Starting Over

Genesis 8:20-9:7

Though the ark was a very large structure, It still had definite limits. After more than a year on board, surrounded with all the animals, just getting off must have been like taking a trip to the mountains for Noah and his family. It was probably almost as much a blessing, as knowing that they’d survived the flood.

“And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.” (Genesis 8:20)

The first thing Noah did was to give thanks to the Lord for their deliverance. Though he had done a lot of work preparing the ark and caring for the animals, he recognized that their survival was the result of God’s working, God had given the warning. Had told what was needed, had enabled him to do his part, and had kept the storm from exceeding the ark’s capabilities. Too often humans count only their part and ignore what God had to do for their efforts to succeed. Noah took time to recognize and express his appreciation.

“And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:21-22)

Pleased with Noah’s sacrifice, God made some specific commitments. He would never again curse the earth for man’s sin like he had at this time, totally destroying every living thing. Man is inherently wicked, deliberately dreaming up evil. The wickedness portrayed in our literary and artistic endeavors just demonstrates our preoccupation with evil. Not only would God never again totally destroy life like he had done, but he made another promise. As long as this earth continues, there will be seasons for planting and harvesting, variations in weather, winter and summer and day and night. We do not need to concern ourselves with the burning out of the sun, or global warming causing dramatic changes, or a lot of the other things people concern themselves with because God has promised to see to it that they continue in normal fashion until the world ends. This does not imply that we have no responsibility for the environment. The command in Genesis 1:28 has never been repealed. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

“And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.” (Genesis 9:1-2)

Part of the instructions to Noah were the same as the instructions to Adam. They were to have children and fill the earth. They were still to have responsibility over the animals and land. There was a major difference, however. The animals would live in fear of man from that time forward as a result of a major change in man’s diet. In Genesis 1:29 we learn, “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”

God originally intended for all the animals and man to be vegetarian. As a result of man’s sin, they began eating animals, with Able, and later Jabal beginning to raise animals for food. God made the eating of meat official after the flood. Notice the instruction.

“Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.” (Genesis 9:3-4)

One result of this change was that the animals would develop and instinctive fear of man they hadn’t had previously. Another was that while man could survive on a vegetarian diet, he would have a hard time attaining maximum health. Today, despite claims of vegetarian diets being more healthy, studies have found that in general, vegetarians live shorter lives than those who eat both meat and vegetables. They have higher rates of Alzheimer’s and dementia, and their children miss more school due to sickness than those who eat a diet containing some meat. Human bodies are unable to produce certain essential compounds that other animals produce. Healthy vegetarians have to use supplements either derived from animals or artificially synthesized.

One specific guideline about the eating of meat was that they were not to eat the blood with the meat. The reason given was that the blood was the life thereof. Literally, life, even that of the other animals, was not to be taken lightly. Practically, the blood carries any harmful viruses or bacteria or poisons the animal may have ingested or produced, as well as hastening decomposition, and to eat the blood increases the likelihood of ingesting harmful material.

Another major change was a specific guideline about what was to be done when a person was killed. Before Adam’s sin, there was no death. After Cain killed Abel, killing grew to be a problem until, just before the flood, violence filled the earth. God gave the next command to prevent killing reaching the same level again. All life came from God, and especially human life was to be considered sacred.

“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. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” (Genesis 9:5-6)

Even animals such as lions and tigers and bears normally avoid attacking man. However, it has been found that once that natural hesitation is overcome, they are much more likely to attack again. Almost two thirds of all people who are killed are killed by someone who has killed before. Once the initial aversion is destroyed, it is easier to kill again.

Recognizing this, God specified that the killer, whether man or animal, was to be killed to prevent doing it again. It had nothing to do with punishment, which is God’s business. It was strictly about preventing more. Following God’s command on this would eliminate any discussion over competence to stand trial, since even animals were to be killed if they killed a man. Even if executing murders did not deter anyone from committing murder, in the United States, simply executing them after their first muder would reduce the murder level by more than half. It would also drastically reduce the number of prisons we currently have.

Furthermore the system would be far more just than the present system in that the person who took a person’s life would have his own life taken. He would just experience what he had done to another. The crime would be related to the punishment. A corollary to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is that it is okay for people to treat you the same way you treat others. Modern society tries to accomplish the same thing with the temporary expedient of imprisonment. It doesn’t work very well.

“And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.” (Genesis 9:7)

God then repeated his initial command. That he repeated himself makes it clear he considers this very important. I am amazed how much effort is devoted to trying to stop population growth in our day. While we experience famines and food shortages, they are not primarily the result of overpopulation, but of man’s efforts to control others for his own advantage. If instead of trying to control it, we focused doing things the way God specified, with one man and one woman marrying and then supporting their own children, population growth would probably slow dramatically. There would no longer be an incentive to see how many different people they could procreate with.