February 5, 2006

When All Things Become New
Genesis 9: 1-17

The fresh breeze begins to blow and a small cloud races across the sky, then another and another. Noah and his family run nervously from where they are working and huddle together near the door of the ark. All too well they remember the last time these strange things began to form in the heavens.

"What do you think it means dad? Did we sin again, is God going to destroy us now?" “I don't know son, I don't know.”

Noah was probably concerned as the light rain began to fall and maybe herded his family into the doorway of the big structure "just in case". He and they had witnessed the destruction of all living things and it began just this way.

"Then Noah heard the voice again."

"Noah!"

"Yes L-L-Lord?"

"Noah, look up."

"And Noah and his family gasped in wonder as they saw, for the very first time, a shimmering colorful arc of light spread across the sky.

"Noah, don't be afraid. You will see rain many times now, that is how the new earth will receive its water. But on some days, when the rain is light and the sun is shining you will see my bow, stretched across the heavens. And Noah my child, when you see my bow stretched across the heavens remember this my promise which I give you this day.

Though it may rain, you need not fear for I will never destroy this earth with a flood again."

And then the gentle loving Father spoke of the rest of His covenant with Noah and all man kind." A covenant promise of blessing and Grace . A covenant that spoke of the light at the end of the tunnel.
You see the flood of judgment was past, and the world was no experiencing the fresh breezes of God's new mercy. The old had gone and a new clean slate stretched before Noah and his family, and they could write on it as they chose, but God had given them a fresh start.

We stand on a threshold like that today, a threshold of a new year and though the world is not brand new, we still can experience the same fresh start that Noah did after the storm of God's wrath.
Look at the scriptures with me and we'll notice how it is "When all things become New."

I want to notice first The covenant of God with Noah and see in this hope for all mankind yet to come. It has to do with, first off, The provisions of God. And secondly the Longsuffering of God. God didn't leave man to his own devices and say, Ok guy, fend for yourself. He, rather, made provisions for him. Provision for protection from wild beasts, for protection from wanton murder in general, and provision for a greater diet. The addition of meat into the diet of man suggests that up until this time, there were only herbivores, in fact the idea of vestigial organs attests to this concept.

Isaiah 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust [shall be] the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

We see that at some future date the lamb will lie down with the lion and the lion will graze like a cow, so probably this was the case before the flood.

Now God expands the diet and, seemingly, creates carnivorous desires in some animals. This also provides population control as animals reproduce.

Having created this carnivorous desire, God also places within the beasts a dread of man. This, in general , exists today though there are exceptions. God provided a built in protection for his creature, man.

See that God also puts in man prohibition against murder and sets up the death penalty. Another provision for mankind, also a solemn look at what will become of this pristine second chance. For, though man has just seen the hand of God in judgment, he soon forgets God and wanders his own way into a worse state than before.

God's greatest provision , though, rests not in these physical aspects, but in another vein: His dealings with man.

Remember that God has just erased all mankind by a huge flood and washed the world. But keep in mind that he didn't re-create humanity. He didn't erase and recreate, He continued on with us for some reason. And that reason is, I believe seen in our second thought today:

The Long suffering of God

Look with me at verses 8-17: And God spoke unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that [is] with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. 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 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. 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.

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.

Here we see that God is really sticking His neck out. He is giving man a glimpse of just how patient and loving he is.

Do you remember Madeline Murray O'Hare. Did you know that her son is a believer and opposed to what Mom was doing? Did you know that one time Madeline is said to have stood outside in a storm and hollered "If there is a God then prove it by striking me down with lightning"? And did you know that when she marched triumphantly in to say to her son," See, there is no God!" that he is said to have replied," Mom, that doesn't prove there is no God, only that He is very longsuffering to sinners."

I do not know if that tale is accurate, but I do know that the sentiment is correct.

You see God isn't "out to get us." God made us and knows what frail weakly creatures that we have become because of the fall. And he makes provision to, lovingly herd us along to a place where he can make us see His saving transforming grace.

Now you know that judgment is inevitable because of God's attribute of justice. But did you know that the reason you weren't thrown into hell the first time you were convicted and refused is due to God's tender longsuffering?

Look at Psalm 103 with me; to 18 please read that gracious passage. Do you see that? God understands us and knowing our general tendency to blow it, has shown longsuffering toward us.
Now don't use that as an excuse to sin, if you do that you probably do not understand God's longsuffering and Grace.

Have you ever heard someone say,"I'll do this even though I know its sin, God will forgive me"? That person is guilty of presumption and doesn't have a clear view of God's holiness, may not even be saved only religious.

But God is longsuffering to ( look at verse Psalm 103:18) “Those that remember His commandments to do them.” Those who are born over, who follow Jesus, whose goal is to hear "well done".

When those people blow it, then God readily forgives.

I am not limiting God here in any way He doesn't limit Himself. He is looking for people who will seek Him with all their hearts that's all, and when we do? Why the Apostle John wrote," If we confess our sin, HE is faithful and just to forgive us.

Turn to Lamentations 3 for a minute: 1 ¦I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. 2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day. My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones. He hath built against me, and compassed me with gall and travail. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. Also when I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer. He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked. He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.

He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.

And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgot prosperity.

And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

A horrible state of life yes? A time of great dryness of soul, a time when God's truth is pushed aside and faith seems dim. Then the writer is able to recall something to mind and listen To the next verses as the writer is filled with hope because, through the clouds of doubt and emotion, he sees the rainbow of hope for a bright future.

Lam.3 21 -26 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

You see, it is nice to have emotions, it is a good thing, but listen well, emotions are easily deceived. Only faith, faith that believes God and His word enough to act, will pull you and I through. Have you appropriated the mercy of God? Have you come to the place of judgment and mercy , the cross of Christ ? And have you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of your life to take away your sin.

Listen. If you haven't, then you still have judgment to look forward to. If you have, then you have joy in your future. What will it be ? Surrender to gain victory or fight on to lose it all?

Where you are today...

Here's the trail: God loved us so much that he, to satisfy his demands against sin, sent his own son, God in flesh, to die as satisfactory payment for our sins,

By trusting in that by faith, we get to be adopted into the family of God.

That's the only choice that will get you home..
what will it be

God bless you

Pastor Steve