God’s Covenant with Noah

A Devotional Series from Genesis

Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)

6/10 Reading Portions: Deuteronomy 15; Psalm 102; Isaiah 42; Revelation 12

Genesis 6:18-21

“But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them”

GRACE

This is the first time a covenant is mentioned in the Bible. It is the Hebrew word בְּרִית (b’-REEYT). We should take note that it is YHVH God’s covenant to Noah, as He says, “My covenant.” Because it is His covenant, it is a covenant of grace. In establishing His covenant, YHVH God literally “rises” or “stands” to establish His covenant. It is the Hebrew root word קוּם (qoom).

From the substance of this first covenant from God, we see that it equates to salvation, for Noah and his family, as well as all the animals, to be kept alive in the ark during God’s judgment upon the earth.

As this is the first covenant, God will continue to reveal His plans and purposes of the coming Messiah through His covenants hereafter: the Abrahamic Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant, the Aaronic Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, etc.

As YHVH God establishes this first covenant of grace and salvation with Noah, the covenants of God culminate in the final covenant established by God the Son on the night He was betrayed, on the eve of His suffering judgment for sins He did not commit. It is written:

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also He took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Hallelujah! What a Savior!