Instructions

DEVOTION

GENESIS

INSTRUCTIONS

Gen 9:1-7

9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. 4 "But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. 6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. 7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."

NIV

Everyone is out of the ark and now God makes another agreement with Noah, as well as a new proclamation. From this passage we can be sure that up to the time of the flood, man and animal were at peace with each other, and no man ate meat. Even through every inclination of their heart was evil all the time, they all were still eating from the fruit of trees, berries from bushes and grains from the ground. The lamb truly did lay down with the lion as did all mankind. But now the world was going to be a different place. Now the dread of man was upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and upon every creature that moves along the ground, and all the fish of the sea. The animal kingdom would now fear man, and in some sense man would fear, at least, some of them, mostly those we know as the wild kingdom. But now Noah and his family and all from that time forward will now have the meat of animals to eat. Man, who had been an herbivore or vegetarian, has become an omnivore. But there are stipulations to how Noah could eat this meat. He could not eat it while it was still alive. That sounds rather bizarre that God would have to tell him that, but then not having every eaten the meat of an animal before, how would he know how he was to eat it. Noah’s life was going to be different from this time forward, now that he had been saved he needed instructions as to how this new life would be. God instructed him and has been instructing us ever since. Although we could focus on that command he gave Noah about the taking of another human life, and that whoever does so, God will require the life of that person. This is surely a grand case for capital punishment. Some might argue that Jesus fulfilled the law, and thus we no longer live under that law of an eye for an eye, or capital punishment. But this command God gave Noah was far before any law was given. So then has God recanted from his demand of a life from whomever takes another man’s life? Are we no longer in the image of God? Surely we are still in his image and therefor subject to this proclamation of God. But the truth we should focus on is in the new life Noah was now going to live after leaving the ark. Once we are saved, once we entered the cross of Christ, we too must live a new life. Our lives are going to be different then before the cross. Just as God gave explicit instructions to Noah about his new lifestyle, he gives us the same type of instructions. Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior our life is different. Just as Noah had no clue how he was to eat the meat of animals, we have no clue how we should live as a believer. We need to read his word, see the instructions he gave us, and make that kind of change in our lives. Certainly there was a big difference for Noah and there is for us. Noah was alone in the world, except for his wife, their sons and their wives. They did not have to put up with the rest of the world living without the instructions from God. They had done that, but of course all those had perished in the flood. Those who we have to live among will also perish in the flames, but just not yet. So here we are as believers living among a world of unbelievers, trying to live in accordance with the instructions of God. Noah must still have had temptations, he was not a perfect man, but nevertheless when God made a change in his life, he instructed him how the change would be. This is our life as well. Whenever God makes changes in our life, he instructs us. He does not every leave us, nor forsake us, he is always there giving us instructions as to how we are to live in this new life.

Ps 119:105-112

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. 106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. 107 I have suffered much; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word. 108 Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. 109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. 110 The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. 111 Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.

NIV

Although we could spend an entire devotion and perhaps more on this portion of Psalm 119, the main point is the same. A new life in Christ is just that, a new life and we will follow the Lords righteous instructions. His word, the Holy Scriptures are that light for our path through life. His word shows us the way we are to walk, how we are to live, even as we live among those who would set a snare for us. Those who would want us to believe it is alright to live in the same manner as they do, trusting in their own abilities, rather than trusting in God. God’s instructions are our heritage forever, they are the joy of our heart. Our heart is set on keeping his instructions. Do we fail? Without question, but our heart is not bent toward the world, but toward God. Noah was given his instructions and we can be sure, as God has said about him before, Noah did everything God commanded him to do. We have the commands of God at our fingertips. We have his commands in so many different forms, both on paper and in digital formats. We have a multitude of translations, worded a little different, but the instructions are all the same. In addition, we have the Spirit among and within us, speaking to our hearts, revealing both the way we should go, and the truth of his instructions. How easy it is to know what God expects of us. How difficult it is to follow those instructions. However, the point is he has provided them for us. We are to be fruitful and increase in number.