Genesis 6-9

These notes accompany the sermon found at sermonaudio.com/sermon/99202314201131

Sin

Genesis 6:5-8; Romans 2:14-15; 3:9-31; 1 Cor. 10:31;  Matthew 5:17-6:34, 15:19; Exodus 20:3-17; Ps. 14:2-3; Ps. 51; Jer. 17:9.

Wrath

Gen. 6:8-9; 9:20-23; Hebrews 11:7; Isaiah 66:15; Romans 1:18.

Grace

Genesis 6:8 (favor); Ephesians 2:1-10; John 4:10; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 5:10.

Covenant

Continuations: 

• Parties: 
• God as Creator and King
• Man as Son and Image-bearer
• Commands – Be fruitful and multiply, increase.   Gen. 1:22, 28, 9:1, 8:17. 
• Expectations – Faithfulness of both parties. 

Additions: 

• A three-part oath:
  • Never again to curse the ground. Gen. 9:21.
  • Never again to strike down all life.
  • Never again a major renovation of earth.  (Seasons will remain reliably in order.)  Gen. 9:22.
• Animals for food:  Gen. 9:3.
• Capital punishment (human government):  Romans 13:1-7. 
• Not another global flood:  Gen. 8:21, 9:15.  2 Peter 3:1-13.
• A sign of the covenant:  Gen. 9:12-17.

Applications

• Understand the role of Jesus Christ, the promised seed, who obediently fulfills all covenants and offers to you a New Covenant in His blood. 
• Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved. 
• Draw close to him who is able to strengthen you unto faithfulness. 
• Join Noah in the proclamation of the Gospel. 

Other Observations:

• The command to subdue the earth seems left out, and indeed, we have failed to completely subdue the earth. 
• The life span of humans decreases from this point forward in the Bible.  God may have used a radical change in climate from pre-flood conditions to accomplish this. 
• The concession to eat meat may have been given to compensate for the new conditions. 
• The rainbow is a sign to God and not to man.  Every rain event forms rainbows from some perspective, so every rain event carries the covenant sign for God. 
• Rain and seasons may have only occurred after the flood, but it is unclear.  This would make sense for the rainbow to be a sign of this new aspect of the covenant.  Gen. 2:6-7, 8:22.