AUGUST 21 , 2023 – GOD’S LONGSUFFERING

READ: Gen. 9:1-17”: … “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. … Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood … I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth….

God demonstrates His patience with humanity. Humanity is no better than before the flood. But God desires to work towards the fulfillment of His pleasure. That is why He wants to prevent a quick recurrence of the same problems. Humans are simply given the same command as Adam during creation. In a sinful world, God will protect life. He is the Lord over all life. Animals will be afraid to attack humans, and one human must not kill another.

The background is this: Humans are God’s creation, created even in His image with the command to serve and honor Him. Therefore, every human life is precious. Those who harm it will have to deal with God! God will demand retribution for the life of a human being (v. 5).

This is an important message in our time when induced abortion and euthanasia are claimed as human rights. By doing so, not only is human life violated, but people also stand against their Creator, for whom humans were created. This will not go unpunished.

Furthermore, human life and blood are more valuable than animal blood (v. 3). Now, for the first time, God also allows humans to eat meat, in addition to vegetables. Shouldn’t we accept the good things from the Lord? This is an important word in contrast to the trend of vegetarians and vegans.

In the covenant with Noah, the Lord wants to give a sign of His patience to all people who descend from him. It is the rainbow, visible in the sky when the sun shines during rain. This sign signifies that, in His longsuffering, God will not punish the earth again with a flood. All these provisions come from God for the benefit of humans. Isn’t there every reason to thank and worship this God?

What does seeing a rainbow say to you?

Singing: Ps. 104:2