The Promise of a Better Covenant
Photo credit: Beth Robertson
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” – Genesis 9:8-11, NIV
“The rationale for sacrificial atonement was the substitution of the animal’s life, represented by the shed blood, in place of the offerer’s life, who thereby receives atonement (Lev 17:11b).” -Kenneth A Matthews
“In ancient times blood was considered a life force. The prohibition does not require that no blood at all be consumed, but only that the blood must be drained. The draining of the blood before eating the meat was way of returning the life force of the animal to the God who gave it life. This offers recognition that they have taken the life with permission and are partaking of God’s bounty as his guests.” – John H. Walton and Victor H. Matthews
“The Hebrews believed that blood is the source of life and the means by which life is perpetuated. To remove blood is to terminate life.” – John D. Currid
Understanding the cultural significance around a Biblical event can greatly help us to grasp the fullness of what is happening. To have a deeper understanding of the importance of blood and the nature of covenant making, allows one a depth of insight into Genesis 9:1-17. Most scholars believe that this event both draws on and is foundational to those ancient understandings. One commentator went so far as to say that he feels that Genesis 9’s prohibition on eating meat with the blood still in it became a safeguard for God fearers to avoid the many pagan rituals that involved consuming blood on purpose. Covenant making is also obviously front and center in these verses and there again deeper understanding of the cultural significance becomes instructive. To know for instance that in ancient times it was always the prerogative of the ruler (or more powerful party) to set the terms of the covenant helps us to understand why God and not Noah initiates the covenant. To further grasp that covenants are in effect as long as the parties that make them live, gives us a helpful reassurance that the ‘never again’ of God is still in effect. Here then is something on which we should ponder; as part of the ‘new’ covenant (see Hebrews 9:15), made by the superior blood of Jesus, are the ‘old’ covenants broken? In my understanding the short answer is “no.” In fact, I think that in the covenant Jesus established all the other covenants of God are fulfilled and superseded. So, for instance the Noahic covenant gave the promise of no destruction by flood and established the eating of some meat for food. Jesus’ covenant gives us the promise of a new heavens and a new earth, better than this one (Revelation 21:1). He also makes all food clean (Mark 7:19) meaning we can eat any kind of meat. This framework is why for me, the text of Genesis 9:1-17 is a tremendous promise but points us forward to an even better covenant which God had in mind even as He breathed amazing significance into the rainbow. He knew that His Son would make a peace beyond our wildest dreams (Ephesians 2:11-22). I often hear people talk about “reclaiming the rainbow” but, after my time studying Genesis 9, I feel like the better work we ought to do is use the rainbow as a way to point people to the cup of the new covenant.
Questions for further discussion/application:
How does your understanding of the significance of blood, deepen your appreciation for what Christ means when He says that His blood is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28)?
In what way do you need to be reminded that God is faithful to His promises? Who around you needs to be reminded of God’s faithfulness? How will you remind them?
Reflecting on your story, when has God’s unconditional promise (His covenant with us in Jesus) been most meaningful to you?