First Sunday in Lent Genesis 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 9:8-17 With the Noahs and their descendants (to this day) With every living creature (to this day) – Birds – Domestic animals – Every animal of the earth With all flesh (5x in this passage; 8x in rest of flood story; nowhere else in Genesis) God’s covenant with all of creation It is also our covenant with all of creation since we are still created in the image of God so as to exercise God’s rule (Gen 9:6)

On God’s part I establish (not cut) a covenant. Unilateral Never again will all flesh be cut off Never again will there be such a flood Does the flood have a past? Doubtful. Does the flood have a future? No! Signs of the covenant – Sabbath—kept by humans (Exod 31:13) and God (Gen 2:2) – Circumcision—kept by humans – Rainbow/war bow—kept by God I will remember my (everlasting) covenant Seeing is remembering

Nocovt.jpg

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

After the rainbow—Gen 9:18-29 Noah plants a vineyard and gets drunk and exposes himself in his tent Gen 9:21—that’s the kind of world we live in, in the land of Nod, East of Eden (Gen 4:16) Crossing the boundaries within the family – What did Ham “see”/do? – “See” and tell Gen 9:22 Shem and Japheth’s cover up Gen 9:24

Noah plants vineyard; gets drunk noahsot2.jpg

Bernardo Luini Noah Luin. Jpg Note grapes

After the Rainbow Gen 9:24-29 Cursed be Canaan! A lowly slave to his brothers Blessed be Yahweh the God of Shem; let Canaan be his slave May God expand Japheth; may he dwell in the tents of Shem and may Canaan be a slave to them. International relations: Philistines-Israelites-Canaanites Noah lived 350 more years, 950 in all, in an everlasting covenant Noah and Ms. Noah sealed…and marked with God’s covenant forever

Mark 1:9-11 The baptism of Jesus: Been there, done that on January 8 (unless you celebrated Epiphany) Jesus alone saw – Heavens torn apart – Spirit descending Jesus (and everyone?) heard: You are my child, the beloved, with you I am well pleased After the baptism of Jesus and our baptisms— then the temptations, then the wilderness

Mark 1:12-14: Life for Jesus and for us after the rainbow Verse 12 Immediately (εὐθὺς) out into the wilderness; Driven/sent by the Spirit Verse 13 The temptation of Jesus/us – No details to speak of – 40 days//40 years in the wilderness//Elijah fed on the way to Sinai for 40 days – Satan-knocked out early? Get behind me, Satan – With the wild animals-only in Mark μετὰ τῶν θηρίων – Angels were his deacons/fed him οἱ ἄγγελοι διηκόνουν αὐτῷ. – Who are our deacons? Who will feed us? Who will feed others? Verse 14 John was arrested; then Jesus came to Galilee preaching God’s good news.

God buries Moses

An angel rebukes the devil The Death of Moses William Blake