The degree to which you know the scriptures is the degree to which you’ll know Jesus Christ.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
References:
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
“But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
“Whoever sheds human blood,
by humans shall their blood be shed;
for in the image of God
has God made mankind.
As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
Genesis 9:1-17
In the last chapter we saw that the first thing Noah did when he got off the boat was to bless the Lord by building Him an alter. (Genesis 8:20) At the beginning of this chapter we see God blessing Noah. (Geneis 9:1-17) No one’s future is without trial however the surest way to continue in God’s blessings is to thank Him for those you’ve already received. God provides Noah protection from the animals of the earth, he approves the eating of meat as long as there’s no blood in it, and God blesses Noah with dominion over all the earth and everything in it. God makes a covenant with Noah, the animals, and all mankind — a covenant that came with a sign.
The Covenant is called the Noahic Covenant and there are three parts to to it: Menu, Government, and Mercy.
Menu:
“But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.” (v.4) Meat is on the menu, though the blood is not to be consumed. It’s to be separated from the meat out of mercy to the animal, that the animal will not be consumed while still alive, and in recognition of it’s purpose in sacrifice. Noah’s life and our life is sustained by the life of the animal given for meat. Later when the law was given, the sacrifice of animals atoned for the sins of the Jews. And now that the blood of God’s Son has been given we can have eternal life, as long as we choose to receive Him.
Government:
And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. (v.5) A study conducted by the University of Zurich found that “At the age of three, children were almost completely selfish.” (Nature News Article) No kidding? Anyone with children could have attested to that. Everyone of us is born into sin. In the last chapter we heard God say that every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. (Genesis 8:21) For this reason, in chapter 9, we see God declare what is the foundation for government from this point forward. He demands that “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” (v.6) Over the last ten years or so a number of studies have shown that capital punishment does in fact deter murders. In fact the recent studies “count between three and 18 lives that would be saved by the execution of each convicted killer.” (CBS News article)
The New Testament also acknowledges and endorses capital punishment. For Paul wrote, For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:3-4)
Even if you don’t happen to believe that capital punishment is a deterrent we see the reason for it at the end of verse 6: “…for in the image of God has God made mankind.” Because man is made in God’s image, God demands the life of any man or animal that takes a human life.
“As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” (v.7) Obviously in order for their to be government, there has to be people to govern so the Lord gives Noah the directive to be fruitful and multiply. I believe this directive still applies to us today. If you’re a follower of Christ, if you’re doing your best to be the salt of the earth, if you’re stable in your walk with the Lord then have kids! I heard about this movie where the intelligent people of the earth stop having children because they want to focus on their careers. As a result the earth becomes populated with morons. A cryogenically preserved man of average intelligence is then brought to life and is made to be president because of his dazzling intellect. Later in the movie the people remove him from office because every policy he wants to adopt can’t be understood by the people. Isn’t that what we do spiritually, when we selfishly decide to have 1.87 children? All else being equal, the more children we have the more we can influence the world for God’s kingdom!
Mercy:
“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (v.13) Here we see God’s mercy for he knows that every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. (Genesis 8:21) Yet He says, “Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” (v.15) God’s kept that promise. There will never come another flood like this. Verses 8 through 17 cover God’s covenant, God’s promise to show mercy. Notice that this is the longest part of the Noahic Covenant. The first part dealing with menu. The second part dealing with government. And the third part dealing with declaration of His great mercy. This is the longest part of God’s Noahic Covenant because this is where God’s emphasis is. His emphasis is on His great mercy.
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:8-12
References:
[Image via: ehfisher – Creative Commons]
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:20
“You are welcome at my house,” the angel said. (Judges 19:20) Was he an angel? What is it about him? Or is it Him? He threw His arms around me and kissed me. (Luke 15:20) I all but disappeared in his (His?) giant embrace.
“Tell me about yourself,” he said warmly. Why this tremendous being is interested in me, I can’t fathom.
“Well,” I started tentatively. “I feel like I’m kind of young to be here.”
“I get that a lot,” is all he said. “Where have you come from? (Job 1:7) Tell me about your life on earth.”
“I, um, I grew up in…” I spent an hour or so sharing with him all of my life story. The longer I spoke, the more I became aware of a loving quality about him. By the end of my story it seemed that his love was palpable, I could feel it exuding from him. Just then the thought entered my mind, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.” (1 John 4:16)
It was Him. I was sure of that now.
After I thought I had told Him all of my life story, at the end, after the description of how I died in the car accident, that’s when he asked the big question.
“So how did you spend your time on earth?” He asked.
“What do you mean?” I asked right back. “I just told you my life story.”
“Yes, of course you did,” He didn’t react at all to my defensive tone. “You grew up, you had to work to support yourself, you had certain obligations to family and friends, you needed time for rest, you died. Your time on earth is a finite resource, I understand. Since the fall, that’s how it’s supposed to be. It’s the rest of your time that I’m interested in.”
“The rest of my time?” I asked. Just then the thought “As for man, his days are like grass…” passed through my mind. (Psalm 103:15)
“Yes, the rest of your time. How did you spend it?”
“Hmmm, let’s see, on Sunday mornings I went to Your house, to church.”
“Thou hast well said.” (John 4:17 KJV) You did go to my house, to a church that teaches My word, My whole word from cover to cover. Good choice. And you were there on many Sunday mornings. What you have just said is quite true.” (John 4:18)
I swallowed hard. Many Sunday mornings, He had said. That was a generous way to put it, I knew. In reality I was there mostly when a close friend, who was much more devoted than I, talked me into going. I had attended church on Sunday less than half of the time.
“How else?” He asked. “How else did you spend your time?”
“Well, socializing, I said. Visiting with friends and family.”
“Ah,” He smiled widely, a great and wonderful smile. “Socializing, with a generous dose of loving people. Truly a great and wonderful use of your time – loving people.” His smile made my heart soar. I was filled with joy to the point where I thought my chest would burst. The look of pleasure on His face was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen by far. I heard the words in my mind, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6)
“And how else?”
I thought for a moment but couldn’t come up with anything else I’d done that was of, well, of any value to anyone in this place. I heard in my mind, “What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”(Luke 16:15)
Suddenly without warning I heard myself saying out loud, “Watch TV.” I didn’t want to say it, I didn’t mean to say it – it just seemed to come out. And it was true. Most days I spent at least a couple of hours watching TV.
“You’ve answered well again. And what did you watch?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to. The expression on my face must have said it all, for nearly everything I watched had no redeeming value.
I wasn’t ready for what happened next. A look of sadness washed over His face. His face, looking like that, looking so very sad. I suddenly felt altogether unhinged – I felt sick. I averted my eyes. “Anything but,” I thought. “please, anything but that look. I don’t ever want to see that look again.” I was reminded of how I felt when I saw the look of disappointment on my best friend’s face, that day I let him down. Only this was infinitely more painful. My sorrow was so great that it hurt. The pain was so intense that I thought I would perish, but somehow I knew that that couldn’t happen here, not in this place. I was struck by how One so magnificent could look so hurt. He looked wounded. The words entered my mind, “these are the wounds I was given at the house of my friends.” (Zechariah 13:6)
Very softly, very gently, He asked, “What else, my child?”
“The computer,” I said, barely audible.
Without warning the images and sounds of every television program I had ever watched, every website I had ever visited, every song I had ever listened to, every thought I had ever had was before me. And before Him. He was showing me how I spent my time. I said, “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.” (Psalm 139:1)
I don’t know how I got there but I suddenly found myself in His arms. I was sobbing with my face buried in His chest. “Mercy, mercy,” I was repeating over and over and over. “Mercy,” I thought. I was completely and utterly at His mercy. “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” I thought. (Job 13:15)
Then God’s hand touched me and instantly the words came into my mind, “A hand touched me and set me trembling…” (Daniel 10:10) He wiped every tear from my eyes and gently turned my head to see Another coming. (Revelation 21:4) And when I turned I saw …someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. (Revelation 1:12, 13, 16)
“My child behold, your Champion,” God said of the Other. “My Son and My lamb.”
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18)
Then my eyes were opened and I recognized him who came. (Luke 24:31) It was Jesus. I felt my heart swell because I was very afraid yet filled with joy that was almost unbearable. (Matthew 28:8)
In an instant, and without knowing how, I was walking next to my Lord. He was telling me, graciously and gently telling me, how the time God gave me on earth was one of His most precious gifts, and how I chose to use it was of the greatest importance.
“Time,” He said. “Use it well. Store up for yourself treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:20)
Invest your time in eternity.
After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And a voice said, “Come up here.” And there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, and is, and is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
(Revelation Chapter 4)
I couldn’t help but join the chorus. But I felt a great longing for something. Something was missing.
“The elders have crowns but I don’t. Am I not permitted to have a crown?” I asked aloud.
An angel appeared next to me and said, “But you are permitted to have a crown.”
“Then give me a crown that I may lay it before my Lord.”
“But you must earn your crown,” the angel said.
“How can I earn a crown?” I asked.
“While on earth you earn the crown of life by persevering under trial or even by martyrdom,” (James 1:12) the angel said.
The angel continued, “While on earth you earn the shepherds crown by taking great care of those God has entrusted to you, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2-4)
“While on earth you earn the soul winner’s crown by bringing souls to Jesus,” (1 Thessalonians 2:19) he said.
“While on earth you earn the crown of righteousness through your longing for Christ’s appearance.” (2 Timothy 4:8)
“And while on earth you earn the victor’s crown by mastering your flesh that you can move in the spirit.” (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
“But I have no crown,” I said with great longing, for I never before wanted anything more than to have right now what I could lay before my Lord while He sat on His throne.
“While on earth…” Was all the angel said.
There was silence between us for a few moments. Still I didn’t understand.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” The angel sang the words, in such a way as to make me think he was answering my question. But still I didn’t understand.
“For His pleasure you were created,” the angel said. “But you lived for your pleasure. By His grace and His great work on the cross you are here, you’ve been saved. But you will not be counted among those with a crown.”
Of course I knew his words were true. I began to sing again in wonder at His grace and mercy toward me.
But I had nothing to lay before Him.
References:
The Sacrifice of Noah c. 1640 by Sebastien Bourdon
He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.
By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry.
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.”
So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on land—came out of the ark, one kind after another.
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
“As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease.”Genesis 8:10-22
When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! (v.11) As we saw in the last post, the raven, a symbol of living life in the flesh, never returned with anything. (see previous post: He Sent Out a Dove) The dove, a symbol of living the spirit filled life that God desires for you, returned with an olive leaf, a symbol of peace. If you’re interested in having peace in your life, ask God for His holy spirit. Just ask. (see special post about living the spirit filled life)
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.” (v.15-16) Isn’t it interesting that we see in verse 13 that on the first day of the first month Noah saw that the earth was dry. Yet Noah remained in the ark until he heard God’s word on the twenty-seventh day of the second month. Noah was a man who lived his life in obedience to God’s word. He saw how listening to God’s words had saved him and his family so he waited. He waited to hear from his Lord. From the time he heard God’s instructions to build the ark until the time his feet hit the ground Noah heeded God. Today it’s the same for you and it’s the same for me. If you want to live, if you want to survive life’s floods, if you want your family to live, listen to God’s word.
We’re inundated with information today, primarily because of the internet. The internet is an amazing resource, a great and powerful tool. With it we can learn practical wisdom, we can find distraction in the form of entertainment, we can communicate with friends and family like never before. But all of that is no substitute for God’s word.
He’s waiting to speak with you. His scripture is there, available to you. Wisdom from the Faithful and True One. (Revelation 1:11) Wisdom from the Almighty Most High God. (Revelation 1:8, Hebrews 7:1)
He waits for you — in His Bible.
Even as Noah enjoyed life as a result of obeying God’s word, you too can enjoy life in such greater measure if you listen to God’s words.
Just open the book.
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. (v.20) This verse provides for us a wonderful lesson in giving. In my own flesh I would have said, “I have just seven sheep here, should I take the seventh and make a sacrifice? I have to populate the whole world from this diminished tiny herd. Doesn’t it make more sense to wait until the animals have multiplied before sacrificing to You Lord?”
R.G. LeTourneau began life as a man of modest means. But when he started his business, a manufacturer of earth moving machines, he decided to tithe 90% of his profit and keep only 10% for himself. Incredibly, his business exploded to become the premiere giant earth moving equipment manufacturer in the world. He was the first to build giant equipment of this kind. I mean giant equipment, the type with tires twice as tall as a man. He became rich beyond what I can even comprehend. He himself said the money just came in faster than he could spend it. Speaking of his practice of giving 90% of his income he said, “I shovel it out and God shovels it back, but God has a bigger shovel.” Research his story, it’s amazing. Or read his biography, Mover of Men and Mountains.
In the words of Matthew Henry, “Serving God with our little is the way to make it more; and we must never think that wasted with which God is honoured.” Obviously Noah had a good grasp of this truth.
Now imagine with me that you’ve been cooped up in an ark with thousands of animals (and with all of the sanitation issues that that implies). You’ve been cooped up like this for more than a year! For 377 days! What’s the first thing you want to do when you get out? Celebrate? Throw a party? Play some frisbee football? Go for a long walk just because you finally can? Build a house for yourself? That’s what I’d want to do but that’s not what Noah did. Noah built an alter and sacrificed to his Lord. Noah gave thanks!
This is such a key in our walk with the Lord — recognizing that everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. (1 Timothy 4:4) Paul was talking about those on whom God’s wrath falls when he said in Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him…
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Thanksgiving is a pleasing aroma to our God. (Genesis 8:21) The flood didn’t eradicate the problem of sin as we see in verse 21 that still every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. But it was Noah’s sacrifice that prompted God to say, “…never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.” (v.21) Our Lord’s sacrifice, Jesus’ sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice is what prompts God to show us mercy in spite of our sin today.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7
References:
Dove Over Water by Joseph Miller http://www.josephmillersculpture.com/images/dove-over.jpg
Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky. The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down, and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible. After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.
Genesis 8:2-9
…on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. (v.4) After the Jews were delivered from Egypt, the seventh month became the first month of the Hebrew calendar. (Exodus 12:1-5) It was on the fourteenth day of the first month, the day of Passover, when Jesus was crucified. Three days later Jesus rose from the dead. Three days after the fourteenth day was, of course, the seventeenth day. (Luke 23:53-56)
So it happened that the Ark came to rest on the same day that the resurrection came to pass.
Even as the ark came to rest, you and I can rest in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His resurrection is the validation that Jesus is who He says He is.
“…we want to see a sign…” the Pharisees said, unbelieving. Jesus replied, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:38-40)
…God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. (Acts 10:40)
Noah opened a window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. (v.6-7) The raven, sent out into the world, never came back. Perhaps finding the floating bloated bodies of the dead animals that succumbed to the flood, the raven did as ravens do, and tore into the flesh of the carrion. The raven here represents your flesh and my flesh. Our desire to feed on things that are dead in God’s economy, things that are dead to the eternal. The raven never returned to Noah, the raven never brought anything back as we’ll see that the dove does in the next post. Acting in the flesh, in our own energy, apart from God’s spirit, like the raven, results in nothing of eternal value in return. Acting in the energy of our flesh results in a life without love.
The story is told of the Drill Sergeant who received a phone call informing him that Private Johnson’s mother had died. The Sergeant, being a can-do-git-er-done-and-move-on kind of guy, simply walked up to Private Johnson at morning line-up and told him straight out, “Johnson, your mother died.”
Johnson, who was horrified at the news, broke down and cried in front of the whole platoon. Later it got back to the Sergeant’s superior who called him in for a reprimand. “You can’t just come right out and tell someone that their mother died! Next time, you have to break it to them gently.”
The Drill Sergeant took his reprimand like a man, humbly nodded his understanding, and went his way.
Sure enough a week later the Sergeant received a phone call informing him that someone’s mother died, this time it was Private Jones’.
That morning at line up the Sergeant started toward Jones, but, suddenly, remembering the words of his superior, the Drill Sergeant stopped and barked, “Everyone with a mother take one step forward…”
“…not so fast Jones!”
Noah sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. (v. 8-9) The dove, a representation of the Holy Spirit in scripture, provides for us an insight into God’s heart for you and for me. Even as the dove ranged throughout the earth looking for a place to perch, 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us that the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth looking for someone He can strengthen and use. God’s eyes range throughout the earth looking for someone to bless with His Holy Spirit. Someone He can pour out His Spirit upon to strengthen and use.
Lord help me to be that person. In today’s world we’re inundated with the opportunity to do more. Home has become an office away from the office. Family and friends text and email and call your cell phone and post on facebook and water your plants on Farmville. “What kind of person am I?” we think, if we don’t respond to the emails from work, if we don’t reply to that text message, if we don’t answer the cell phone, if we don’t return the favor on Farmville.
Fast internet
fast food
fast forward
move fast, fast, fast!
Scripture points to a problem with the rapid pace lifestyle many of us are living today – a lack of love. The dove released by Noah, is the symbol of God’s Holy Spirit, and the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit is love. (Galatians 5:22 – see previous post) When we become caught up in the rapid pace of life a disconnect with God’s Holy Spirit often creeps in. Yes we may be connected with family and friends, yes we may be more productive at work, yes our Farmville farm may be expanding, but this is all for naught without the fruit of the Holy Spirit, without love.
We might be more productive than ever in terms of accomplishing tasks, but when we’re in the can-do-git-er-done-and-move-forward mode, like the Drill Sergeant we can leave out the most important ingredient in life:
Love.
1 Corinthians 13 tells us that of faith, hope, and love, love is the greatest. (1 Corinthians 13:13) And the same chapter of scripture tells me that when I’m buzzing about, accomplishing much, pushing myself to the limit in the energy of my flesh, gritting my teeth and pressing on, I can be drained and disagreeable: I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
Less really can be more! When I’m pushing myself, when you’re pressing forward too hard, we often fall into a pattern of moving through life without love. This is contrary to what God wants for us! Jesus said that we would be known as belonging to Him by our love! When I push too hard, I can push God’s love right out of my heart. (See related post: Rest)
In scripture, is Jesus ever seen buzzing about? Is Jesus ever seen in a hurry? Never. Not once. You and I must live the same way. Avoid the trap of doing just a little bit more. Be rejuvenated, rested, and ready to love people.
Leave a place for the dove to land.
Leave room in your life for love.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
See related post: Rest
References:
Illustration by Joseph Miller
God Remembered by danN
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.
Genesis 8:1
God spoke with Noah when He told him to come into the ark. (See post on Genesis 7:1-5) After that, we have no record of God speaking with Noah for another three hundred and seventy-seven days.
Just last night I learned the story of Temple Grandin. By the time she was four years old she still hadn’t spoken her first word at which point doctors diagnosed her with autism. Temple’s mother, Eustacia, was told that she may never speak at all. Her doctors recommended that Temple be institutionalized. Eustacia was completely flooded with confusion and doubt. What had gone wrong? She had another child that was completely normal. How could she possibly cope with all that came with having an autistic child? Temple’s mother decided on a different course of action from that recommended by the doctors. She decided to work with Temple herself, at home, on the basics: learning words, learning manners, being in the same room with people. Anyone who’s life has been touched by someone with autism knows that this is an incredibly tedious grind. In Temple’s case this travail lasted for years and years.
Had God forgotten about Temple Grandin?
After years of hard work Temple was eventually able to attend school. School was painful, Temple was often ridiculed for her awkward way with people. But while in school it was discovered that Temple’s mind worked in pictures which in turn, led to the discovery of special abilities with spatial perception and mechanical design. Temple Grandin could do things that ordinary people couldn’t do. Incredibly she went to college and received her Bachelors degree from Franklin Pierce College, her Masters from Arizona State, and her Doctorate from the University of Illinois. On her aunt’s ranch it was discovered that in addition to her mechanical design abilities she also had a knack for working with livestock. Combining these gifts she published articles in ranching magazines and eventually published a book titled Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior.
Today McDonalds and several other of the largest processors of beef in the United States use Temple Grandin’s designs in their processing plants. Today Temple Grandin is an associate professor of animal science at Colorado State University.
God remembered.
Is your world flooded with problems right now? Flooded with debt? Flooded with illness? Flooded with heartbreak?
Has it been three hundred and seventy-seven days since you’ve heard from the Lord? Are you starting to wonder if God has forgotten about you?
Listen, God will never forget about you. The same God who loves you so much that He sent His only Son to be tortured for you, to die for you, is the same God who will never forget you. It’s not rational for an omniscient God who has gone to the extreme of sacrificing what’s most dear to him on your behalf to forget you. It doesn’t matter if you think you haven’t heard from Him in three hundred and seventy-seven days, three hundred and seventy-seven weeks, or three hundred and seventy-seven months, He won’t forget you. He can’t forget you. He loves you too much.
And just as He was with Noah, He wants His very best for you.
Sometimes that means waiting.
…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3-4
References:
Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament, Vol. 1
For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits.Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.
Genesis 7:17-24
What we find in this passage of scripture is that God can not only require the life of a person, but God can also require the life of a whole civilization. The people of Noah’s day continued on in their lives without regard for God, as though everything would continue as it was. (Genesis 6:5) But the day came when the door to the ark was shut and the people of Noah’s day had no recourse. They must have found the highest ground they could but it was to no avail because verse 20 tells us that the water rose to a height of 15 cubits above the highest mountain tops. As the water rose, and rose, and rose they must have thought about God’s provision for escape that they had seen under construction for the last 120 years or so. But by then it was too late, the water remained for 150 days providing for no chance of survival. Verse 22 tells us that everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. It was up to the people of Noah’s day to repent before the flood came.
A friend of mine was recently told that he has less than 5 years to live. He’s sought second opinions about his illness, including one from one of the top hospitals in the United States. Lamentably, they all give the same answer: less than 5 years. All of us will die of course and as Jesus has told us, it’s true that God could allow for any one of us to die tonight. (see Luke 12:13-21) Like the people of Noah’s day, the great questions of eternity are asked of us not during the judgment but during our day to day lives. These questions are asked of us quietly, almost inaudibly. What the people of Noah’s day experienced during the 120 years leading up to the flood, you and I are experiencing right now! It’s up to you and it’s up to me to live for God before the day of judgment. Like the time of the flood, deciding to live for God during the judgment will be too late! It’s up to you and it’s up to me to enter into the ark of our salvation, Jesus Christ, before the judgment comes. (see So Your Life Is Falling Apart)
My friend who’s dying is a believer and I’ve been tremendously blessed to watch him during his trial. You know, people are seldom influenced for Christ by our success. It’s when you’re demonstrating courage, courage from faith in Christ, courage in the face of difficulty, that’s when people find themselves drawn to God. My friend continues to work hard in his job as a firefighter, he’s kept his sense of humor, he’s kept his love for people. He continues to show grace and God’s love to others, just as he always has. That’s how it should be for any Christian during a trial. When the waters rise and increase greatly, when trouble comes and increases greatly, like the ark, we should be lifted up.
…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3-4
May our hope be in Him.
References:
[Image via: labguest — Creative Commons]
Madeline
The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.”
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.
Genesis 7:1-5
The King James Version of verse one says that …the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Indeed the Hebrew word for “come” is used here in the original text. What does this mean? If God is directing Noah to “come” into the ark, it can only mean that God is in the ark already! He’s beckoning Noah and his family to come. This is how it always is with God. His heart is for you and for me to come unto Him. Jesus beckons you and I to come unto Him for He said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) This is the answer because Jesus Christ is the ark of our salvation! Coming unto Jesus is the solution to the problem of separation from God. If you haven’t already, listen to God’s heart, come unto Him. (see So Your Life Is Falling Apart)
Here’s more good news from verse one of our text. We know the Lord loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) We know that He loves the world and we know He loves individuals. But pause for a moment and think with me about this first verse in Genesis chapter 7. In verse one we see that God has obviously taken notice of Noah’s righteousness, yet He tells Noah to Come thou and all thy house into the ark… (v.1) God could have started over with just two. He’d already done it once with Adam and Eve. But He chose to save Noah’s whole family instead.
Isn’t it terrific that God desires to save not only you, but your whole family as well!
Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal… (v.2) Seven pairs of clean animals would have been necessary to account for the animals sacrificed to the Lord. Only one pair would be required for the unclean.
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (v.5)
A few days ago my wife Kathy asked me to install a new thermostat.
“I did some research on the internet and it should only take about an hour,” she said.
So I dove in, removed the old thermostat from the wall, pulled out seven wires, and found that only four were used by the old model. As I read the instructions I learned that the new model used five wires.
“No big deal,” I thought. “How hard can this fifth wire thing be?”
After some research online I had the panel off of our heating unit and I was looking for a place to hook up the fifth wire – no good, can’t find the “C terminal” inside my heating unit.
“C terminal?! What the heck is that anyway?”
After a few phone conversations with Al, our local heating guy, I learn that I need to go under the house to check a junction box.
“I hate crawling under the house! A raccoon used to reside there, what if he’s back? My back always hurts when I crawl under the house.” I said to my wife with enthusiasm.
Under the house I go, belly crawling my way around in the dirt I find the junction box. It turns out that the blue wire is connected to a gray wire at the junction box.
“Dirty trick!” I said out loud.
So I figure out I need some extra wire and it’s off to Home Depot. At the checkout counter I see one of those large flat carts next to my wife, it has a large box on it.
“What’s that?” I ask, trepidation in my voice.
“It’s a grill,” Kathy answers.
“A grill?” I ask increduously.
“We need a new grill,” she says flatly.
I look at the box and read the words out loud, “some assembly required.” Great, just what I needed.
“Why me,” I say. “It’s Christmas time, New Years time. It’s the holidays. I’m supposed to be watching football! For goodness sake the Chick-fil-a Bowl is on!”
When we return it’s back on the internet again, back to the heating unit again, under the house again…
“This was supposed to take only one hour! What about me time? For cryin’ out loud the Meineke Car Care Bowl is on!”
Are you getting the picture?
Nearly two days and one hundred or so complaints later the thermostat is still not installed. So I call a friend of mine who is an electrician, Rick Chown, to seek some advice. While we’re on the phone Rick and his wife Linda begin to share about their granddaughter Madeline. (just a few minutes ago I also spoke with Madeline’s mother, Rachel)
How she had her first surgery when she was one day old.
How she’s had over fifty surgeries during her nine years on earth.
How she’s had pieces of metal implanted in her back to support her spine.
How these had to be removed recently.
How she continues to suffer from infections.
And how she lights up a room with her smile and great attitude, in spite of her many painful challenges.
Rick shared this video of Madeline with me. She was recently fitted with a halo device which is attached to a rack designed to take pressure off her spine. She wheels around the Dallas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in this thing, encouraging the other patients with her good cheer. (see Rogers Family Blog)
Wow! You can imagine how I feel.
…Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. (v.5) Noah knew what the Lord wanted him to do. Like you I often wonder what God’s will is for me. Sometimes I say to myself, “If only I knew what God wanted me to do, I’d do it.” I have good news. God tells me and God tells you what His will is for us.
…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“What does God’s will, giving thanks in all circumstances, look like?” you might ask.
Sometimes it looks like a little girl with a halo,
spinning and smiling,
spinning and smiling.
References:
A window shalt thou make to the ark… –Genesis 6:16
God directed Noah to build a window near the top of the ark. He provided light for Noah and his family, if…
If Noah chose to open the window.
God provides light for you and for me, as long as we choose to open up the window of His word.
It’s up to you and it’s up to me how much of God’s light we enjoy. His word is there, waiting for us. It might feel easier to watch Sports Center or that cooking show. You might feel like gravitating toward Facebook or Call of Duty: Black Ops.
But the degree to which we choose to spend time in God’s word is the degree to which our lives will be changed for His kindgom.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5
Let God’s light in.
Read His word.
[Image via Traveling Mermaid – Creative Commons]
References:
The following is a guest post from Nathaniel Bennett.
Researchers in the U.K. recently conducted a study that showed people are most attracted to negative content on the internet. You can read about it in the article, Want to be popular on the Internet? Be a Jerk! Using a system called “sentiment analysis” they were able to categorize posts in online forums by the type of emotion they convey. Perhaps not surprisingly, negative posts were overwhelmingly more popular.
It’s long been known that human beings are addicted to conflict. Let’s face it, conflict is entertaining. There has never been a successful movie produced that wasn’t focused on some sort of struggle. Reality shows, novels, TV dramas, Shakespeare, political radio, and even the evening news, are all popular because they appeal to our natural desire for conflict. Negativity breeds conflict and conflict sells.
It’s tempting as Christians to let negativity dominate our faith. It would be easier and certainly more entertaining to indulge in the controversy and drama that surrounds religion these days. There’s a never ending supply of things to get angry about and a vast sea of people who can’t wait to profit off it. Despite the natural attraction however, negativity is simply not where God wants our focus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9
It’s interesting just how diametrically opposed that verse is to todays’ culture. We spend far too much time being angry about things that aren’t important. For instance, deep down I know that I will never, ever, under any circumstances “win” an argument on the internet, but somehow that doesn’t stop me from trying. A theological argument with a cynical stranger is probably not the best use of my time and almost certainly not helping God’s kingdom. Eventually negativity and strife will steal the limelight and push aside what’s really important.
If I’m not focusing on what’s pure, good, virtuous, and praise worthy, then I’m certainly not focusing on Jesus.
References:
[Image via: European Parliament – Creative Commons]
Submission to Christ (Courtesy of Revelife.com)
The following is a guest post from my friend and brother in Christ, David Smith.
In Chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians, Paul is dealing with a church where some very poor choices are being made. There are people in the church that are living like the world. They claim a faith in Jesus Christ, yet they still openly walk in the sin of the world. Paul then gives a very stern warning that speaks to eternity. I don’t know about you, but when inheriting the Kingdom of God is mentioned, I really pay close attention.
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
As a side note, look at the part where he says “do not be deceived.” This implies that there are people in the world that will try and deceive you concerning these things. Do not be fooled. The lists of sins in these verses are non-negotiable. We know the world will try and deceive us into thinking they are ok, but we must head his warning and not play the fool.
In reading this list, we all find conviction. Although as Christians we do not walk in these sins, to say that since I have been saved I have never had a sexually immoral thought or made a decision that greed played a factor or spoke a slander about someone out of anger or frustration would be a lie. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God, right? Is Paul sentencing all who have committed these sins to hell?
No, what Paul is saying is that salvation in Christ is submission to Christ. That is, are you submitted to what Christ deems is right or wrong, or are you simply claiming Christ as your Lord, but not submitted to Him? Look at the next verse.
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12)
So they are coming to the table saying “Hey, you said that in Christ, I am free from sin. Sin has no hold over me anymore and because sin has no hold, I can do whatever I want.” And in one sense they are right. In Christ you are free from sin. It no longer needs to reign over your life and eternally you are saved from the ultimate consequence, eternal separation from God. But let’s jump up to verses 19 and 20 to see how Paul closes out this argument.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
This is where the submission to Christ comes in. See, Paul is not saying you must be perfect. What he is saying is that you need to check yourself and see if you are living for you or living for God. Look to the list of sins mentioned above. Do you believe they are wrong? You are free from them, yes. But do you believe they are wrong? By giving your life to Christ by being born again in the spirit and claiming Him as your Lord and savior, you agree that you should not walk in sin. That is, salvation in Christ is submission to Christ. You cannot separate the two.
Paul is calling out those that are living as luke warm Christians. Do you have something in your life that you are holding on to? Do you have something that you are hiding behind the freedom in Christ, yet in hiding behind the freedom in Christ, ignoring what Christ has commanded? If you are, let it go. The game you play is one that could have eternal consequence. Remember, salvation in Christ is submission to Christ.
In walking with Christ we need to constantly be reckoning the old sinful nature of our flesh dead. Do not be deceived, as some were at the church of Corinth. You are free in Christ, but to be in Christ is to be dead to yourself. Carrying your cross is the calling of a Christian. The world has many “prizes” that it offers to those who give in to its lusts. Those prizes will always fail you. As you’re carrying your cross in this life, do not forget to keep your eye on the only prize that never fades, eternity with a loving, awesome, gracious, and beautiful Father God.
Photo Courtesy of revelife.com
Drunk and Naked–Love Covers a Multitude: Genesis 9:18-29
Love Covers a Multitude of Sins by {studiobeerhorst}-bbmarie
Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. (v.20) Noah spent most of the last 120+ years as a carpenter. He built the ark and, presumably, he built his house after the ark came to rest. He spent more than a year as a zoo keeper during his time in the ark with the animals. Yet verse 20 tells us that Noah is a man of the soil. It’s interesting how God sometimes gives us our work assignment for a season, then the season changes and we’re to work in a different field. If you’re not working at your church consider Noah’s seasons of carpentry and zoo keeping. He didn’t build forever — he built for a season. He didn’t care for the animals forever — he cared for them for a season. If you’re reluctant to volunteer in the children’s ministry at your church because you don’t want to be locked in, look at it as a season. Volunteer for a year or a month. See how it goes. It’s not forever. It’s just for a season. Noah’s season of carpentry saved all of humanity. Your season of ministry will also bear fruit. Noah helped for a season and was used by God. Help for a season and see how God uses you.
When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. (v.21) I’m currently reading a book about Billy Graham titled The Preacher and the Presidents. This is a fascinating book about Graham’s considerable influence on every president from Harry Truman to George W. Bush. As I read I’m blown away by two seemingly contradictory messages. The first is how mightily God used the man Billy Graham to influence the world for Jesus. The second is how human Billy Graham is. I won’t share any of the humanity of God’s annointed. And Mr. Graham certainly never fell into drunkeness. Yet he had his frailties and faults just like the rest of us. If you’re interested in learning about the remarkable life of Billy Graham and his relationship with the presidents check out The Preacher and the Presidents by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy.
In verse 21 we see Noah, “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time,” we see Noah, the one who “walked faithfully with God,” we see Noah: sin. (Genesis 6:9) Noah, the great man of God drinks in excess. The one who avoided the temptation to drink in excess while living among a people who likely indulged in drunkeness, now, separated from the debauch influences of the pre-flood society, falls into sin. Sometimes, just when we think we’ve successfully navigated through the season of temptation is when we’re most vulnerable. That’s an important time to keep in mind how much we need God’s help to walk the path God has in mind for us.
And notice that as a result of Noah’s drunkeness he lay uncovered. That’s how it always is with drinking. No one disputes it. People are uncovered when they drink. Inhibitions are reduced when under the influence of alcohol. People say things, people do things that would make them blush were they sober. The likelihood of sin increases proportionately with the amount of alcohol we consume. The Bible doesn’t say it’s wrong to drink but from this point forward the Bible says it’s wrong to be drunk. It’s undeniable that where alcohol abounds sin abounds in greater measure.
Both the account of Billy Graham and the account of Noah are a source of great hope for you and for me. Here are two men who were mightily used by God. And you and I have something in common with them both: we’re human, we sin, we fail. Perhaps God will use you and I mightily as well, for all these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:11) I pray God’s Holy Spirit will determine to choose you, and to choose me to be used by God.
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. (v.22) The King James Version puts it this way And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. (v.22 KJV) Some scholars believe that the words saw the nakedness are used as a euphemism for a sexual act as similar words are used in Leviticus 18:6. Others believe that it’s more along the lines of what’s described in Habakkuk 2:15, Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies! What’s not in question is that there was some type of sexual sin committed here on the part of Ham. Something damaging happened for verse 24 says that Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him.
Then we see that Ham follows up with a proclamation of his father’s nakedness. Ham told his two brothers. But why? Why did Ham feel compelled to talk about his father’s nakedness? Why do you and I feel compelled to talk about the weaknesses and shortcomings of those who are close to us? It’s our sin nature surfacing. “But I see it so clearly,” we think. “I just need to get this off my chest,” we say. “Others need to know the truth,” we reason. But oh the damage we do when we share about the weaknesses of others. We experience damage to relationships. We even experience damage to the trust of the person we’re sharing with. Because if I talk about the weaknesses of others who’s to say that later I won’t talk about the weaknesses of the one I’m sharing with. Exposing the problems and weaknesses of others is damaging on so many levels.
Lord keep us from the temptation of gossip.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. (v.23) In contrast to Ham, Shem and Japheth went to the trouble of taking a garment, laying it across their shoulders, then walking backwards to avoid looking upon their father’s nakedness. They didn’t want to look upon their father’s nakedness as Ham did. And they desired to cover their father so others wouldn’t see his nakedness as well. This is love in action. This is 1 Peter 4:8 being lived out by Shem and Japheth before 1 Peter 4:8 was written. God tells us above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8) When a loved one sins we have choices to make. We can join them (as Adam did with Eve), we can expose their sin to others through talk (or texts, or emails, or . . .), or we can, like Shem and Japheth, turn our face the other way so we won’t see the weaknesses of others. We can, like Shem and Japheth cover the weaknesses of others. Shem and Japheth chose to cover their father’s sin. And as we’ll see, they were blessed for it.
“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (v.24) Before we see Shem and Japheth blessed, we see Ham cursed. “But it’s Canaan, Ham’s son that’s being cursed,” you might say. I don’t know about Ham, but I’d rather be cursed myself than have one of my sons cursed. That’s how it is with sin. We might think that when we sin we’ll bear the consequences on our own but one of the many problems with sin is that it doesn’t just effect the sinner. The sin of Ham resulted in the culture of the Canaanites becoming one of the most debauch and perverse in the history of mankind. And as we’ve seen in the previous post Because You Have Done This the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) There was death to the relationship between Ham and his father. And ultimately death to the entire Canaanite culture as they were wiped out due to their strangely perverse society.
He also said,“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.” (v.26-27) Would you like to be associated with praise to the LORD like Shem? Would you like to see your territory extended like Japheth’s? Then live out 1 Peter 4:8 and cover your brother, cover your sister, cover your father and mother. Speak of peoples’ strengths. Cover their weaknesses. Over time people will notice. Over time people will associate you with God’s love. And over time your territory of influencing others for God’s kingdom will increase. Who doesn’t want that?
References:
Newly released book by Kurt Bennett, now available on Amazon!
Love Like Jesus: How Jesus Loved People (and how you can love like Jesus)
Love Like Jesus begins with the story of how after a life of regular church attendance and Bible study, Bennett was challenged by a pastor to study Jesus. That led to an obsessive seven year deep dive. After pouring over Jesus’ every interaction with another human being, he realized he was doing a much better job of studying Jesus’ words than he was following Jesus’ words and example. The honest and fearless revelations of Bennett’s own moral failures affirm he wrote this book for himself as much as for others.
Love Like Jesus examines a variety of stories, examples, and research, including:
With genuine unfiltered honesty, Love Like Jesus, shows you how to live a life according to God’s definition of success: A life of loving God well, and loving the people around you well too.
A life of loving like Jesus.
(Kindle, hardcover, and paperback now available on Amazon.)
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Posted on February 26, 2011 by Kurt Bennett
Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis
Genesis 9, Ham cursed, Jesus, love covers a multitude of sins, Noah drunk, Shem Japheth covered, shem Japheth garment