In Genesis 8, the flood ended, and Noah exited the ark upon God’s instructions. The first thing Noah did was to erect an altar of worship to God. In this chapter, we explore what life looks like outside of the ark and the life lessons to be learned from chapter 9.
- You are blessed with a divine purpose: to fulfill God’s plan.
God blessed Noah and his sons and reminded them of His mandate to their fore-parents: to be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.
Besides replenishing the earth, God has blessed us with time, unique gifts, and talents. These are not random but chosen explicitly for us to fulfill the purpose He has called us, making each of us an integral part of His divine plan.
- The tables have turned from animals fearing us to us fearing them.
In Genesis 1, we were given dominion over everything. Here, we see that man and beast are at odds, and that God told Noah that the fear and dread of him shall be upon every beast, fowl, and fish.
As the tables turn, we are so far removed from the original plan that we have lost dominion, and the animals’ fear and dread are now upon us. At least some of the animals, such as lions, alligators, bears, and even dogs, have slaughtered humans.
If we consider it, even a tiny lizard can instill fear in some women. When we see them in our houses, instead of screaming in fear and terror, we should be able to calmly and confidently order them out.
- It’s blood for blood.
In Genesis 1, we saw that we were given green herbs and plants for meat. After the flood, moving things (animals) were also provided. Many people need to realize that this part of the chapter has two essential points.
The first is that blood should not be consumed. Although we were given consent to eat animals, we were not given consent to eat blood. Meat tastes the way it does because the blood gives it its flavor. If the blood were supposed to be drained out entirely, the meat would have no taste.
The second thing some people miss is that it’s blood for blood. This means we will pay, and have been paying, for the lives of the animals we take with our own.
Genesis 9:5 says, “And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.”
It’s no wonder that man’s lifespan began to decline after the flood.
- God keeps His promises (The Bow: The Token of God’s promise).
After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah, his family (generations), and all the beasts of the earth. His covenant was that He would never again destroy the world with a flood. Not only did God make the promise, but He gave us the bow (rainbow) as a token of remembrance of His promise to us. Even after thousands of generations, that bow still appears in the sky today, signaling God’s unfailing promise to us.
Depending on your age, you would have experienced several floods and hurricanes, even some with a high degree of devastation. You might even have seen it on TV or learned about decades-old storms through Online searches. You will never find or ever live to see another flood like the one in Noah’s days, simply because God promised us.
I don’t know what God has promised you, but I know He will keep His word, just as He did in the covenant He made with Noah and his family. Perhaps He has promised you a long life, so don’t let sickness distract you from His promise. Maybe it’s a financial abundance, so refuse to stay in the seasons of lack. God is faithful and will keep His promises to you and your generations.
- God can turn your little into abundance.
Genesis 9:19 says that Noah’s three sons overspread the whole earth.
Perhaps you are the least of these in your family. All your aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters have more than 10 children, but your family has only two. You feel intimidated when attending family gatherings or navigating family challenges because you are so few in number. God wants to remind you that He can work through you to overspread your territory.
You may have a small business, but most companies in your niche or area are big enough and have access to the resources they need to reach customers further and faster. Do not be dismayed; God can bless your little business in abundance, so trust in Him today.
- Exercise self-control
Whether Noah knew that the wine would drink him or not, the fact is, he drank the wine, got drunk, and was found naked. It’s a lesson to be temperate with what we have and do, including wine, food, fame, and fortune. Not because you have a fast car does it mean you should race it on the streets. Not because we have mouths doesn’t mean we should be constantly talking.
Again, we don’t know how much Noah knew, but we have his story. Let us remember that wine is a mocker. Not only will overindulgence in it cause us to shame through the nakedness of our bodies, but also the nakedness of our pockets and minds.
- Guard your eyes: the curse of nakedness was cast upon the beholder.
We often chastise people who choose to walk naked in our societies. We remind people, especially women, to be modest and cover their bodies adequately, and rightly so. However, this chapter shows that although Noah was drunk, he wasn’t the one who was cursed; it was his son, Ham, who saw his nakedness.
Again, the scripture did not say whether Ham deliberately looked at his father’s nakedness or if he accidentally stumbled upon him. But here we see the consequences of the curse of being a servant to his brethren being made upon him.
What am I saying here? Perhaps the reason life is so difficult for you is that you haven’t guarded your eyes from nakedness. Whether online or otherwise, whenever nakedness appears, you must look the other way.
Assignment:
- Are you using the gifts and skills God has given you per His will?
- What happened to the fear and dread of us being upon animals?
- Do you think Ham’s outcome would be different if he had covered his father’s nakedness?
Leave a Reply