1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,440 How y'all doing today? Awesome. I'm doing very well, thank you so much. If you're in 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:11,640 our sanctuary today visiting for the first time or if you're watching online 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,360 for the very first time, we want to say welcome. We're so glad you're here to 4 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:19,960 worship with us at Hosanna. I am Pastor Nathan and this morning we're gonna be 5 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:25,160 looking at the second half of the flood story in Genesis chapter 8 and chapter 6 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:29,680 9. You know, as we've been studying through this and we consider the flood story 7 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,880 as it's described by Scripture, I don't think it's hard for any of us to say, you 8 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:39,880 know, this was a divine act of decreation as God was going through and 9 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:46,520 kind of messing everything up, if you will, to fix everything. The 10 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,560 decreation is kind of like a reversal of the creation we read about in Genesis 1. 11 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,200 You see, in creation God separated the watery depths from the water above and 12 00:00:55,200 --> 00:01:01,280 then the dry land appeared, but here in the flood we have the water appearing and 13 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,920 the dry land submerging below it as a violent destructive turbulence of 14 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:12,160 surging water is released by God upon the whole earth in judgment for sin. We 15 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,760 read that all the sources of the vast watery depths burst open and the flood 16 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:20,920 gates of the sky were opened and that is where all this water came from as the 17 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,760 rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights. That water came up from the ground from those 18 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:31,480 watery depths and surged upon the earth for a hundred and fifty days. That's 19 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:35,400 about five months and that's quite a time when everything is being wiped out. 20 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:40,160 This flood was so dramatic and so cataclysmic that the water rose, the 21 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,560 Scripture tells us, all the way to 22 feet above the highest mountain peak 22 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:51,320 that existed at the time. So this picture we have here is of intense watery 23 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:57,800 chaotic divine judgment covering the entire planet. While all that was taking 24 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:04,720 place we have the ark floating above it all like a gigantic sealed coffin keeping 25 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:08,880 those within safe from the wrath and inside that ark we read that there was 26 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:13,920 pairs of every single animal on earth, not every single type of animal but 27 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:20,000 every single kind of animal on the earth and one righteous man and his family. 28 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:25,160 This man was named Noah and we learned in a previous study that Noah is a 29 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:32,840 picture of the type of person that God saves. A person who is saved by faith, a 30 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:39,520 person who is saved because they believe God is real and all the implications of 31 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:47,280 that. If God is real then his word is true because God is true and that means 32 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,480 that everything God has spoken through the prophets and the Apostles and 33 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,840 everything that that we have recorded in the Word of God including the warnings 34 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:02,720 of judgment are true. You can count on them as true and so we see that Noah 35 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:09,440 believed God and he was declared righteous because of it and so we learn 36 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,620 that very important point that the person God saves is the person who 37 00:03:12,620 --> 00:03:17,000 believes in him and believes in his word. It's not because of our actions, it's not 38 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,840 because of what we do or don't do but rather our actions are because he has 39 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,760 saved us because of our faith through our faith. So in the second half of the 40 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:31,580 flood story we're gonna see the earth go from decreation to recreation. Now it's 41 00:03:31,580 --> 00:03:35,480 not a recreation as we're gonna see in the end of time but it's a restoration 42 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:40,000 of the earth that God had originally created and we're gonna learn why with 43 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:45,040 all the wickedness taking place in the world today, why God hasn't wiped it out 44 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:49,320 again yet and that's an important question because a lot of Christians 45 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:56,680 wrestle with why God do you allow this? Why God do you allow that? And there is a 46 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:00,440 very good reason but while we're here in the earth today we are called to be 47 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:04,960 representatives of Christ, ambassadors of him, a light into this dark world that 48 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,360 everybody we come in contact with has the opportunity to hear about the 49 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,200 gospel and to give their life to Jesus Christ that they too would be saved from 50 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:16,440 the judgment. So we are in Genesis chapter 8 this morning and we're gonna 51 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:22,400 be going all the way to Genesis chapter 9 verse 17 so buckle up. The entire flood 52 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:27,840 story as we've been looking at it is not just a great story, not just a 53 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:32,360 valuable story but it's also from a literary perspective just very unique 54 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:37,560 and beautiful because the the story divides fairly neatly into two halves. 55 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:42,480 You have the decreation of the earth as God pours out his judgment and then you 56 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,240 have the second half which is kind of like the recreation of the earth or the 57 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:51,720 restoration of the earth. In chapter 7 of Genesis we have God giving Noah a 58 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:56,360 warning of seven days until the flood starts and then Noah being locked in for 59 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:00,880 seven days and then we have 40 days and nights of flood then we have 60 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:06,280 150 days of the water surging on the earth then when we get to chapter 8 we 61 00:05:06,280 --> 00:05:12,360 have 150 days of water subsiding, 40 days of waiting, 7 days of waiting and 7 62 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:17,400 days of waiting and so it's a pretty beautiful literary mirror there of what 63 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,200 God is doing and I believe that all these details and stuff are just because 64 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:26,160 God wants us to know this is historical, this really happened, it is a historical 65 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:32,760 account of what God did in the past and those details really are incredible. 66 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:37,760 On top of that we're gonna look at some of how the the restoration of the 67 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:42,480 earth after the flood actually parallels creation from Genesis chapter 1 and 68 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:46,320 as I mentioned last week we asked the question why is God so precise? 69 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:51,320 Why does God include very specific dates and times and number of days and all 70 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:55,480 that and there's a number of reasons but for the sake of this study it's because 71 00:05:55,480 --> 00:06:01,040 these records that we have in Scripture hold very necessary theological very 72 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:06,160 very critical theological directives for our life and so God wants us to know 73 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:10,680 that it's very important to know his word but more importantly is that God is 74 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:16,520 precise and and very specific because he wants us to understand that salvation. 75 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:21,680 We come to salvation through a very precise and very specific means. We know 76 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,000 as Christians that the Bible says it is through Jesus Christ that we come to 77 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:29,840 salvation him and him alone and it's him and him alone as he's described by God's 78 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:35,600 word it's not Jesus the brother of Lucifer it's not Jesus some other he's 79 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:39,640 he's one with the father like he's actually the father as oneness 80 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:44,520 teaches no he's Jesus as he's revealed himself in his word it's very precise 81 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:48,880 it's very specific because our world today wants to be like yeah sure you 82 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:53,000 know you know the word Jesus but it's this other thing that gets you saved and 83 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:57,200 the devil is doing that all around the world to lead people astray from what 84 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:01,480 salvation is really about and so I believe the details in this story are 85 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:05,920 just a nod towards the fact that God is precise when the things matter and 86 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:10,520 listen up and so as we're gonna go through this story we start in chapter 87 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,600 8 verse 1 this is the middle point of the flood and this is where the second 88 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,440 half of the flood begins and it demonstrates a very very important 89 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,320 aspect of judgment and salvation and it's right in the first three words of 90 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:29,920 verse 1 God remembered Noah if you're a highlighter or underliner or whatever 91 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:37,040 that is remember that Genesis 8 1 a God remembered Noah you see when the Bible 92 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:43,800 says God remembers something it's never God going oh shoot I forgot that's not 93 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:48,480 that's not God remembering in the biblical way when it says God remembers 94 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:55,600 Noah it's more than a recollection when we see God remembering it's it's a 95 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:01,320 precursor to God acting is what it typically is like when the Bible tells 96 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:06,520 us that God remembered Adam he then saved Lot when the Bible tells us that 97 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:12,960 God remembered Rachel she then conceived right and so God remembering is 98 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:18,640 basically saying God is now gonna take action towards someone based on a 99 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:22,560 previous commitment he has made that's what it means when God remembers and so 100 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:27,920 here God remembering Noah means okay God has done all the judgment and and killed 101 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:32,280 everything on the earth and and all that and now God is ready to start bringing 102 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,600 it back to the end and fulfilling that commitment to know that he was gonna 103 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:41,560 save him and so verse 1 it says God remembered Noah as well as all the 104 00:08:41,560 --> 00:08:46,200 wildlife and all the livestock that were with him in the ark God caused a wind to 105 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:51,160 pass over the earth and the water began to subside now this is the first 106 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:56,680 parallel to creation in Genesis chapter 1 because the word here that says wind 107 00:08:56,680 --> 00:09:02,480 God caused a wind is the same exact word that has also rendered spirit capital S 108 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:07,640 to refer to the Holy Spirit of God in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2 this is how 109 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,040 the earth was described with the spirit hovering this is now the earth was 110 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:16,120 formless and empty very similar to what it was at that point except for Noah in 111 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:21,440 the ark darkness covered the surface of the watery depths same thing as the 112 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:25,120 earth was completely covered with the flood waters and the Spirit of God was 113 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:30,200 hovering over the surface of the waters so there's a beautiful parallel here to 114 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:36,200 to the picture of God in a sense recreating the earth so again as I've 115 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:41,600 already mentioned Moses goes into very specific detail as to calendar days as 116 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,480 he continues to write this account we were already told that the floods 117 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:52,640 started in the 600th year the second month the 17th day very specific now 118 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:59,240 these dates are based upon the Jewish calendar which is 30 days per month so 119 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:03,680 it's not 365 days point seven with a leap year here and all these weird 120 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:10,080 things just 30 days per month 360 days a year okay or 350 I can't remember now 121 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:17,440 I'm not good at math so anyways very specific though rain fell for 40 days and 122 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:24,840 nights water surged for 150 days and now we're reading that it begins to subside 123 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:31,460 that word subside means simply to become less violent which tells you what the 124 00:10:31,460 --> 00:10:36,020 flood waters around the earth were for that first hundred and fifty days the 125 00:10:36,020 --> 00:10:40,600 picture that comes to my mind is when we look at rapids you ever seen rapids and 126 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:45,000 how violent and churning you know have you ever been water rafting anybody 127 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:51,400 whitewater rafting yeah I have a couple times right you're never closer to God 128 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:56,240 than when you're in the rapids you know because every second you're like I'm 129 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:00,860 gonna die you know and we hit a rock and flipped over and so I got the 130 00:11:00,860 --> 00:11:04,960 experience of going underwater in the rapids and yeah faith-building 131 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:09,640 experiences but that that churning that that violence of the water that's what 132 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:13,840 had been happening it wasn't just water filled up but things were being 133 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:21,400 destroyed things were being moved things were being just wiped out and so we have 134 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:26,480 that picture that all of that violence began to subside here it began to slow 135 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:30,080 down and so verse 2 it says the sources of the watery depths and the floodgates 136 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:36,520 of the sky were closed and the rain from the sky stopped the water steadily 137 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:40,720 receded from the earth and by the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had 138 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:46,040 decreased decreased significantly the ark came to rest in the seventh month on 139 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:51,840 the 17th day of the month on the mountains of Ararat so we've gone from 140 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:57,740 the 17th day of the second month to the 17th day of the seventh month if you do 141 00:11:57,740 --> 00:12:01,340 the math and that one I did ahead of time so I wouldn't mess it up it's five 142 00:12:01,340 --> 00:12:06,800 months 150 days five months and within those five months again the rain fell 143 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:12,760 the rain stopped the watery depths were opened the watery depths were closed and 144 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:19,200 the water began to recede now when we read this plainly it seems to be telling 145 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:24,080 us that the water decreased significantly by the hundred and fiftieth 146 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:29,840 day by that 17th day of the seventh month that's how it reads when you just 147 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:34,080 read it plainly because the context here starting at the end of Genesis 8 was the 148 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:39,240 water surged for 150 days then God remembered Noah and da da da da da and 149 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:43,520 then the water started to subside and then by the end of the 50 days the water 150 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:47,840 had decreased significantly now there's no theological problem with reading it 151 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,920 that way it just doesn't mean that the waters went to the midpoint and then 152 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,840 down at the second point it just remembers during this chaos those 153 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:59,360 waters that were 22 feet above the highest mountain peak in the world at 154 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:04,280 that time had subsided and they had at least subsided enough where the bottom 155 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:09,400 of Noah's Ark bonk hit the mountains of Ararat and so we find the boat there 156 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:15,080 that's gonna be stopped there on the mountains and it's just an interesting 157 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:20,520 thing I want you to notice there it says mountains plural so it's not telling us 158 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:27,960 one specific mountain it's telling us an area an area of mountains that were 159 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:33,640 known as the mountains of Ararat now today there is a Mount Ararat that's in 160 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:37,760 eastern Turkey or Western Armenia depending on which political border you 161 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:42,040 would like to believe in because there's fights over it but there is a Mount 162 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:46,560 Ararat that is kind of a tourist destination and I don't know if it's the 163 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:51,840 real place but the Bible doesn't tell us it was here specifically it says it was 164 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:55,640 in this area okay so I point that out because there's there's a lot of people 165 00:13:55,640 --> 00:14:00,320 who have claimed to find Noah's Ark up on that mountain or other mountains in 166 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:04,640 different places and some of them are very interesting there was a guy years 167 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:11,480 ago named Ron Wyatt who had some really compelling evidence of of what he 168 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:16,160 thought was the Ark now I don't know if that's really true because there has 169 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:21,320 also been a lot of very legitimate challenges to stuff he said that's also 170 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,880 very compelling and so I don't know if anybody's found the Ark or not but I 171 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:28,840 will say this that in the writings of Josephus who is the great Jewish 172 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:34,720 historian who wrote during the the first century the early first century in his 173 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:40,720 writings he notes that the that the Noah the Ark of Noah still existed there in 174 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:46,040 his time and people were actually making treks to that Ark taking parts of it and 175 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:51,720 turning them into relics so we know that from the flood time to at least the 176 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,920 early first century the Ark was still there and people were able to go and see 177 00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,400 it and so do with that what you will but verse 5 it goes on to tell us that the 178 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:06,280 water continued to recede until the tenth month in the tenth month on the 179 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:10,560 first day of the month the tops of the mountains were visible so we've gone 180 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:17,440 from second month to the seventh month to the tenth month we hit that midpoint 181 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:21,320 where the floodgates were closed where the watery depths are closed water 182 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:26,000 started receding water has continued to recede at this point and it says the 183 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:32,480 mountaintops were visible well visible from where the Ark the Ark that's that's 184 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:36,120 this whole account is being written from that that perspective and so from the 185 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:42,440 Ark they could see the mountaintops now if we remember the Ark was a huge boat 186 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,760 very huge so the fact that it had run aground on the mountains of Ararat 187 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:51,000 doesn't mean that the water levels were so low they could see the ground yet and 188 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:55,760 so from the seventh month for the ten months the water was slowly receding and 189 00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:00,980 so add just after two months they saw the mountaintops now verse 6 after 40 190 00:16:00,980 --> 00:16:04,880 days Noah opened the window of the Ark that he had made and he sent out a raven 191 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:09,120 it went back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth or dried up 192 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,680 yeah dried up from the earth then he sent out a dove to see whether the water 193 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:17,080 on the earth's surface had gone down but the dove found no resting place for its 194 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,900 foot it returned to him in the Ark because water covered the surface of the 195 00:16:20,900 --> 00:16:26,560 whole earth he reached out and brought it into the Ark to himself so Noah waited 196 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:31,120 seven more days and sent out the dove from the Ark again when the dove came to 197 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:35,320 him at evening there was a plucked olive leaf in its beak so Noah knew that the 198 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:40,080 water on the earth's surface had gone down after he waited another seven days 199 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:46,040 he sent out the dove but it did not return to him again and so now we're at 200 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:52,360 the tenth month plus 40 days right we could follow this largely on a calendar 201 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:56,600 to know really the specific details of when things were taking place but after 202 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:01,600 40 more days we see Noah kind of opening the window because it hadn't rained in a 203 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:06,120 while at this point open it up and said hey well looking down I still see water 204 00:17:06,120 --> 00:17:10,200 so let me send out a raven now it tells us that the raven went out and went back 205 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:13,240 and forth on the earth until the water had dried up that's telling us that the 206 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:18,040 raven didn't come back right and people go why didn't the raven come back what I 207 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:24,280 found out is that ravens are what's the word scavengers they they feed on 208 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:29,080 carrion as well as other things and so it's kind of a gruesome picture but the 209 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:34,760 raven flew out not finding any ground or treetops or anything but likely floating 210 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,760 corpses and oh num num num and then flew to another one and num num num and 211 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:43,240 Raven's like sweet I'm good I don't need to go back to the ark for food doves are 212 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:48,960 not carrion eaters okay so maybe Moses was like maybe I won't send out a raven 213 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,240 again because there's only two of them and oh shoot no more Ravens right we 214 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:56,680 have Ravens today so we know he didn't do that so he sends out the dove now the 215 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:01,840 dove is a clean animal it is a pure animal and we read here that it did 216 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:07,360 return so the idea is that you have the Raven sent out and then seven days it 217 00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:12,240 doesn't say that here but when it says he waited another seven days the 218 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,840 indicators that there was already a seven day span so Raven seven days dove 219 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:22,000 seven days dove seven days and dove now you go okay cool there's birds flying 220 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:28,800 all over the place right it's a picture of the amazing and incredible patience 221 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:34,200 and endurance of faith that Noah had what was during likely a very 222 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:39,160 uncomfortable time right can you imagine being sealed up in this boat with two 223 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:43,600 of every animal and you know guess what they they they poop and they pee and 224 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:48,940 stuff and and they make noise and it was probably a very uncomfortable time to 225 00:18:48,940 --> 00:18:53,600 be in there you know some of you know that that my mom is an animal lover she 226 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:58,520 loves animals and some of the animals she have today are guinea pigs right and 227 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:04,000 you know guinea pigs they just poop that's what guinea pigs do right and and 228 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:08,120 you know it's just the the like I'll go in there and it's like the room where 229 00:19:08,120 --> 00:19:13,240 the animals are it's just it has a unique odor to it right and it you know 230 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:15,880 but she loves them you know and I don't know if she doesn't smell her she 231 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,800 doesn't care but you know she loves the animals and but you know animals they 232 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:24,040 have smells you go into a barn it stinks you know there's manure and stuff 233 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:32,000 and so but Noah endured through all of that and we have no record here that 234 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,520 during that time he was in the ark from beginning to end that God spoke to him 235 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:43,720 in any way think about that Noah persevered reliant on what God had 236 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:49,360 already said God told him there's gonna be a flood and I'm gonna save you shuts 237 00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:54,480 him up into the ark the rain comes oh pitter-patter whoa the boat lifted up 238 00:19:54,480 --> 00:20:01,600 storm violence waves probably who knows and not a word from God and yet Noah 239 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:07,680 didn't start going maybe I made a mistake maybe this was wrong maybe maybe 240 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:12,760 we should make some life vests and jump out he persevered and and that's in a 241 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:18,240 very important lesson for us because you know we have issues with waiting a lot 242 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:21,840 of times we struggle with patience right it's always said don't pray for 243 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:25,800 patience because the way God teaches you patience is patience and you're like oh 244 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:31,680 you know but pray for patience but sometimes we'll hear from the Lord or 245 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:35,360 Lord will speak to us through his word and we go okay God wants me to do ABC 246 00:20:35,360 --> 00:20:39,920 and then two weeks later we're like God are you sure is this still your will for 247 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:48,160 me and God's saying what did I tell you but but I need a reminder what did I 248 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:53,800 tell you Noah was going God said this and I don't care how long ago it was the 249 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,520 last thing I heard from God was this I believe it and I'm gonna believe it 250 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:02,760 until God tells me otherwise and I'm gonna act on that belief until God tells 251 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:08,400 me otherwise and that's something we Christians need to do more right you 252 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,240 know a lot of people will be like gosh I just you know Bible's cool but if I 253 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:17,440 heard from God that would be that would be greater and my question is would it 254 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:24,080 right we have God's holy word his will revealed to us and yet when God tells us 255 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,400 something we say oh great I'm gonna go apply that in my life we lose patience 256 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:31,420 so quick and we're like God are you sure is that what you really want and we have 257 00:21:31,420 --> 00:21:36,280 his word right in front of us and if you go back to that word you read that told 258 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:42,400 you to do a thing it hasn't changed now sometimes that's not enough for people 259 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:47,200 you know early in my faith I've had three instances in my life where God 260 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:51,640 audibly spoke to me and the only way I could describe it to you guys is it was 261 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:56,280 audible I heard it with my ears there was nobody there it was just a voice and 262 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:02,120 I heard it and those were major major crossroads in my faith of my faith 263 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:05,960 growing in my maturity and you know sometimes when I share that story with 264 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:11,920 people I'll be like yeah so I've been a Christian for 25 27 years now something 265 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:19,520 like that and God's only spoken to me three times and people go only three 266 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:24,720 times only three times like he hasn't spoken to me that way one single time 267 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:28,960 and I'm like well maybe that's just because I was so dumb and stubborn and 268 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:35,000 hard-headed God had to do that to get my attention and so God could speak to you 269 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:39,480 that way but he's already spoken to us through his word and that needs to be 270 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:43,040 the thing we go to first and that needs to be the thing that when we read it we 271 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:47,680 believe it and we act on it and don't question it and that's what we see Noah 272 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:52,960 doing here that he had heard God's word and and was believing God's word and was 273 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,520 living according to what he had heard from God there was no reason no matter 274 00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:04,040 how long to doubt God's word the conditions probably not ideal right we're 275 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:09,880 difficult it was probably a trial for him and his family but he didn't 276 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:14,720 question God and that question is for us as well do we act on God's word 277 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:20,840 faithfully and patiently patiently through whatever whatever trial 278 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:28,040 whatever difficulty are we still going well God said this this amount of time 279 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:31,760 ago and I'm gonna believe and act on that and that's one of the things we're 280 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:37,400 called to do as believers right you've heard that phrase God said it I believe 281 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:43,400 it that ends it and that's a great creed for a Christian to live by when it comes 282 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:48,800 to God's word and so the voyage now comes to an end in verse 13 it says in 283 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:53,040 the six hundred and first year in the first month on the first day of the 284 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:57,160 month that's New Year's Day the water had covered the earth the water that 285 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:01,440 covered the earth was dried up then Noah removed the ark's cover and saw that the 286 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:06,360 surface of the ground was drying by the 27th day of the second month the earth 287 00:24:06,360 --> 00:24:11,960 was dry and so again we're following this chronology right way back on the 288 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:18,360 tenth month oh we're starting to see the tips of mountains 40 days later let's 289 00:24:18,360 --> 00:24:21,880 send out the birds the dove comes back with an olive branch in its mouth that 290 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:26,140 means at least trees were exposed above the water line something the dove could 291 00:24:26,140 --> 00:24:30,920 land on but not enough that the dove was content or comfortable to live out there 292 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:35,640 so now we're at the place where Noah is looking out and the waters that had 293 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:41,800 covered the earth was dried up the flood waters were gone but as he removes the 294 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:46,160 ark's cover he still sees that the ground was drying right the whole thing 295 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:51,560 had been inundated with water and so as the waters had drained away however God 296 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:56,280 did that the ground was still wet the ground was still muddy probably the 297 00:24:56,280 --> 00:25:00,760 ground was not stable enough to go out and walk on and so they still sat in 298 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:06,920 that ark for two more months then they finally came out on the 27th day of the 299 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:15,640 second month in the 601st year so doing quick math on that right for a total of 300 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:19,800 one year and ten days using the the Jewish calendar of 30 days per month 301 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:28,420 what we have is for one year and ten days God was silent God did not say a 302 00:25:28,420 --> 00:25:35,800 word to Noah after God sealed him in and said trust in my salvation there was no 303 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:42,680 more word trust in my salvation for a hundred and ten days the whole earth was 304 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:48,120 being de-created and then recreated I can't imagine what it sounded like as 305 00:25:48,120 --> 00:25:53,840 this churning was going on as this violence was was destroying the earth all 306 00:25:53,840 --> 00:26:00,400 the air-breathing life was wiped off the earth for a one year and ten days it was 307 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:06,440 just chaos of course it peaked and then it receded out but you know it's during 308 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:11,200 this time that that some believe that that what was once one continent was 309 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:15,200 split apart violently because as the waters came up from the watery depths 310 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:20,200 they believe it pushed apart continental plates what's interesting is today 311 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:24,200 science scientists do acknowledge that there's three plates that kind of 312 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:29,360 crashed into each other and formed the mountains we now know as the mountain 313 00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:36,600 ranges of Ararat and so I don't know if that really happened or not I personally 314 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,880 tend to lean that way but we do know that that the topology of the earth 315 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:45,960 changed regardless in this restoration of the earth it parallels again 316 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:51,360 creation in Genesis chapter 1 as we go from water being over the whole earth 317 00:26:51,360 --> 00:26:57,800 and then through God's providence dry land appearing and so finally after a 318 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:02,080 year and ten days of God's silence trusting God having faith in God well 319 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:05,640 he said this a year ago I'm gonna believe it now God finally speaks to 320 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:11,800 Noah in verse 15 then God spoke to Noah come out of the ark you your wife your 321 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:16,600 sons and your son's wives with you bring out all the living creatures that are 322 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:20,920 with you birds livestock those that crawl on the earth and they will spread 323 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:26,140 out over the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth so Noah along with 324 00:27:26,140 --> 00:27:30,360 his sons his wife and his son's wives came out all the animals all the 325 00:27:30,360 --> 00:27:34,280 creatures that crawl all the flying creatures everything that moves on 326 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:38,800 the earth came out of the ark by their families families is another way to say 327 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:45,400 type right it was dog that came out not every kind of dog not every breed just 328 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,440 dog and then cat and they all came out but you'll notice through this second 329 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:55,000 half of the story we keep seeing this repetition it's God said do this and 330 00:27:55,000 --> 00:28:01,160 then exactly what he said happened God said do this and exactly what he said 331 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:06,240 happened what we're seeing here is this repetition this reminder of obedience 332 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:12,240 God said it they did it God said hey the animals are gonna go spread out over the 333 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:14,280 whole earth guess what the animals came out and spread over the whole earth 334 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:21,440 right we're seeing this picture of when God speaks it's truth when God works and 335 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:25,800 moves it happens and it's absolutely according to his word no variance of 336 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:31,080 any kind just like when when God gave the instructions to Noah to build the 337 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:35,960 ark right it was very specific and we talked about why because when it comes 338 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:42,120 to salvation God is very specific it's through Jesus Christ the shed blood of 339 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:47,080 Jesus Christ putting your faith in that work it is through him we are saved no 340 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:54,880 other means to be saved very very specific and when God speaks there's 341 00:28:54,880 --> 00:29:03,960 obedience we don't challenge God in his word when God says don't lie it doesn't 342 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:13,680 mean well what kind of lie surely not a little white lie Lord right God said 343 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:21,360 don't lie period and and there's so much that's in the Bible that we try and 344 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:26,520 negotiate with and what we're seeing here is this reminder that when God says do 345 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:32,000 it this way it is to be done that way exactly why because it is the best way 346 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:37,800 it is the the the best possible way that could be done and if God says do it a 347 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:41,680 certain way we do it we live according to his word and we know that that is the 348 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:47,600 best possible way for us to live even when there's times of chaos and so Noah 349 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:53,560 steps out of the earth onto this clean earth sin having been washed away by the 350 00:29:53,560 --> 00:30:00,080 waters of judgment and again it's this beautiful picture again of what we are 351 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:07,040 that when we are in Christ looking forward to the day of wrath that God is 352 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:13,280 gonna pour out upon the earth we do that knowing that our sins have been washed 353 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:18,100 away by the Spirit of God they've been washed away through our faith in Jesus 354 00:30:18,100 --> 00:30:23,240 Christ they're not just covered but they're gone and that's just a picture of 355 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:28,120 the entire Old Testament up to the times of Jesus where they did these sacrifices 356 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:32,560 that the blood represented covering of sin but when Jesus came he said no no 357 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:37,760 it's done once and for all it's forgiven it's washed away the idea is 358 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:42,480 that God looks at you and he doesn't see the sin and go yeah well you know he the 359 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:47,000 Bible tells us that God looks at us through the blood of Christ spotless and 360 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:55,600 unblemished he looks at us and he goes you're perfect why well when you believe 361 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:59,600 God and you put your faith in him trust in him for salvation you're washed 362 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:05,360 clean by the blood of Christ kind of like how Noah trusted God believed God 363 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:12,720 was saved and God said you're righteous Noah not because he was sinless but 364 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:18,600 because he believed God and so we see this whole picture here of him stepping 365 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:26,280 out on this beautiful clean earth it's it's it's different the sin has been 366 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:32,160 washed away and and we know this is gonna happen again worldwide but next 367 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:37,720 time it's gonna be by fire instead of water next time it's not just gonna be a 368 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:41,640 cleaning of what existed it's gonna be a complete obliteration of the earth and 369 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:45,520 then it will be a new heaven and a new earth created by God and guess what 370 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,400 those who are in Christ are gonna step out onto that beautifully perfect new 371 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:55,920 world without sin and enjoy paradise forever with Christ but the Bible tells 372 00:31:55,920 --> 00:32:00,840 us that this earth is gonna melt in fervent heat that there's this earth 373 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:06,840 will be no more and the new earth will be inhabited by those who chose to 374 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:12,480 believe in God chose to believe his word chose to put their trust and faith in 375 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:19,440 all that God says believing that yes judgments gonna come and that salvation 376 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:23,720 is through Christ alone and this is all a picture of that in the very beginning 377 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:28,080 so along with Noah it's his family it's all the creatures they brought into the 378 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:33,160 ark they now come out in verse 20 it says Noah built an altar to the Lord he 379 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:37,480 took some of every kind of clean animal and every kind of clean bird and offered 380 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:42,520 burnt offerings on the altar you see God remembered Noah right we said the 381 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:47,960 definition of that is God is now moving towards Noah in line with the commitment 382 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:51,680 he already made to Noah no I'm gonna save you and now that's what we read in 383 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:56,080 the second half of this flood story the first thing Noah does when God moves 384 00:32:56,080 --> 00:33:03,120 towards him a lot in line with his commitment is he worships God God moves 385 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:09,640 Noah worshiped God fulfilled his promise to Noah came through on his commitment 386 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:16,080 because God does not lie Noah worshiped that is a perfectly correct response 387 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:21,960 from us when God moves we worship God that's what the whole idea of sacrificing 388 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:27,800 on the altar was now the picture of this is is Noah given over everything to God 389 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:32,360 that's what the idea of the burnt sacrifice was it's completely consumed 390 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:36,880 right it's completely burnt and incinerated to ashes on that altar and 391 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,720 that idea there is that Noah is the first thing he's doing out of the ark is 392 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:46,000 saying God I'm not gonna withhold anything from you that everything that 393 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:53,240 I have everything that exists is yours I mean imagine the sacrifice Noah 394 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:56,520 apparently it doesn't tell us how but he knew that there were supposed to be 395 00:33:56,520 --> 00:33:59,480 clean animals and that there was supposed to be the sacrifice to the Lord 396 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:07,520 but there's only a few precious samples of that type of animal left the rest 397 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:13,400 have been killed and wiped out by the flood and yet Noah is still gonna follow 398 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:17,360 through and worship God and give of something that's like well if we mess 399 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:23,960 this up and we run out of doves that's it no more doves but God is greater and 400 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:28,160 and more important and more valuable more worthy than anything that exists on 401 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:34,200 this earth and the idea here is that God is or Noah is recognizing that by doing 402 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:39,840 the sacrifice and just hallelujah to God praise be to God for his judgments you 403 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:45,800 know it's celebrating that God did this not that whoo-hoo he killed people but 404 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:52,080 but God you you wipe sin off the earth it's also a recognition that praise God 405 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:57,720 for his salvation and so we need to be people like that when God moves we 406 00:34:57,720 --> 00:35:02,280 worship it's one of the reasons why we gather here on a Sunday but if you're 407 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:07,040 only worshiping on Sunday when we're together you're missing out you're 408 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:13,360 missing it worship every day praise God every day because every single day God 409 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:18,080 is moving towards you in line with his commitment every single day God is 410 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:22,480 saying well if you put your faith in my son and I look at you I'm not gonna wipe 411 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:28,440 you out for your sin I see you perfect and every day God is doing that hallelujah 412 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:36,200 praise God for that and so we move on here the story switches from Noah's 413 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:40,480 faithfulness that's kind of what we've been looking at to God's response right 414 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:44,840 to that faithfulness verse 21 when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma he said 415 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:49,600 to himself I will never again curse the ground because of human beings even 416 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:53,440 though the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth onward and I 417 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:59,120 will never again strike down every living thing as I have done so God was 418 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:03,320 pleased with the sacrifice the sacrifice was given with the right heart right the 419 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:07,360 the commitment from Noah was given with with with everything right behind it is 420 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:11,380 his God was pleased that idea of God being pleased with the aroma of the 421 00:36:11,380 --> 00:36:15,600 sacrifices he accepts it he accepts it for what it is and what it's meant and 422 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:20,840 then we see that he responds with grace here and that's what God does in our 423 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:25,880 lives you guys know the definition of grace right I've said it many times 424 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:33,240 grace is getting what you don't deserve mercy is not getting what you do deserve 425 00:36:33,240 --> 00:36:39,620 so grace would it would it know a get here this commitment from God that he 426 00:36:39,620 --> 00:36:43,840 will never again curse the ground even though the human heart is still wicked 427 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:48,800 and evil and he will never again strike down every living thing but if you think 428 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:54,600 about it it's like was was Noah given a sacrifice for his own sin the Bible all 429 00:36:54,600 --> 00:37:00,400 tells us that God already saw him as righteous God already saw him as is 430 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:06,400 blameless and spotless due to his faith so who was the sacrifice for I believe 431 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:10,720 and I think that that Noah's sacrifice here was a sacrifice for mankind and 432 00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:15,240 that included Noah from Noah's perspective that this is a sacrifice for 433 00:37:15,240 --> 00:37:21,760 all of mankind because God's response I will never strike down any human in this 434 00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:26,200 way even though their hearts are wicked and evil I will never again strike down 435 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:32,380 every living creature as I have done and that's a very important phrase as I have 436 00:37:32,380 --> 00:37:39,880 done and we're gonna see later it's by a global flood but despite the fact that 437 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:45,520 that that sin remains within mankind despite the fact that that Noah and his 438 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,840 family and everybody from that point forward are still gonna have the 439 00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:52,720 knowledge of good and evil gained by Adam and Eve eating the fruit in the 440 00:37:52,720 --> 00:37:58,680 garden despite the fact that with that knowledge which does nothing more than 441 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:04,960 teach us how to be wicked and selfish and sinful despite all of that God 442 00:38:04,960 --> 00:38:10,360 graciously said I'm gonna give you something you don't deserve I'm not 443 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:15,360 gonna flood the world again verse 22 as long as the earth endures seed time and 444 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:20,080 harvest cold and heat summer and winter and day and night will not cease now 445 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:25,400 some people look at this verse and they go this is where the seasons began right 446 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:29,920 we have a different earth now it's it's the same one effectively but it's been 447 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:33,800 redone and people look at this and go this is where the seasons started 448 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:39,720 because before that before the flood well canopy theory right there was this 449 00:38:39,720 --> 00:38:43,640 canopy of water vapor because God separated the water above and below and 450 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:48,960 that canopy of vapor around the earth created like a greenhouse effect so the 451 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:54,440 entire planet globally was just this perfect temperature and perfect on 452 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:58,240 unchanging temperature and it was perfectly regulated right there was no 453 00:38:58,240 --> 00:39:02,560 hot and cold there was no seasonal changes that's the theory right and then 454 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:06,360 the theory is is that when God said okay enough boom the waters fell from that 455 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:11,080 canopy and now because things have changed ecologically now we have 456 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:15,680 seasons now we have fluctuating temperatures now we have hot and cold 457 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:22,760 and all that stuff that takes place over time but the commitment that God said 458 00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:26,720 that as long as the earth endures this will not cease we're still living under 459 00:39:26,720 --> 00:39:31,560 that commitment today now sure you don't see it as dramatically in California 460 00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:37,360 right in California we're like oh it's two degrees different it must be winter 461 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:43,560 oh it's two degrees hotter it must be right it doesn't change too much but you 462 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:46,720 go to other parts of the country and it's very obvious right covered with 463 00:39:46,720 --> 00:39:52,640 snow and and then no snow and green right it's just God said as long as the 464 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:57,600 earth endures this will not cease and this comes to that question we ask is 465 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:06,360 why is it when we look around the world and we see evil horrible things we see 466 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:15,480 trafficking of children for perverse reasons we have organ harvesting 467 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:20,840 happening around the world because some crazy person in some country goes oh if 468 00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:26,720 I eat this part of a human I will live forever it'll extend my life plan and so 469 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:31,000 that's that's just two of the horrible things that are happening around the 470 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:37,440 world and you go God why do you allow this to continue God why haven't you 471 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:44,160 stepped in and wiped it out yet and we don't ultimately know the 472 00:40:44,160 --> 00:40:50,480 answers to those questions but when we understand that God made a commitment 473 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:56,120 right here after the flood to Noah that we should be able to come to the place 474 00:40:56,120 --> 00:41:01,160 of deferring to God's wisdom deferring to God's will deferring to God's way and 475 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:06,320 even when we're in the position where we say I don't understand and I don't 476 00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:12,520 understand how those things are still allowed but I recognize that my limited 477 00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:21,020 brain is far inferior to the omniscience of Almighty God and that according to 478 00:41:21,020 --> 00:41:27,760 God's way and God's will I have to trust God with those things why does this 479 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:33,160 happen I have to trust God with it and go I don't know but he does and if he 480 00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:40,880 hasn't done anything yet there's a reason why and then we go back to the 481 00:41:40,880 --> 00:41:46,560 things we know well let's keep preaching the gospel let's keep working to rescue 482 00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:51,240 kids out of those situations let's let's keep working to see the Spirit of God 483 00:41:51,240 --> 00:42:00,080 change people's hearts and so with this grace this commitment that God gives 484 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:06,600 chapter 9 verse 1 we see God responding with blessing he says God blessed Noah 485 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:09,920 and his sons and said to them be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth 486 00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:13,920 so he repeats to Noah the blessing he gave to Adam and Eve in the very 487 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:18,960 beginning new earth Adam and Eve be fruitful multiply cleansed earth Noah be 488 00:42:18,960 --> 00:42:24,360 fruitful and multiply the blessing is still intact just like it was with Adam 489 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:28,880 and Eve when they ate of the fruit and they sinned and then after God came and 490 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:34,680 covered their sin he said still be fruitful multiply the blessing wasn't 491 00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:41,320 gone the blessing wasn't done away with they were still called to do the thing 492 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:47,080 God has called them to do and and I believe based on the very beginning of 493 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:51,320 what we have in Scripture yet that that children are a blessing and that 494 00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:56,320 multiplying is a very high calling possibly one of the main callings God 495 00:42:56,320 --> 00:43:01,440 has given to humanity right in the beginning it was Adam and Eve be fruitful 496 00:43:01,440 --> 00:43:08,560 multiply enjoy everything I've given you enjoy each other raise up generations 497 00:43:08,560 --> 00:43:14,840 of people who are gonna worship God and love God and work and just praise him and 498 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:21,760 then they sinned and sin entered the human heart but God said still this call 499 00:43:21,760 --> 00:43:26,000 this blessing is still on your life now I know there's you know people that are 500 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:29,800 infertile and you can't have kids and there's other people that that for some 501 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:34,560 reason don't have children but but to ever come to the place where we look at 502 00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:39,360 the calling the blessing of children say oh that's not for me nah especially as a 503 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:44,240 believer you're missing out on a call of God now myself I don't have any 504 00:43:44,240 --> 00:43:50,360 biological children for many years I was like whoo-hoo but as I've grown in my 505 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:56,000 life I've had the opportunity to be a big brother and a father figure to many 506 00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:59,960 many young men and the young ladies through through young adults ministry 507 00:43:59,960 --> 00:44:05,240 stuff and I've been so blessed that I've got to play a part in the raising of a 508 00:44:05,240 --> 00:44:11,080 generation to love God and now I get to play the part of Papa in in the life of 509 00:44:11,080 --> 00:44:18,280 James who isn't my biological child but I don't care and I don't think he cares 510 00:44:18,280 --> 00:44:22,680 and so I get to be a part there right I get to play that part of of that 511 00:44:22,680 --> 00:44:26,120 fruitful and multiplication and raising those generations in the earth and I'm 512 00:44:26,120 --> 00:44:33,760 so blessed for it but people who disdain that and put it aside they having kids 513 00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:40,560 is not my plan I you're missing part of the calling that God has and so he gives 514 00:44:40,560 --> 00:44:44,680 them this blessing but now the blessing comes with qualifications look at verse 515 00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:50,040 two fill the earth but the fear and terror of you will be in every living 516 00:44:50,040 --> 00:44:53,080 creature on the earth every bird of the sky every creature that crawls on the 517 00:44:53,080 --> 00:44:57,440 ground and all of the fish in the sea they are placed under your authority 518 00:44:57,440 --> 00:45:02,240 every creature that lives and moves will now be food for you and I as I gave you 519 00:45:02,240 --> 00:45:05,880 the green plants I've given you everything however you must not eat meat 520 00:45:05,880 --> 00:45:11,760 with the lifeblood in it so hey Noah let's go back to the beginning fresh 521 00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:15,760 earth it's clean do what I told them to do but it's gonna be different because 522 00:45:15,760 --> 00:45:18,680 when Adam and Eve were fruitful and multiplying in the very very beginning 523 00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:24,920 they were at peace with all the animals it wasn't a contentious thing they were 524 00:45:24,920 --> 00:45:28,480 vegetarians we see here because the permission to eat meat is being given 525 00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:33,040 that means that Adam and Eve can go up and you know scratch T-Rex on the chin 526 00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:37,480 and he just you know do his leg thing and it was just perfect and happy there 527 00:45:37,480 --> 00:45:44,840 was no violence but now as you multiply and fill the earth it's gonna be in an 528 00:45:44,840 --> 00:45:50,360 adversarial from an adversarial position that as you grow and expand the animal 529 00:45:50,360 --> 00:45:56,600 kingdom is gonna fight back and yeah lions eat people and it right it's it's 530 00:45:56,600 --> 00:46:01,440 it's been a dangerous world as we've grown and started to cover everything 531 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:09,640 now he does say that you will still have authority over them you will still rule 532 00:46:09,640 --> 00:46:15,000 over them you're still gonna be in charge but but it's going to be without 533 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:25,240 peace but we have an upside to this right the upside to this is steak thank 534 00:46:25,240 --> 00:46:33,080 you God right we get we get steak and vegetables now right and how awesome is 535 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:37,360 that you know like I said meat doesn't seem to initially have been part of the 536 00:46:37,360 --> 00:46:41,360 human diet that they ate the seeds the plants and all that but they weren't to 537 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:46,400 eat the animals and I think it was because of what I'm about to bring up 538 00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:55,040 here because he goes don't eat meat that still has the lifeblood in it what he's 539 00:46:55,040 --> 00:47:00,960 saying is my command to you Noah is humans are not to act like animals 540 00:47:00,960 --> 00:47:07,840 they're not to devour animals the way animals devour animals you are different 541 00:47:07,840 --> 00:47:16,240 you are human you are not an animal you are a creation made in my image so don't 542 00:47:16,240 --> 00:47:20,800 act like the animals and devour one another with with without care without 543 00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:27,360 concern why I believe this is where God is is establishing respect for life 544 00:47:27,360 --> 00:47:31,920 respect for life and the giver of life which is something I think was missing 545 00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:38,840 pre-flood and so the blood the blood is important there's value to the blood 546 00:47:38,840 --> 00:47:44,120 don't eat meat with the blood still in it and I believe that was also to set 547 00:47:44,120 --> 00:47:49,720 them up for appreciating blood sacrifice the fact that the blood was shed for 548 00:47:49,720 --> 00:47:54,840 them was incredibly valuable and of immense value ultimately so that we 549 00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:59,920 would understand that when Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross it was of 550 00:47:59,920 --> 00:48:05,880 immense value impossible priceless to us that through our trust in that we would 551 00:48:05,880 --> 00:48:11,640 be saved and so God now is moving on from the respect for animal life to 552 00:48:11,640 --> 00:48:15,720 respect for human life verse 5 he goes and I will require a penalty for your 553 00:48:15,720 --> 00:48:20,640 lifeblood I will require it from any animal and from any human if someone 554 00:48:20,640 --> 00:48:25,160 murders a fellow human I will require that person's life whoever sheds human 555 00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:29,480 blood by human blood his by humans his blood will be shed for God made humans 556 00:48:29,480 --> 00:48:34,840 in his image I find it interesting that the very first commandment that God 557 00:48:34,840 --> 00:48:42,680 gives to Noah after the flood is regarding sanctity of life it is the 558 00:48:42,680 --> 00:48:50,040 very first thing look respect animal life but especially respect human life 559 00:48:50,040 --> 00:48:55,400 it makes you think of how callous the people were before the flood right we 560 00:48:55,400 --> 00:48:59,040 had read in chapter 6 verse 3 that humanity was completely corrupt before 561 00:48:59,040 --> 00:49:03,880 the flood that wickedness was widespread that violence was the norm that murder 562 00:49:03,880 --> 00:49:08,600 was a celebrated everyday occurrence right it talked about these these great 563 00:49:08,600 --> 00:49:12,440 heroes these Nephilim whatever they were great heroes of renowned it 564 00:49:12,440 --> 00:49:16,560 specifically says that they were the famous men and the context seems to 565 00:49:16,560 --> 00:49:21,040 indicate they were famous for their violence their sexual violence it paints 566 00:49:21,040 --> 00:49:24,800 the picture that pre-flood there was no respect for life because there was no 567 00:49:24,800 --> 00:49:28,940 respect for the giver of life and that it was just wanton destruction people 568 00:49:28,940 --> 00:49:35,160 devouring one another the way animals devour one another but after the flood 569 00:49:35,160 --> 00:49:40,680 the potential for this kind of disregard for human life was still within humanity 570 00:49:40,680 --> 00:49:47,160 and so he says although animal blood may be shed and that's for those of you that 571 00:49:47,160 --> 00:49:53,520 like hunting that's where it's a you can shed the blood of animals but don't 572 00:49:53,520 --> 00:49:57,480 consume it with the blood in it or don't consume the blood then he says where 573 00:49:57,480 --> 00:50:01,280 human blood is shed whether it's by an animal or another human it's the death 574 00:50:01,280 --> 00:50:06,880 penalty this is where we have capital punishment instituted in Scripture you 575 00:50:06,880 --> 00:50:10,640 see I have to address something real quick the the difference between killing 576 00:50:10,640 --> 00:50:15,080 and murder right this people get caught up here well God said don't shed human 577 00:50:15,080 --> 00:50:17,720 blood but then he said if you do it humans are going to shed your blood that 578 00:50:17,720 --> 00:50:22,160 seems like a contradiction there's a difference biblically between murder and 579 00:50:22,160 --> 00:50:27,880 killing killing is just the termination of another life murder is unjustified or 580 00:50:27,880 --> 00:50:34,080 unlawful intentional killing of another person often through rage or hate or 581 00:50:34,080 --> 00:50:41,800 selfishness killing was lawfully applicable in cases of capital crimes as 582 00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:46,400 we see here biblically also biblically was it was lawful in the cases of self 583 00:50:46,400 --> 00:50:52,280 defense it was also lawful in the cases of a justified war right a soldier could 584 00:50:52,280 --> 00:50:55,600 kill another soldier that was not breaking this law but murder wasn't 585 00:50:55,600 --> 00:50:59,840 lawful in any context and we see how that was codified in the Ten Commandments 586 00:50:59,840 --> 00:51:04,520 they'll show not murder so yes it's unfortunately true that protecting a 587 00:51:04,520 --> 00:51:10,400 nation protecting a family protecting society sometimes requires killing but 588 00:51:10,400 --> 00:51:16,120 that is different than murder murder is a wanton disregard for life and so to 589 00:51:16,120 --> 00:51:20,440 argue against things like the death penalty is to argue against the Word of 590 00:51:20,440 --> 00:51:24,520 God and I know there's believers out there's like oh that's that's so 591 00:51:24,520 --> 00:51:32,720 inhumane and that's so bad God instituted this to protect humanity to 592 00:51:32,720 --> 00:51:36,600 say if someone is callous enough about life to murder someone they got to go 593 00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:42,600 because they'll do it again or to argue for things like abortion is to argue 594 00:51:42,600 --> 00:51:49,720 against God's Word on the sanctity of life abortion is the taking of life why 595 00:51:49,720 --> 00:51:55,280 because the Bible says so the Bible says that conception a baby is a baby it's a 596 00:51:55,280 --> 00:52:01,600 life and I know it's a very difficult topic and it's a very difficult subject 597 00:52:01,600 --> 00:52:06,280 but in our society we cannot put people in office who say you should be able to 598 00:52:06,280 --> 00:52:16,160 kill that baby up to the day of birth that's disgusting now I know there's a 599 00:52:16,160 --> 00:52:21,000 very tiny amount of cases that that bring up questions right where the 600 00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:24,400 mother's life is at play and I don't have time to do that whole discussion 601 00:52:24,400 --> 00:52:31,960 discussion but a vast majority of abortions are for selfish reasons oh I'm 602 00:52:31,960 --> 00:52:37,360 too young to have a baby I can't afford to have a baby then don't have sex 603 00:52:37,360 --> 00:52:43,720 problem solved yep there's selfish reasons why people go and murder the 604 00:52:43,720 --> 00:52:51,200 life of a child God's Word here is a word to a very violent world and his 605 00:52:51,200 --> 00:52:57,880 word here is meant to protect human life and so to ignore God's teaching on this 606 00:52:57,880 --> 00:53:02,160 is to descend deeper and deeper into a pre-flood society and we see that 607 00:53:02,160 --> 00:53:07,400 happening today so after these instructions God repeats his instruction 608 00:53:07,400 --> 00:53:13,640 to Noah but you you be fruitful multiply you go out and and cover the 609 00:53:13,640 --> 00:53:18,320 earth and multiply upon it he's simply saying look Noah from here forward 610 00:53:18,320 --> 00:53:24,720 respect life and the giver of life especially human life and go out and be 611 00:53:24,720 --> 00:53:29,080 fruitful and then finally we see the Noahic covenant here that starts in 612 00:53:29,080 --> 00:53:33,520 verse 8 then God said to Noah and his sons with him understand that I'm 613 00:53:33,520 --> 00:53:37,400 establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every 614 00:53:37,400 --> 00:53:40,960 living creature that is with you birds livestock and all the wildlife of the 615 00:53:40,960 --> 00:53:44,960 earth that is with you all the animals of the earth that came out of the ark I 616 00:53:44,960 --> 00:53:48,760 established my covenant with you that never again will every creature be 617 00:53:48,760 --> 00:53:53,480 wiped out by flood waters there will never again be a flood to destroy the 618 00:53:53,480 --> 00:53:58,360 earth so God's restating his commitment here but but here it's it's being 619 00:53:58,360 --> 00:54:04,080 solemnized solemnized right it means it's being formalized right there's a 620 00:54:04,080 --> 00:54:08,480 difference between someone saying hey let's make this agreement and signing a 621 00:54:08,480 --> 00:54:13,960 contract about it right one's legally enforceable one is well I hope they 622 00:54:13,960 --> 00:54:17,080 follow through and that's the difference here where God's made these 623 00:54:17,080 --> 00:54:21,680 commitments but now he's making it legally enforceable saying I cannot will 624 00:54:21,680 --> 00:54:26,360 not break this and it's a universal covenant because it applies to every 625 00:54:26,360 --> 00:54:31,640 human good or evil it applies to every living creature on the planet it's a 626 00:54:31,640 --> 00:54:35,720 one-sided covenant what I mean by that is God is the one who is initiating it 627 00:54:35,720 --> 00:54:40,120 God is the one who is defining it right twice in these verses he says my 628 00:54:40,120 --> 00:54:45,240 covenant this is my covenant with you meaning it didn't require any 629 00:54:45,240 --> 00:54:49,120 acknowledgement from humans it didn't require ratification from humans humans 630 00:54:49,120 --> 00:54:54,040 weren't a part of the equation outside of receiving the benefits and it was 631 00:54:54,040 --> 00:54:58,880 unconditional that no matter what humans would do from there forward there would 632 00:54:58,880 --> 00:55:04,560 never again be destruction by water so verse 12 it says and God said this is 633 00:55:04,560 --> 00:55:07,880 the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living 634 00:55:07,880 --> 00:55:12,460 creature with you a covenant for all future generations I have placed my bow 635 00:55:12,460 --> 00:55:15,560 in the clouds and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth 636 00:55:15,560 --> 00:55:19,440 whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds I will 637 00:55:19,440 --> 00:55:23,960 remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures water will never 638 00:55:23,960 --> 00:55:28,040 again become a flood to destroy every creature the bow will be in the clouds 639 00:55:28,040 --> 00:55:32,360 and I will look at it and remember my permanent covenant between God and all 640 00:55:32,360 --> 00:55:36,320 the living creatures on the earth and God said to Noah this is the sign of 641 00:55:36,320 --> 00:55:40,400 the covenant that I have established between me and every living creature 642 00:55:40,400 --> 00:55:45,840 now the bow he's talking about there we call it a rainbow right and you'll notice 643 00:55:45,840 --> 00:55:51,160 he says my bow this is my covenant this is my bow this is my sign that I am 644 00:55:51,160 --> 00:55:55,960 going to be committed to this as I stated it no matter what that the idea 645 00:55:55,960 --> 00:56:00,320 here was that every time it rained every time the the line the light shone 646 00:56:00,320 --> 00:56:05,680 through the water droplets and prismed out into this bow of color all of 647 00:56:05,680 --> 00:56:11,240 mankind could look at that and go wow God has graciously promised to never 648 00:56:11,240 --> 00:56:16,840 flood us again despite how wicked we are God would look at that and go yep I'm 649 00:56:16,840 --> 00:56:23,080 still moving towards you to not destroy the earth until the appointed time it's 650 00:56:23,080 --> 00:56:28,960 God remembering God acting on his commitment and that commitment is every 651 00:56:28,960 --> 00:56:32,800 single day when God looks at us and instead of seeing the sin he sees 652 00:56:32,800 --> 00:56:36,480 perfection through the blood of Jesus Christ and he goes you're coming to 653 00:56:36,480 --> 00:56:42,120 heaven I will not wipe you out and that applies to the whole earth until the 654 00:56:42,120 --> 00:56:50,280 appointed time so in the flood God decreated and recreated the earth he 655 00:56:50,280 --> 00:56:54,440 washed it clean of all air breathing life every human on the earth at that 656 00:56:54,440 --> 00:56:59,720 time suffered the judgment of God against their sin except Noah and his 657 00:56:59,720 --> 00:57:05,160 family why because Noah was the only one that was righteous you see a question 658 00:57:05,160 --> 00:57:09,320 comes up Noah's righteous but it doesn't say anything about his wife and his 659 00:57:09,320 --> 00:57:16,000 kids and their wives it simply doesn't tell us but I do know that throughout 660 00:57:16,000 --> 00:57:23,960 the Old Testament especially in in the the the culture that there that developed 661 00:57:23,960 --> 00:57:30,120 there the father often spoke for the family that the family would benefit 662 00:57:30,120 --> 00:57:34,800 from the father's decisions and the father's actions even the bad actions 663 00:57:34,800 --> 00:57:38,200 because their scripture that says oh if the father sinned the curse is gonna be 664 00:57:38,200 --> 00:57:42,080 held to the fourth generation right that there was this idea that the in a 665 00:57:42,080 --> 00:57:47,320 patriarchal society like this that the father represented he his reputation 666 00:57:47,320 --> 00:57:52,840 covered his family reputation it could be that or it could be they were 667 00:57:52,840 --> 00:57:58,280 righteous it just doesn't tell us okay but the idea is that Noah and his family 668 00:57:58,280 --> 00:58:02,840 were saved they had faith and they lived according to that faith and the rainbow 669 00:58:02,840 --> 00:58:08,400 was meant to be this reminder this forever mine reminder of what happened 670 00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:11,960 and what it meant to them every time Noah would see a rainbow or his family 671 00:58:11,960 --> 00:58:16,120 would see a rainbow they would remember the gravity of sin they would remember 672 00:58:16,120 --> 00:58:20,360 the penalty of sin they would remember how serious God takes sin that he wiped 673 00:58:20,360 --> 00:58:26,440 out the entire planet they would remember the unearned grace of God for 674 00:58:26,440 --> 00:58:32,000 those who simply believe in him in his word he will save them from it they 675 00:58:32,000 --> 00:58:37,920 would remember God's promise to never hit the reset button again to never 676 00:58:37,920 --> 00:58:42,640 start over but instead he's gonna let human history play out patiently waiting 677 00:58:42,640 --> 00:58:47,800 for the appointed time where his wrath will indeed come where it won't be just 678 00:58:47,800 --> 00:58:51,280 a cleansing of the old but it will be a complete destruction of the old and a 679 00:58:51,280 --> 00:58:57,080 complete replacement by the new so when we trust in Jesus Christ for our 680 00:58:57,080 --> 00:59:03,600 salvation our own salvation from judgment to come scripture tells us that 681 00:59:03,600 --> 00:59:08,080 we were given a brand new heart see it's not the old heart that's just washed 682 00:59:08,080 --> 00:59:13,440 and put back he goes nah I'm gonna take it out and give you a brand new one why 683 00:59:13,440 --> 00:59:19,120 because the old heart is is is completely thoroughly sinful hopelessly 684 00:59:19,120 --> 00:59:24,800 unsavable and so God just doesn't say I'm gonna I'm gonna wash it clean and 685 00:59:24,800 --> 00:59:30,520 okay do it again he goes no no I have to pull that one out and I have to set you 686 00:59:30,520 --> 00:59:35,760 set you on a life with a brand new heart a brand new nature and with that brand 687 00:59:35,760 --> 00:59:39,320 new heart and that brand new nature that we are given we embark on a brand new 688 00:59:39,320 --> 00:59:46,360 life see in the world in a brand new way acting in a brand new behavior just 689 00:59:46,360 --> 00:59:52,840 being different because God saved us and then just like God with this new heart 690 00:59:52,840 --> 00:59:57,840 in this new nature we're waiting patiently for the appointed time and so 691 00:59:57,840 --> 01:00:01,120 when we're wondering God why do you allow this to happen why do you allow 692 01:00:01,120 --> 01:00:08,240 that to happen God will do something about it and we have to trust him for 693 01:00:08,240 --> 01:00:13,960 his timing but the rain remit the the rainbow reminds us today that it was 694 01:00:13,960 --> 01:00:18,920 divine wrath that gave way to peace it reminds us of the ultimate work of the 695 01:00:18,920 --> 01:00:22,800 new covenant when God's wrath was turned away from humanity by the blood of his 696 01:00:22,800 --> 01:00:28,040 own son shed on the cross so that all who would find themselves in Christ 697 01:00:28,040 --> 01:00:33,560 through faith they would receive grace and mercy instead of wrath and judgment 698 01:00:33,560 --> 01:00:38,960 the rainbow should remind us that we find full spiritual restoration in Christ 699 01:00:38,960 --> 01:00:43,720 and we look forward to a brand new earth a brand new life that we're gonna step 700 01:00:43,720 --> 01:00:50,040 out onto a perfect creation worshiping God forever praising his name that he 701 01:00:50,040 --> 01:00:55,560 saved us now because the rainbow represents all of that that's why I 702 01:00:55,560 --> 01:01:01,200 believe the devil co-opted it to be a symbol of sexual deviation and 703 01:01:01,200 --> 01:01:05,200 disobedience to God where the rainbow was supposed to be something that we 704 01:01:05,200 --> 01:01:12,360 saw and we humbled ourselves now instead it represents pride the deepest sin of 705 01:01:12,360 --> 01:01:18,800 mankind that will lead them straight into judgment but those of us that trust 706 01:01:18,800 --> 01:01:24,360 in Christ and trust in God for salvation you're saved that's it that you no longer 707 01:01:24,360 --> 01:01:29,240 have this relationship we're like oh I messed up is he still am I still saved I 708 01:01:29,240 --> 01:01:35,520 messed up is he is he mad at me no you're his kid you mess up it's gonna 709 01:01:35,520 --> 01:01:40,240 have some consequences now and God says hey spank spank do don't do better let's 710 01:01:40,240 --> 01:01:44,280 do different I'm gonna fill you with my spirit so you could choose to do better 711 01:01:44,280 --> 01:01:51,440 but you're still saved you're still his kid why because you're in Christ you're 712 01:01:51,440 --> 01:01:58,320 literally placed there by God clothed in the in the righteousness that he gives 713 01:01:58,320 --> 01:02:02,520 you through your faith and the beautiful hope is that you'll come out the other 714 01:02:02,520 --> 01:02:08,280 side when everything is said and done in a perfect paradise forever with God 715 01:02:08,280 --> 01:02:15,240 praising his name that is what the story teaches us we thank God so much for our 716 01:02:15,240 --> 01:02:22,680 salvation we thank God for judgment we thank God that we are still here to tell 717 01:02:22,680 --> 01:02:26,840 people how to escape that judgment and that's what we're called to do until the 718 01:02:26,840 --> 01:02:32,600 time he takes us home so let's pray father we love you we thank you God for 719 01:02:32,600 --> 01:02:39,080 your word we thank you God for who you are Lord we thank you God that you 720 01:02:39,080 --> 01:02:46,640 commit to your promises to us that you've covenanted with with Noah and all 721 01:02:46,640 --> 01:02:54,760 the future generations that as long as the seasons are taking place that every 722 01:02:54,760 --> 01:03:00,400 time we see a rainbow we would remember God your commitment to never again flood 723 01:03:00,400 --> 01:03:09,640 the world Lord we know your patience is infinite and unlimited we know God you 724 01:03:09,640 --> 01:03:13,640 waited long enough for us to be saved and so Lord help us understand that 725 01:03:13,640 --> 01:03:20,520 you're waiting long enough for everybody who will be saved to be saved yet God we 726 01:03:20,520 --> 01:03:24,520 do pray Lord that your spirit would work in this world to reverse evil and 727 01:03:24,520 --> 01:03:29,280 wickedness to do away with it and those who persist in it and cling to it Lord 728 01:03:29,280 --> 01:03:33,920 that you would deal with and we know Lord that ultimately you're gonna deal 729 01:03:33,920 --> 01:03:39,840 with them and so help us to trust that God help us to trust in you Lord knowing 730 01:03:39,840 --> 01:03:44,280 that we have this unconditional covenant that we have time in this world to live 731 01:03:44,280 --> 01:03:48,600 for you that God is you've given us a brand new heart you call us to live in a 732 01:03:48,600 --> 01:03:54,280 brand new way that others would see the hope of glory in us that we would be 733 01:03:54,280 --> 01:04:02,160 able to tell them about you and what you did to propitiate the wrath of God that 734 01:04:02,160 --> 01:04:08,280 we could be saved Lord please use us please use us to share your word to 735 01:04:08,280 --> 01:04:14,480 share your hope to share your gospel please use us God to be tools in your 736 01:04:14,480 --> 01:04:18,960 hand that others would come to know you and be saved from the judgment to come 737 01:04:18,960 --> 01:04:24,680 Lord we thank you and we love you it's in Jesus name we pray amen all right 738 01:04:24,680 --> 01:04:51,400 church let's worship