Text:
Genesis 9:12-17:
12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
Theme:
There’s A Ribbon In The Sky
Introduction:
- Genesis is the first book of the Bible and the first book of the Old Testament which is why it is nominally known as the Book of Beginnings.
- Creation
- The beginning of mankind
- The beginning of the Jewish nation, God’s chosen people.
- Chapter 9 of the Book of Genesis is the consummation of the story of Noah…the Bible’s first subject of the principle in Matthew 22:14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
- Noah was the grandson of Methusaleh, born 250 years after Adam and the son of Lamech
- The words of his father Lamech at birth were prophetic
- Genesis 5:29, “And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.”
- He was a “just man and perfect in his generation,” and “walked with God”
- Genesis 6:9, “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”
- He lived in a time and a world of wickedness.
- Genesis 6:7, “And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”
- He is the second great progenitor of the human family.
- Genesis 7:1, “And 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.”
- He was a God-Called preacher who was commissioned to a specific work
- Genesis 6:13-14, “And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.”
- Chapter 9 of the Book of Genesis is the consummation of the “Work” that God was doing in Noah’s life and in the world.
- God rained water to cover the earth
- Genesis 7:4, “For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.”
- God destroyed all living things on the earth save Noah and the inhabitants of the ark
- Genesis 6:18, “But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.”
- God allowed the waters to subside and the ark to settle on Mount Ararat
- Genesis 8:4, “And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.”
- Genesis 8:13, “And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.”
- God made a promise to the world represented by a RAINBOW
- It is at this point in our text that we find our theme.
- As it says in Genesis 9:15-16, “And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.”
- God rained water to cover the earth
Body:
- There are some interesting things represented by this RAINBOW!
- God is true to His Word à If God said it, believe it!!
- 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
- No matter how bad it may seem, God is in control!!
- Mark 4:37-39, “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
- No matter where we are, God is there!!
- Psalms 139:7-9, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;”
- The covenant was to all mankind à as the colors of the rainbow are the children of God!!
- Colossians 3:11, “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”
- The true “pot of gold” in the rainbow is COMFORT in knowing what God WILL and WILL NOT do!
- It was appropriate that Noah was chosen since his name meant “to comfort”. The consummation was noted on the letterhead of the Heavens by a rainbow…the consummate symbol of comfort to the Believers!!
- The “pot of gold” is NOT tangible but intangible!
- As children we have tried to run and get to the rainbow to touch it…but we can’t à it’s untouchable…intangible
- In the same way, God is described in John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
- God is true to His Word à If God said it, believe it!!
Conclusion:
- This covenant is strikingly similar to that made by Stevie Wonder in his song, “Ribbon In The Sky”
Oh so long for this night I pray
That a star would guide you my way
To share with me this special day
Where a ribbon’s in the sky for our love
If allowed may I touch your hand
And if please may I once again
So that you too will understand
There’s a ribbon’s in the sky for our love
This is not a coincidence
And far more than a lucky chance
But what is that was always meant
Is a ribbon in the sky for our love
We can’t loose with God on our side
We’ll find strength in each tear we cry
From now on it will be you and I
And a ribbon in the sky for our love…
- That rainbow is the “Ribbon in the Sky” for the Love that God is showing toward mankind.
- God could destroy us any time.
- Each day seen is an expression of God’s mercy and love for mankind
- As the hymn says, “Morning by morning new mercies I see!”
- HE DIDN’T HAVE TO DO IT BUT HE DID!
- God gives us signs to remind us of His promises to us à like the RAINBOW
- The Kingdom of God / Godly peopleà Joel 2:28, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:”
- Rest à Hebrews 4:9, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”
- Fruits of the Spirit à Matthew 28:20, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
- Where’s your rainbow????
- God is keeping His promise, but are we keeping ours???
- “There IS a Ribbon in the Sky” for His LOVE towards me.
- Thank You, Father, for reminding me!
- Thank You, Father, for keeping Your promises!
- Thank You!!!
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