Genesis 9:1-7 – A New World
Surrounded by the devastation of those who were in a wrong relationship with God, God makes it clear to Noah that He loves him. God again gives man the earth to fill and to have authority over. He promises that He will provide the food man needs. Possibly up to this point man was a vegetarian, but now God makes it abundantly clear that animals are also given to man to eat.
Even though Noah and his descendants are given power and authority over the rest of creation, God is still the Creator, and man is still His creation. So, God gives man certain specific commands for this new world. These commands all have to do with the taking away of life. The first has to do with eating blood. Man is allowed to eat animals, but blood is to be seen, not as something common, but as something special, the life of the animal, poured out to God in sacrifices. Man is not to take away his own life, because it doesn’t belong to him, it belongs to God, and God will hold him accountable for what he does to it. Animals also are not to be allowed to take away man’s life. Finally, murderers are to be put to death. God will require from murderers the life they take away. When they cannot give it, He will require their own as the only way left of making restitution. God sets up authorities in government to carry out this punishment of murderers. Man is made in the image of God – to attack this image is to attack God, and it should be clear from these verses that God takes these attacks very seriously.
Questions
- What has God given us to eat?
- What punishment does God order for murderers?
Prayer Points
- Pray for the preaching and hearing of God’s Word tomorrow.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters