First Sunday in LentGenesis 9:8-17 The Covenant with the Noahs (Lent 2: Covenant with Abraham and Sarah; Lent 3: Sinai Covenant; Lent 5 New Covenant)Mark 1:9-15

Genesis 9 8 Then God said to Noah, to Ms. Noah, and to his descendants with them, 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. 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 9

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. 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. 17 God said to them, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.

The Covenant with Noah and Ms. Noah Gen 9:8-17With the Noahs and their descendants (to this day)With every living creature (to this day)BirdsDomestic animalsEvery animal of the earthWith all flesh (5x in this passage; 8x in rest of flood story; nowhere else in Genesis)Gods covenant with all of creationIt is also our covenant with all of creation since we are still created in the image of God so as to exercise Gods rule (Gen 9:6)

On Gods partI establish (not cut) a covenant. UnilateralNever again will all flesh be cut offNever again will there be such a floodDoes the flood have a past? Doubtful. Does the flood have a future? No!Signs of the covenantSabbathkept by humans (Exod 31:13) and God (Gen 2:2)Circumcisionkept by humansRainbow/war bowkept by GodI will remember my (everlasting) covenantSeeing is remembering

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Everlasting covenantThe contrast between the covenant with the Noahs (unconditional) and the Sinai covenant (conditional)Rainbows appear in the midst of stormsIn our baptisms we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever

After the rainbowGen 9:18-29Noah plants a vineyard and gets drunk and exposes himself in his tent Gen 9:21thats the kind of world we live in, in the land of Nod, East of Eden (Gen 4:16)Crossing the boundaries within the familyWhat did Ham see/do?See and tell Gen 9:22Shem and Japheths cover up Gen 9:24

Noah plants vineyard; gets drunk noahsot2.jpg

BernardoLuini

1480-1532

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Notegrapes

After the Rainbow Gen 9:24-29Cursed be Canaan! A lowly slave to his brothersBlessed be Yahweh the God of Shem; let Canaan be his slaveMay God expand Japheth; may he dwell in the tents of Shem and may Canaan be a slave to them.International relations: Philistines-Israelites-CanaanitesNoah lived 350 more years, 950 in all, in an everlasting covenantNoah and Ms. Noah sealedand marked with Gods covenant forever

Mark 1:9-11The baptism of Jesus: Been there, done that on January 8 (unless you celebrated Epiphany)Jesus alone sawHeavens torn apartSpirit descendingJesus (and everyone?) heard: You are my child, the beloved, with you I am well pleasedAfter the baptism of Jesus and our baptismsthen the temptations, then the wilderness

Mark 1:12-14: Life for Jesus and for us after the rainbow

Verse 12 Immediately () out into the wilderness; Driven/sent by the SpiritVerse 13 The temptation of Jesus/usNo details to speak of40 days//40 years in the wilderness//Elijah fed on the way to Sinai for 40 daysSatan-knocked out early? Get behind me, SatanWith the wild animals-only in Mark Angels were his deacons/fed him .Who are our deacons? Who will feed us? Who will feed others?Verse 14 John was arrested; then Jesus came to Galilee preaching Gods good news.

God buries Moses

An angel rebukes

the devil

The Death of Moses

William Blake

*pppp40 days length of flood in Gen 7:12, 17 8:6 after 40 days Noah raised the roof. The wild animals are the ones with whom God made an everlasting covenant.*