GENESIS
CHAPTER
9
1. God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 1)
On reflecting God's command required that humanity increased in number and occupy the earth, however it did not say kill your sons and daughters by aborting them or marry a partner of the same sex, or experiment with the systems that I have created with the risk or intention of destroying them. However in truth, this is exactly what we are doing or what is going to happen in the coming future.
2. The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 2)
According to verse two of the ninth chapter of the book of Genesis all the animals that God had created respected humanity or Noah and his descendants and were subject to him as much as they had been subject to God when they had the fear of him in them.
3. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 3)
According to the will of God there was no longer the prohibition on what could be consumed, however it, was up to common sense not to eat anything that could harm the body as in things that were poisonous or harmful in any way. Moreover every Christian or Hebrew who believes in God is no longer conditioned on what and not to eat because God removed the ban that had existed in this respect.
4. Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning; from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life.
(Genesis chapter 9 verses 4 and 5)
One exception that God made was in relation to taking the life of both creatures and human beings. When considering how many people die in wars, aborted children etc, this is a very serious issue on which to reflect, however as much as we can kill each other with weapons of war, we can kill each other emotionally, and even psychologically, by refraining from speaking to the other person or simply ignoring the person as if he or she was invisible. This is also a means of psychological murder or torture that is not to be practiced. We are to keep in mind that according to the 'Word of God' we are accountable or responsible for each other's well being either physically, spiritually or even on a social level. When appearing before God He will question us in relation to such issues, therefore before acting out of love with the risk of harming any body we quickly refer to Genesis chapter 9 verses 4 and 5 and refrain from the planned negative action.
6. Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person's blood be shed; for in his own image God made humankind.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 6)
By the words written in verse six of the ninth chapter of the book of Genesis God does not mean that He is in favour of blood shed and violence among humans or creatures. God loves humanity so much that He created it in His form.
7. And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it."
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 7)
On reflecting our God is not a God of idleness or idle people. He is totally active and wants us to be active and creative in order to reflect our heavenly father. Instead of using contraception to limit the amount of offspring to a big zero, God wants us to procreate and increase in numbers.
8. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 "As for me I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark."
(Genesis chapter 9 verses 8 to 10)
According to verses eight to ten God is going to make an important declaration to all creation meaning both humans and creatures.
11. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 11)
On reflecting God made an important promise to everyone on earth that He would never destroy the earth with the waters of the flood. However God does not need to destroy the earth because humans today are doing exactly the contrary. As a consequence of war many people are dying, while others have to flee their homes and country because it no longer offers them security and well being.
12. God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; 13 I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
(Genesis chapter 9 verses 12 to 15)
According to verses twelve to fifteen the rainbow was given the following significance. It was a reminder of a pact between God and humanity that the waters of the flood would never destroy all life on earth again. Moreover God always keeps His promises. Therefore if great floods happen with the result of loss of life, we are to rest assured that it is not an 'act of God' or an act that happened withe the approval of God.
16. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 16)
According to verse sixteen when God sees the rainbow He will remember his pact with humanity, however we have to keep in mind that in truth, God can never forget his promises. Moreover God knows before the rainbow is in the sky that it has the mentioned significance and does not need it to remind him.
17. God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all the flesh that is on the earth."
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 17)
According to verse seventeen the image of the rainbow was more of a natural happening that has the benediction of God to take place after a rainy period. It is an important symbol of a covenant that has taken place forever between God and humanity.
18. The sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 18 to 19)
It may sound to rather hard to believe that out of three men the rest of the world was populated, however one has to consider that the aim of the author of the book of Genesis was not that of giving a geographical account of how the world was populated, however it is obvious that Shem, Ham and Japheth had wives and begotten other sons and daughters and therefore the possibility would be more likely according to this scenario. Moreover there is geographical evidence that holds the name of the sons of Noah as commemorated and referred to as having had existed.
7. And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it."
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 7)
On reflecting our God is not a God of idleness or idle people. He is totally active and wants us to be active and creative in order to reflect our heavenly father. Instead of using contraception to limit the amount of offspring to a big zero, God wants us to procreate and increase in numbers.
8. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 "As for me I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark."
(Genesis chapter 9 verses 8 to 10)
According to verses eight to ten God is going to make an important declaration to all creation meaning both humans and creatures.
11. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 11)
On reflecting God made an important promise to everyone on earth that He would never destroy the earth with the waters of the flood. However God does not need to destroy the earth because humans today are doing exactly the contrary. As a consequence of war many people are dying, while others have to flee their homes and country because it no longer offers them security and well being.
12. God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; 13 I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
(Genesis chapter 9 verses 12 to 15)
According to verses twelve to fifteen the rainbow was given the following significance. It was a reminder of a pact between God and humanity that the waters of the flood would never destroy all life on earth again. Moreover God always keeps His promises. Therefore if great floods happen with the result of loss of life, we are to rest assured that it is not an 'act of God' or an act that happened withe the approval of God.
16. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 16)
According to verse sixteen when God sees the rainbow He will remember his pact with humanity, however we have to keep in mind that in truth, God can never forget his promises. Moreover God knows before the rainbow is in the sky that it has the mentioned significance and does not need it to remind him.
17. God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all the flesh that is on the earth."
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 17)
According to verse seventeen the image of the rainbow was more of a natural happening that has the benediction of God to take place after a rainy period. It is an important symbol of a covenant that has taken place forever between God and humanity.
18. The sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 18 to 19)
It may sound to rather hard to believe that out of three men the rest of the world was populated, however one has to consider that the aim of the author of the book of Genesis was not that of giving a geographical account of how the world was populated, however it is obvious that Shem, Ham and Japheth had wives and begotten other sons and daughters and therefore the possibility would be more likely according to this scenario. Moreover there is geographical evidence that holds the name of the sons of Noah as commemorated and referred to as having had existed.
20. Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vine yard. 21 He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered in his tent.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 20 to 21)
Noah is a great consolation for all people who attempt to lead a good life. Although we have an example of a good man, we see that even this person fell into the sin of loss of self-control and became drunk thus if such a good man could not control himself and was still loved by God, our heavenly father will surely show understanding to our human weaknesses.
22. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his brothers outside.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 22)
On reflecting Ham is the typical example of those who gossip about other people or the things that have happened to them. Instead of helping his father on seeing him in such a situation Ham went to his brothers and shared the news of his father's nakedness with them.
23. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces was turned away, and they did not see their father's nakedness.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 23)
Shem and Japheth on the other hand are typical examples of how our behaviour is to be in such circumstances. As loyal sons both to God and to their father, Shem and Japheth did not even seek to set their eyes on the nakedness of their father but covered him in a way that hindered them by being contaminated by the sinfulness of the situation.
24. When Noah awoke from his wine and knew that his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, "Cursed be Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers."
(Genesis chapter 9 verses 24 to 25)
As a reaction to his son Canaan's negative behaviour and manifestation of lack of love and respect, Noah proclaimed the following condemnation that was to be a prophecy for years to come. In fact his curse was not only his voice, but God was using Noah to transmit a truth that was to take place later on. At particular times God speaks by means of His 'Word' and by means of the Roman Catholic Church among others.
26. He also said, "Blessed by the LORD my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.
(Genesis chapter 9 verse 26)
It seems that Canaan's act was so sinful that he merited the label of a slave to both his brothers, who instead of shaming their father did, their best to remedy the situation.
27. May God make space for Japheth, and let him live in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his slave." 28 After the flood Noah lived three hundred fifty years. 29 All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years; and he died.
(Genesis chapter 9 verses 27 to 29)
It seems that Ham and Japheth was the brains behind the attempt to save Noah's honour and face, because Japheth received the greatest blessing. He was permitted to have a place in his own dwellings and in the dwellings of Shem that means a position of authority and superiority among the brothers.
When comparing Noah to his predecessors as referred to in the previous chapters Noah lived a ripe old age that in turn reflected the quality of life lived by this faithful and obedient person to God who serves as a signpost for us to follow in his footsteps.
Adam lived 930 years.
Seth lived 912 years.
Enosh lived 905 years.
Kenan lived 910 years
Mahalalel lived 895 years.
Jared lived 962.
Enoch lived 365 years.
Methuselah lived 969 years.
Lamech 770 lived years.
Noah lived 950 years
I would like to end this chapter withe the following prayer:
Oh God father of love cleanse us with your Divine Grace, give us the strength to overcome our sinful nature that compels us to perform sinful acts against others. Please give us the needed control over ourselves, especially our tongues, that when out of control can be an instrument of psychological harm, that which when accompanied by physical harm can be a very dangerous weapon.
I would also like to thank you for my family tree, please help me to accept and forgive those who have hurt me in the past and even the present and please forgive me for hurting others for I am also a sinner with the ability of hurting others.
Thank You
God
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