Two Rainbows

O.T.#24  "Two Rainbows"       April 12, 2013
Genesis 9-Part 1
And I, behld, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you.  Genesis 9:9
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13

LET IT GLOW

During one trip I made on an airplane, I saw two rainbows in the sky among the clouds. What a magnificent sight! I was reminded of the promise of God. We shall see what it was.

Do you know what were the institutions that God established first?
First was marriage, family, next was the civil government, then was His church.

God has invested in mankind the right to govern itself; it is one of our inalienable rights. Those who set in authority over us are to be a terror to evil works (Rom. 13:3); and those who disobey the God-ordained powers of human government are liable for punishment. Capital punishment is is nowhere abrogated in scripture and is a valid today as it was in the days of Noah.  (Falwell)

God made several covenants with people and their descendants. According to The Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible, they were:

• Noahic Covenant in Genesis 9:1-7;
• Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 17:7;
• priestly covenant in Numbers 25:10-13;
• Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 25:5;
• New Covenant in Jeremiah 32:40.

*I will add the Mosiac Coventant found in Exodus 20. The first five were an everlasting covenant, which was through eternity future or to the end of time; the Mosiac Covenant was nullified with the blood sacrifice of Jesus.

What was the Noahic Covenant? God promised to never destroy the earth with a universal flood and the Savior, the promised seed, would be sent.
What were the provisions in the Noahic covenant?

• seasons regulation (v.11)
• mission of man to repopulate the earth (v.1,7)
• supremacy of man to rule over the earth (v.2)
• provision of food for man (v.3-4)
• establishment of human government and capital punishment (v.5-7). 

Everyone should know what the sign is of this covenant-the rainbow. As the sun shines on the rain, we can be sure it will stop raining sometime. Thus there will never be a flood that covers the entire earth again. So it is in our lives-the Son  shines on our problems, rainy days.

LET IT GROW

We see how sin in the world popped its ugly head up again. Noah lived 600 years and was a righteous, just man. He lived 350 years after the Flood. We read the first mention of wine in the Bible. The people before the Flood were drinkers, so this was not the first occasion of drinking (Matt. 24:38).
I'll let you read about what happened. Commentaries give various views on the details. The result was Ham's son Canaan becoming a servant to Shem's descendants later on. Japheth's land was enlarged and they dwelled in Shem's tents. The Savior came through the family of Shem, who helped cover his father's sin.

We are never beyond temptation and succumbing to sin. So let's not judge these guys.

LET IT GO

Remove any impurities in my home so temptaions are not there.

Stay close to God.

Remember that God keeps His promises; than Him for the beautiful rainbow as a reminder.