the flannelgraph, Sunday School version.
But, I had to look outside the typical story. Genesis first mentions Noah in 5:29:"He [Lemech] named him Noah and said, 'He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.'"
Lemech most likely refers to the curse proclaimed to Adam and Eve after the fall (3:17-19). Note 17a, "Cursed is the ground because of you."
Isn't it intriguing that God cursed the ground--at least the relationship between man and the earth--because of human sin? If we stop to look at the state of humanity's current relationship with the earth we see how obvious this effect is. Our selfishness, greed, pride, superiority-complex, impatience fills landfills with ziploc bags, disposable diapers, prevents car-pooling, prefers polluting factories to local production...shall I go on?
But God prefers reconciliation over destruction.
This aspect of God's nature is evident in the covenant with Noah. After the flood, when God decides to re-create the earth and those who live on it He promises in Genesis 9:15-16, "I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
The covenant of reconciliation over destruction continues. In fact, it culminates in the life and ministry of Jesus.
Paul says in Colossians (1:13-20) that Jesus reconciled all things "on heaven and on earth." Instead of choosing to look at creation or people who fail and destroy...God chooses to reconcile. Which is a pretty good reason to hope.
But, I had to look outside the typical story. Genesis first mentions Noah in 5:29:"He [Lemech] named him Noah and said, 'He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.'"
Lemech most likely refers to the curse proclaimed to Adam and Eve after the fall (3:17-19). Note 17a, "Cursed is the ground because of you."
Isn't it intriguing that God cursed the ground--at least the relationship between man and the earth--because of human sin? If we stop to look at the state of humanity's current relationship with the earth we see how obvious this effect is. Our selfishness, greed, pride, superiority-complex, impatience fills landfills with ziploc bags, disposable diapers, prevents car-pooling, prefers polluting factories to local production...shall I go on?
But God prefers reconciliation over destruction.
This aspect of God's nature is evident in the covenant with Noah. After the flood, when God decides to re-create the earth and those who live on it He promises in Genesis 9:15-16, "I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
The covenant of reconciliation over destruction continues. In fact, it culminates in the life and ministry of Jesus.
Paul says in Colossians (1:13-20) that Jesus reconciled all things "on heaven and on earth." Instead of choosing to look at creation or people who fail and destroy...God chooses to reconcile. Which is a pretty good reason to hope.
No comments:
Post a Comment