The Noahic Covenant and the Post-Flood World
Noah’s life straddles the pre- and post-flood worlds. Its duration spanned an epoch of violence which was so brutal that it merited the severest divine judgment since Adam’s fall. Yet the darkest times offer opportunities for the light to shine more brightly (Jn. 1:5). The twin attributes of God’s white-hot holiness and matchless mercy were equally displayed in the life and times of Noah—a man who lived to see the fulfillment of his name’s meaning: “comfort” or “rest.”1 He grew up amid unprecedented wickedness and endemic cruelty between human beings.
Nevertheless, his post-diluvian experience opened up a new world of hope based upon the Lord’s gracious promises regarding the entire created order. Noah’s times furnish an outstanding example of man’s iniquity and God’s abiding, providential mercy as seen in His covenant. His gracious dealings with those ancient eight souls prefigure His mercy and righteous government over the world as it currently is and shall be in the future. The rainbow that Noah first saw remains as a testimony to God’s restraint, mercy, and redemption.
Preventative Spiritual Medicine
Genesis 9 begins with language that is reminiscent of the first creation: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Gen. 9:1). How different things are now from what they had been at the dawn of creation! In Eden, everything was filled with promise. Ruling as God’s representative, Adam was commissioned with bringing the earth to its full potential in cooperation with the Almighty’s plans. The garden was his training ground where he learned to tend, guard, and cultivate, as well as to depend on his Creator for guidance and wisdom (Gen. 2:5, 8, 15).
Sadly, Adam chose his own way by sinning against God’s Word, thereby ushering in centuries of pain and unfulfilled potential as his descendants repeated his errors and engaged in increasingly vile iniquity (Rom. 5:12-14). Thus the realization of the divine plan for the earth awaits the return of the last Adam, who will make the world blossom as it never has before (Isa. 65:17-25).
According to Genesis 9, certain changes are present in the post-flood world. Animals are now provided for food, but the sanctity of human life is maintained in the restrictions placed on bloodshed, for man was created in God’s image (Gen. 9:6). Mindful of the violence of the pre-flood world, human life is protected from man and beast. If either animals or humans shed a man’s blood, then they are subject to capital punishment—an early manifestation of divinely ordained government (Gen. 9:5; cf. Rom. 13:1-4). Graciously, God reiterates His command, pointing to a new and fruitful world: “And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein” (Gen. 9:7).
Gracious Promises
In Genesis 3:11-13, God asks Adam if he has disobeyed, giving Adam a chance to confess his sin. But instead of confessing, Adam blames Eve. Then God asks Eve, also giving her a chance to confess, but she blames the serpent. So, in pronouncing a curse, God goes in the order in which humanity ascribed blame, starting with the serpent and working His way up to mankind’s federal head.
As Noah and his family faced a world of new beginnings, what could give them the assurance that everything which they built would not be eradicated anew by another global deluge? In grace, God promised never again to destroy the earth with a flood (v. 11). To visually augment this promise, He created a rainbow to accompany the storm clouds. As Mackintosh eloquently articulates it:
“…it is happy to bear in mind, that when the bow appears, the eye of God rests upon it; and man is cast not upon his own imperfect and most uncertain memory, but upon God’s. ‘I,’ says God, ‘will remember.’ How sweet to think of what God will, and what He will not, remember! He will remember His covenant, but He will not remember His people’s sins. The cross, which ratifies the former, puts away the latter. The belief of this gives peace to the troubled heart and uneasy conscience.”2
He further elaborates on the rainbow: “The beams of the sun, reflected from that which threatens judgment, tranquilize the heart, as telling of God’s covenant, God’s salvation, and God’s remembrance. Precious, most precious sunbeams! Deriving additional beauty from the very cloud which reflects them. How forcibly does this bow in the cloud remind us of Calvary. There we see a cloud indeed—a dark, thick, heavy cloud of judgment, discharging itself upon the sacred head of the Lamb of God—a cloud so dark, that even at midday ‘there was darkness over all the earth.’
But, blessed be God, faith discerns, in that heaviest cloud that ever gathered, the most brilliant and beauteous bow that ever appeared; for it sees the bright beams of God’s eternal love darting through the awful gloom and reflected in the cloud. It hears, too, the words, ‘It is finished,’ issuing from amid the darkness; and in those words it recognizes the perfect ratification of God’s everlasting covenant, not only with creation, but with the tribes of Israel and the Church of God.”3
Over and Under the Rainbow
Later scriptures associate the rainbow with God’s glorious throne (Ezek. 1:28; Rev. 4:3) and the angel announcing the culminating judgment of the Tribulation (Rev. 10:1). It is a tremendous blessing that the Almighty’s moral government is undergirded by His redemptive mercy. “The Judge of all the earth” (Gen. 18:25) is also the merciful redeemer (Eph. 1:7). Isaiah calls judgment the Almighty’s “strange work” (Isa. 28:21). God only pours out His wrath after His longsuffering grace has been repeatedly spurned by His wayward and rebellious creatures. In all of His administrative dealings with the universe, the same compassionate and holy restraint that He demonstrated to Noah is at work. For all eternity, the riches of His grace will be showcased through the object lesson of the church (Eph. 2:7).
Unfortunately, mankind has not learned from the mistakes of Noah’s day. Like their ancient counterparts, they give themselves over to violence, perversion, and licentiousness. Generally, they exhibit a lack of concern towards their Creator. In the Gospels, the Lord Jesus used the spiritual oblivion of the antediluvians to illustrate the indifference and apathy of future people prior to Christ’s return in judgment. They form marriage alliances, conduct business, and generally live as if the Maker of the earth will never intrude upon their affairs (Mt. 24:37-39; Lk. 17:26-27). Like the pre-flood world, however, they are sadly mistaken and will be overtaken by judgment. Like Noah and his family, the Lord will deliver the believing remnant of Israel through the trials of that terrible period. Through it all, the One whose throne is encircled by a rainbow will continue to manifest His incomparable righteousness, love, and grace towards those who receive Him by faith.
Endnotes
1. “The etymology of the name, n_a_, is uncertain, though many commentators connect it with the root nw_, ‘to rest’. In Genesis (5:29) it is associated with the verb n_m (translated ‘comfort’ in AV and RV; ‘bring relief’ in RSV), with which it is perhaps etymologically connected; though this is not necessarily required by the text.” T.C. Mitchell, “Noah,” in Wood, D. R. W., and I. Howard Marshall. New Bible Dictionary (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1996), p.826. The ESV Study Bible says: “Lamech’s comment on the name ‘Noah’ (Hb. noakh), which strictly speaking means ‘rest’ (Hb. nuakh), introduces the related concept of ‘comfort’ (Hb. nakham).” The NET margin elaborates: “They are not from the same verbal root, and so the connection is only by sound. Lamech’s sentiment reflects the oppression of living under the curse on the ground, but also expresses the hope for relief in some way through the birth of Noah. His words proved to be ironic but prophetic. The relief would come with a new beginning after the flood.” Kidner remarks: “The allusion to 3:17 may be a sign that he treasured the promise of 3:15.” Derek Kidner, Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1967), p. 87.
2. C. H. Mackintosh, Genesis to Deuteronomy: Notes on the Pentateuch (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1972), p. 55.
3. Ibid.