Today’s bible study is all about the chapter of Genesis 9 – The Rainbow covenant. According to scholars this incident roughly took place before 2500 B.C.
I encourage you to get your bibles ready and turn to Genesis 9. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read Genesis 9 with me. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know. All the scripture references that you find in this post are from the NKJV.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 8, we read about Noah’s deliverance, how the flood subsides and God said in His heart that we will not destroy every living thing again. Let us now do a study on Genesis 9 to learn about what happened next. Let us begin!
God’s Blessing To Noah
1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.
According to Verses 1-3 of Genesis 9, God blessed Noah and his sons. He told them to be fruitful and reproduce and fill the earth. Also, He said that every other living thing on the earth, including those on the ground, the air and the sea would fear and dread Noah and his sons. He gave Noah and his sons’ dominion over all living creatures just as He did with Adam. He also said that every moving thing that lives shall be food for Noah and his sons – including green herbs.
Eating Flesh With Its Blood Has Consequences
4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man.
However, in Verse 4 God said that Noah and his family shall not eat flesh with its blood. It is because the life of any living being is in its blood. In short, they shall not eat animal flesh that still has blood in it.
In Verse 5 God said, if they were to eat flesh with the blood in it surely He will demand an answer and this applies to both the hand of beast and man. He would also require the life of man from the hand of every man’s brother. This means that a man is not supposed to shed another man’s blood. Doing so, surely, has its consequences.
Shedding Blood Has Consequences
6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood,
By man his blood shall be shed;
For in the image of God
He made man.
7 And as for you, be fruitful and multiply;
Bring forth abundantly in the earth
And multiply in it.”
In Verse 6 Of Genesis 9, God said that whoever shed’s another man’s blood will also shed his own blood. It is because man is made in the image of God. So one man cannot hurt another and shed another man’s blood.
In Verse 7 of Genesis 9, God blessed Noah and told him to be fruitful and multiply to a great extent on the earth. It is God’s will for mankind to reproduce and have children. That is why He created man – male and female.
God Establishes His Covenant With Noah
8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: 9 “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth.
Verse 8-11 of Genesis 9 speaks of God establishing His covenant with Noah. God spoke to Noah and his sons with him. He said that He is establishing His covenant not only with him but also with his descendants after him. Moreover, this covenant also extended to every living creature with Noah. These included the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth that went out of the ark with Noah.
The Covenant
11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
Verse 11 of Genesis 9 speaks of God’s covenant. The covenant was that God will never again send a flood to destroy all flesh on earth and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the entire earth as it was during Noah’s time.
Sign Of The Covenant
12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
In Verses 12-13 of Genesis 9, He said the sign of the covenant which he makes between Himself and Noah and every living creature that is with him for perpetual generations is ‘His rainbow’ in the cloud. Thus, the rainbow shall be the sign of the covenant between God and the earth.
When And Where Will The Rainbow Sign Been Seen?
14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
In Verse 14, God said that when He brings a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud.
A Sign To God And A Sign To Man
15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
In Verse 15 God says that when He sees the rainbow, He will remember His covenant between Him and Noah and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. Verse 15 of Genesis 9 indicates that the rainbow is a sign also to God, because when He sees it He will remember His covenant with Noah and all living flesh. It is also a sign to man – a sign of God’s promise that He will never destroy all flesh on the earth again.
God Emphasizes His Covenant Sign
16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
Verse 16 of Genesis 9, says that the rainbow shall be in the cloud and He will look on it to remember His everlasting covenant. In Verse 17 of Genesis 9, God emphasizes “again” that the rainbow is the sign of the covenant which He has established between Himself and all flesh on the earth. When God repeats Himself or emphasizes something, it often indicates something very important not only for us but also to Him.
Observations On The Rainbow
Notice how in Verses 13 and 14 God said He will set ‘His rainbow in the cloud’. This means the rainbow is His. It belongs to Him. Notice that He did not talk about a rainbow in the window or waterfalls or even a flag. It is a rainbow in the cloud. God is very specific about His covenant as He is with everything else. Also, take heed and beware of what you use and associate the rainbow with. It belongs to Him. Whatever belongs to God is Holy and it is wrong to use the Holy Sign of God’s covenant for unholy purposes or in unholy symbolism.
Also, the rainbow is not merely a natural phenomenon. We must remember that nature itself belongs to God. He is the Creator. Notice how in verse 14 he said “when I bring a cloud over the earth’. It means that it is God who sends the cloud over the earth too.
Observations On The Nature Of God’s Covenant
Verse 16 speaks of His everlasting covenant. It means it still exists today between Him and us because everlasting means forever.
The Sons Of Noah
18 Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.
Verses 18-19 of Genesis 9, talk about the sons of Noah. They were Shem, Ham and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. Noah’s sons populated the whole earth. It is because Noah had only three sons before the great flood and there is no account telling that Noah bore children after the great flood.
Noah Becomes A Farmer
20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. 21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.
Verses 20-21 of Genesis 9 speak of how Noah began to be a farmer and he planted a vineyard. He then drank the wine, became drunk and became uncovered in his tent.
Shem And Japheth Behave Righteously
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.
In verse 22 of Genesis 9, Ham who is the father of Canaan saw the nakedness of Noah and went outside and told Shem and Japheth. In Verse 23 of Genesis 9, we see that both Shem and Japheth behaved righteously in this matter. They took a garment and laid it on both their shoulders and went backwards and covered the nakedness of their father. The word ‘went backwards’ does not mean that they went through the backdoor. It indicates that they entered the tent, to cover their father, with their backs facing their father. They did this to avoid indulging in sin by seeing the nakedness of their father. Hence, their faces were turned away and they did not see their father’s nakedness as Ham did.
Noah Curses Canaan And Blesses Shem And Japheth
24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 Then he said:
“Cursed be Canaan;
A servant of servants
He shall be to his brethren.”
In Verse 24 of Genesis 9, we see that when Noah awoke from his wine he knew what his younger son Ham had done. In Verse 25, He cursed Canaan, the son of Ham. He said that Canaan would be a servant of servants to his brethren (Shem and Japheth).
26 And he said:
“Blessed be the Lord,
The God of Shem,
And may Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth,
And may he dwell in the tents of Shem;
And may Canaan be his servant.”
In Verse 26, Noah said Blessed be the Lord God of Shem and said that Canaan shall be Shem’s servant. He also blessed Japheth by asking God to enlarge him. He also said that Japheth shall dwell in the tents of Shem. And, Canaan (the son of Ham) shall be Japheth’s servant too.’
28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29 So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.
In Verses 28-29 of Genesis 9, we see that Noah lived after the flood for another three hundred and fifty years. Noah lived a total of nine hundred and fifty years.
Conclusion
This brings us to the conclusion of Genesis 9. Yet again we see God’s benevolent nature. The rainbow is God’s symbol, created by Him. We must be very careful about what we use the rainbow symbol for. It cannot be used to mock God.
God is a benevolent God and He is a covenant, God. His covenant is not just for a time period but it lasts forever. We also see that His covenant is with all His creation too. Also, a sobering point to note is that shedding blood has consequences. A man who sheds another man’s blood has consequences. Also eating animal flesh with blood is forbidden. It is because the life of all creatures is in the blood.
I hope you enjoyed this bible study and found it useful in your bible study journey. I enjoyed writing it and seeking the Lord to help me write it. All glory goes to Him alone. If you have any questions or further revelations feel free to kindly let me know by leaving a comment in the comment box below.
Until Next Time!