Chapter 124—Shared with Noah
And God spake unto Noah, ... saying, And I, behold, I establish my
covenant with you, and with your seed after you.
Genesis 9:8, 9
.
Wickedness was so widespread that God said, “I will destroy man whom
I have created from the face of the earth.... But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord.... Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah
walked with God” (
Genesis 6:7-9
).
Noah was to preach to the people, and also to prepare an ark as God
should direct him for the saving of himself and family. He was not only
to preach, but his example in building the ark was to convince all that he
believed what he preached.
Noah did not forget God who had so graciously preserved them, but
immediately [on coming out of the ark] erected an altar and... offered burnt
offerings on the altar, showing his faith in Christ the great sacrifice, and
manifesting his gratitude to God for their wonderful preservation. The
offering of Noah came up before God like a sweet savor. He accepted the
offering, and blessed Noah and his family....
And lest man should be terrified with gathering clouds, and falling rains,
... God graciously encourages the family of Noah by a promise. “And I will
establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more
by the waters of a flood.... 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. I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a
token of a covenant between me and the earth.... And the bow shall be seen
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” (
Genesis 9:11-16
).
With the assurance given to Noah concerning the flood, God Himself has
linked one of the most precious promises of His grace; “As I have sworn that
the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that
I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall
depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee,
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