Genesis Chapter 9. It's interesting to me that God makes covenants. A covenant is like a contract. Why would God feel a need to make a contract with us? He's God. We are His creation. He reaches to us with a covenant and He asks us to sign. It's like the Mercedes Benz CEO reaching out to you with a car contract promising you the car paid for. The CEO wanting you to take the contract. He would actually search you out hoping you will take the car. Free and clear. Here in Genesis, It looks like this contract is a contract that binds God a little. He just destroyed the human race save Noah and his family. He flooded the earth. It was a sure way to completely clear away all He had created. He couldn't completely destroy everyone, though, because He had made a covenant with Adam and Eve in the garden. He promised a "seed" that would come and reestablish the relationship between God and man. God doesn't break covenants. In this covenant He restrains Himself. In verse 11, He states the terms. He will never flood the earth again. In verses 12 - 16, we see that He places a rainbow in the sky as a reminder to Himself - not to us! You thought that rainbow you saw was a "hello" from God. Nope. It's a "these people are in bad shape and I really should start again, but I made a covenant and can't". It's His sticky note reminder He has on His big computer in the sky. "Can't destroy them today". So you have another day. I'm glad I have another day to do it right. Like anyone else, I need the promise of a new day. Notice a couple of interesting things in this chapter. Meat is introduced as okay for man to eat. The Bible says in the last days, people will be forbidden to eat meat. God, here in Genesis, establishes meat as permissible. Notice God's take on murder, or shedding of blood in verse 6. He sees each human as made in His image - so don't touch. Isn't that interesting? He approaches murder from a very personal perspective. Later in the Bible He establishes capital punishment for murder. He is the judge of a human's life, not us. His covenant is with the animals, too. We see this in verse 12. In verse 2 He places the protection and management of all animals in man's hand. It's the beginning of a fresh start! I know things will be peachy from here! After all, God has given us everything we need to survive this beautiful planet and this wonderful gift of life He has given each of us. No worries! We are good to go!
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