The document discusses the biblical covenants between God and humanity. It provides background on major covenants like the ones with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. The focus is on God's covenant with Noah after the flood, as described in Genesis 9. Key points made are that God is always the initiator of covenants, uses covenants for the benefit of all creation, and remains persistent in the covenant even when met with silence. The rainbow is presented as God turning the bow towards God's self as a sign of the covenant.

1. Prayer
God of the covenant,
in the glory of the cross
your Son embraced the power of death
and broke its hold over your people.
In this time of repentance,
draw all people to yourself,
that we who confess Jesus as Lord
may put aside the deeds of death
and accept the life of your kingdom. Amen.

2. The Church Calendar
February 21

3. Genesis 9:8-17
GOD and COVENANT

4. Covenant with Abraham Gen 12, 15
Covenant with Moses/Israel Ex 19, 24
Covenant with David 2 Sam 7
The New Covenant Jer 31, Luke 22
MAJOR COVENANTS
IN THE BIBLE

5. Covenant with Noah/creation Gen 9
Covenant with Abraham Gen 12, 15
Covenant with Moses/Israel Ex 19, 24
Covenant with David 2 Sam 7
The New Covenant Jer 31, Luke 22
MAJOR COVENANTS
IN THE BIBLE

6. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with
him, “As for me, I am establishing my
covenant with you and your descendants after
you, 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.
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 9:8-11

7. 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: I have set my bow in the clouds,
and it shall be a sign of the covenant between
me and the earth. When I bring clouds over
the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,
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 9:12-15

8. “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.”
God said to Noah, “This is the sign
of the covenant that I have established
between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
GENESIS 9:16-18

9. MAJOR INTERPRETIVE OPTIONS
1. Read the text LITERALLY

10. MAJOR INTERPRETIVE OPTIONS
1. Read the text LITERALLY
2. Read the text MYTHOLOGICALLY

11. MYTHOLOGY IN RELIGION
myths symbolically capture a sense
of reality as people understood it;
they CAN be connected to actual events
of some kind, but they MAINLY intend to
communicate important religious/spiritual
truths people
have long carried as a community

12. MAJOR INTERPRETIVE OPTIONS
1. Read the text LITERALLY
2. Read the text MYTHOLOGICALLY
- Written in the 6th – 5th Century BCE
- Written during Babylonian captivity
- Written to help people make sense
of their relationship with God
in light of their present reality

13. MAJOR INTERPRETIVE OPTIONS
1. Read the text LITERALLY
2. Read the text MYTHOLOGICALLY
NOTE: BOTH are possible options
within the Christian faith; you can
be a faithful follower of Jesus either way
you choose to interpret the story; just
know and be honest that you are
choosing either way!

14. WHAT MIGHT GEN 9 TELL US?
1. God is ALWAYS the INITIATOR

15. Like the act of creation itself,
(the covenant by God with creation)
is an extraordinary commitment
on God’s part that emerges from
God’s own being.There will be
later covenants…that will require
a human response…but the
covenant that follows the flood
is utterly one-sided.
JOHN GOLDINGAY

16. WHAT MIGHT GEN 9 TELL US?
1. God is ALWAYS the INITIATOR
2. God initiates COVENANTS

17. WHAT MIGHT GEN 9 TELL US?
1. God is ALWAYS the INITIATOR
2. God initiates COVENANTS
3. God uses SPECIFIC covenants
for the sake of EVERYONE/THING

18. WHAT MIGHT GEN 9 TELL US?
1. God is ALWAYS the INITIATOR
2. God initiates COVENANTS
3. God uses SPECIFIC covenants
for the sake of EVERYONE/THING
4. God is PERSISTENT

19. When a speaker (in Biblical Hebrew)
addresses someone and the formula
for introducing speech is repeated
with no intervening response from
the interlocutor, it generally indicates
some sort of significant silence –
a failure to comprehend, a resistance
to the speaker’s words, and so forth.
ROBERT ALTER

20. WHAT MIGHT GEN 9 TELL US?
1. God is ALWAYS the INITIATOR
2. God initiates COVENANTS
3. God uses SPECIFIC covenants
for the sake of EVERYONE/THING
4. God is PERSISTENT
5. God turns the BOW towards
God’s SELF

24. WHAT MIGHT GEN 9 TELL US?
1. God is ALWAYS the INITIATOR
2. God initiates COVENANTS
3. God uses SPECIFIC covenants
for the sake of EVERYONE/THING
4. God is PERSISTENT
5. God turns the BOW towards
God’s SELF

25. Benediction
God of our salvation,
your bow in the clouds
proclaims your covenant with every living creature.
Teach us your paths and lead us in your truth,
that by your Holy Spirit,
we may demonstrate faithful allegiance to you
and be keepers of your trust
with earth and all its inhabitants.
Amen.