The Book of Genesis
Part 19
In our previous study we considered two or three salient points regarding the condition of the world after the Deluge; let us now notice several things relative to God’s covenant with man at that time.
A covenant among men embraces terms mutally agreed to, terms which are ratified by an oath before witnesses. Jacob made such a covenant with Laban, and they gathered a heap of stones to be a perpetual witness between them (Gen. 31:46). The Apostle alludes to such a covenant in Gal. 3:15.
The covenants made by God are distinct from this in that He makes His covenants from Himself without consulting man, and pledges Himself to keep the terms made in these covenants. God has entered into numerous covenants with man.
The Edenic (Gen. 1:28-30; 2:16-17); This reveals the conditions under which man lived in innocence.
The Adamic (Gen. 3:14-19) embraces the conditions governing man’s life after the Fall.
The Noahic (Gen. 8:20; 9:27) disclosed God’s purposes respecting His mercy to mankind and His government through man.
The Abrahamic (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-8): This is an assurance of everlasting blessing to Abraham’s descendants and through them to the world.
The Mosaic or Sinaitic (Ex. 20:1-31; Deut. 30:1-9): The blessings of this covenant were dependant upon human behaviour and manifest God’s demands of holiness. The covenant reveals God’s intention to re-gather Israel in her own land.
The Davidic ( 2 Sam. 7:5-19); Through this is assured an everlasting kingdom, throne, and king for Israel through the House of David.
The New Covenant for Israel (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:7-12 This covenant surpasses that of Sinai which Israel broke, and is conditioned upon the faithfulness of God.
The Covenant of Grace (Luke 22:20; Titus 1:2; Heb. 13:20: ) Although the expression Covenant of Grace is not found in Scripture, it is frequently used in the preaching of the gospel. Sometimes it is used in a general sense to reveal that God’s attitude to man has ever been one of grace, but it is used more often in a specific manner to remind the heart of the many blessings vouchsafed to the believer in Christ and through His death at Calvary.
The Noahic Covenant, as we call it, is not only stated here in Genesis but it is symbolized by the rainbow. What a precious symbol it is! As the rainbow follows the storm and indicates the presence of the sunshine, the mercy of God assures the believer that judgment upon his sin is past and that he may now enjoy God’s smile. The rainbow is universal and so also is God’s mercy, and as it remains the same throughout every succeeding generation, it declares that “His mercy endureth forever” (Psa. 136:1).
The rainbow symbolizes some of the attributes and some of the purposes of God.
His truth: It is the sign of a divine pledge which cannot be broken.
His mercy: Inspite of the known existence of sin God would not again destroy man by a deluge (Gen. 19:15; Psa. 108: 4; 103:11-12).
His grace: The Noahic covenant was one of pure grace for it was definitely one of unmerited favour.
His righteousness: This promise and its pledge were limited in their extent and in their time (Heb. 11:7; Matt. 24:28; Luke 17:26-30).
His character: “God is light” (1 John 1:5). Light, composed of the three primary colours, forms a precious symbol of the Holy Trinity. The prismatic colours of the rainbow manifest the beauty and oneness of the Divine Essence.