The Rainbow - Everlasting Covenant Between God & Man!
Biblical Covenant Different From all Other Covenants
A covenant is essentially an agreement between two or more person or parties. Biblical covenants are fundamentally different from all other covenants. In biblical covenants the Lord is usually the initiator of the covenant. Generally, the Lord lays out all the covenant requirements, conditions and consequence. The other party or parties, usually, cannot negotiate the terms, they either accept or reject them. Rejecting the terms has a consequence of its own.
Biblical covenants are many and varied, no two covenants are alike. Consequently, let us organise covenants into three general groups. These three main categories are Ante Diluvian Age, Post Diluvian Age and The Present Age. The Ante Diluvian Age stretches from creation to the flood. This article will focus on covenants made between God and individual(s) during the Ante Diluvian Age. However, we are specifically discussing the covenant of God with Noah. Subsequent writings will expound on the other two groups. During the Ante Diluvian Age the Lord made covenants with a few persons. The most note worthy of these biblical covenants (during this epoch) between God and man were made with Adam, Cain and Noah.
Why was the Covenant of Noah Necessary?
Two main reasons. The wickedness of man was prominent in the earth and all his thoughts were constantly to do evil. The earth was replete with violence. Everyone was doing as he chooses, no one showed any regard for the way of God. Evil was so dominant in the land the Lord regret that He made man on the earth, Gen 6:6-7. So He decided to destroy man from the earth because he was corrupted.
Secondly, “the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” Gen 6:11. The ways of man was without God, selfish, violent and evil. The Lord said the thoughts of man are ”evil from his youth”. So the land being corrupt and the people being evil until wickedness and violence fill the earth therefore, the Lord decided to destroy both the earth and its people. Gen 6:13.
Man had corrupted his way with and the animals too. The scripture says God examines the earth and both animals and man, “all flesh”, had corrupted their way of living before God.
Man was not satisfied with living without God but all his thoughts were constantly of “evil”. So, the human race was living an evil lifestyle and constantly thinking up evil plans.
But the Lord found one man who was righteous in the earth. See Gen 6:8 and 7:1. The scriptures describes Noah as a ” just” man. He alone live a life pleasing to God, Gen 6:9.
Noaic Covenant - Initiator of the Covenant not Noah but God
Noah found favor with God. Imagine this, God looks on USA and finds only one person righteous out of a population of over three hundred million people. That was the situation with Noah. The scripture says Noah was the only person God found “righteous before” him ”in this generation”.
Consequently, the Lord told Noah He was going to destroy every living thing, plants and animals because the earth was filled with violence through them. Gen 6:13. Then He approached Noah with a plan to build an ark of gopher wood. Told Noah the design and specifications. The Lord also informed Noah about what would happen after the construction of the ark was completed.
After the flood the Lord set up and established a perpetual agreement between himself and Noah. Some theologians call this the Noaic Covenant . This name persists despite the fact, the main party or initiator of the covenant was not Noah but God.
The Lord made a promised to Noah and his family and his extended family, meaning his sons’ wives and all the animals of the earth. He vowed never to kill all the people of the earth “by water of a flood” again. He also promised that “a flood” will never destroy the entire earth again. See Genesis chapter nine verses nine to seventeen, (Gen., 9:9-17). This constitutes the covenant of God with Noah.
At first, the Lord planned to establish His covenant with Noah and family saying, “But with thee will I establish my covenant”, Gen 6:18. Later, in chapter nine, the Lord extends the number of parties to the covenant. to include, every living animal that was in the ark with Noah. The Lord continues by saying not only those animals which were in the ark with Noah but also with every animal of the earth. Gen 9:9-10.
Is the covenant between God and Noah in effect today? The Lord use words like “perpetual” and “everlasting” to talk about His covenant with Noah. Which give a clear picture that the agreement between God and Noah is still in effect. See Gen 9:12,16.
Important Covenant Feature “Token of the Covenant”
A very important feature of biblical covenant is the “token of the covenant”. See Genesis chapter nine verses twelve, thirteen and seventeen, (Gen 9:12,13 and 17). The token or sign of the covenant shows the covenant is satisfied or serves as a reminder. Across all the different categories of covenants and all epochs of time the Lord has been using “token” for his covenants. For Adam, the Lord used death to mark His covenant, He told Adam he would die. For Cain the Lord placed a mark on him, Gen., 4:14-15. For Noah, the Lord put the rainbow in the clouds, Gen 9:13. For Abraham, the token is circumcision, Gen., 17:11. For Moses, the sign is the Sabbath, Exodus 31:31-4. For David, the sign is a heir on the throne, 2 Sam 7:14-17. For this age , the token is the outpouring of the gift of the Holy Ghost. See Joel 2:28-29. The token is always a visible reminder of the promise of the Lord.
Subsequently, whenever you read or hear of tsunamis remember the word of God. Specifically, remember His everlasting promise to Noah and all mankind and all living animals of the earth, never to destroy the earth with a flood again. The Lord covenanted with Noah and sealed it with a sign, the rainbow, never to destroy all living animals and people with water again. The Lord God established this covenant with Noah with a covenant token, a sign, the rainbow. Let the rainbow be a symbol of hope to you. When you see it in the clouds remember the Lord promised and know He honours his covenants even to a thousand generations, forever.
This Biblical Covenant between God and Noah is still in effect today.
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