In the aftermath of the flood, everything has been destroyed except the people (Noah and his family) and animals that are in the safety of the ark. When it is time to leave the ark, God tells Noah to leave the boat and release all the animals so they can be fruitful and multiply throughout the earth. Noah builds an altar to the Lord and offers a sacrifice of gratitude which pleases the Lord who makes two promises: (1) to never again destroy all living things even though everything the human race thinks or imagines is bent toward evil (8:21), and (2) the seasons would continue. There would be seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease (8:22). God confirms his covenant with Noah and his sons and their descendants and with all the animals that were on the boat. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth. As a sign of His covenant, He placed a rainbow in the sky. This is a testament to God’s mercy and faithfulness even in judgement. Noah was considered a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth (6:9); however, his story also reveals human weakness, as seen in Noah’s drunkenness and the incident with his son Ham. This demonstrates that even righteous people are imperfect and in need of God’s grace. Chapter 10 traces the genealogy of Noah’s descendants and how they spread out over the earth. Chapter 11 recounts the Tower of Babel, where the peoples' pride leads them to defy God’s command to fill the earth. They decide to build a great city for themselves with a tower that reaches the sky. “This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world” (11:4). God confuses their language, forcing them to scatter. This passage serves as a warning against human arrogance and the attempt to elevate oneself apart from God. It also sets the stage for God’s plan to work through one chosen family—Abram’s. Abram descends through the line of Noah’s son, Shem. In Genesis 12, God calls Abram to leave his homeland and go to the land He would show him. God promises to make him into a great nation. Through him all the families of the earth will be blessed. In faith, Abram obeys God yet when he went to Egypt due to a famine in the land, he felt it necessary to operate in deception rather than trust God for his safety. Despite Abram’s imperfections, God remains faithful to His promises. In Genesis 13, Abram and his nephew Lot separate because the land could not support both of them with their many flocks and herds. Abram operated in faith in letting Lot choose the land that he wanted first. Lot operated by sight in choosing land that was beautiful and well-watered. Land that, in my thinking, he thought was the best land, not knowing the wickedness that was there. In these chapters we see that God is sovereign, He is faithful, and He is full of grace. While humanity continues to struggle with sin, God remains patient. Abram’s journey teaches us to trust God and His provision and not rely on our own schemes and plans. God’s plans are greater than ours and He is faithful to fulfill His promises.
Sandra Smith
