THE DISPENSATION OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT and the NOAHIC

THE DISPENSATION OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT and the NOAHIC COVENANT

• TEXT: Gen 9: 1 -16; Gen 11: 4 -9 • In committing the responsibility of human government to mankind God illustrates the truth about:

I. The Test —Man’s Responsibility and God’s Promise in the Covenant • A. Man is given responsibility to protect human life through “law and order” enforced by capital punishment (Gen 9: 5 -6) • B. Man is told to “be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth” (Gen 9: 1) • C. Man is given authority over the animal kingdom (Gen 9: 2)

• D. God promised that He would not again destroy the earth with a flood (Gen 9: 13 -16) 1. Because the sin which necessitated that had been prohibited (Jude 6; 2 Pet 2: 4) 2. God gives a permanent “sign” (9: 12) • E. God promised not to interrupt the seasons (Gen 8: 22) so that man could feed himself. • F. Man is given meat to eat (but not

II. The Result—Man’s Inability • A. Man determined not to be “scattered abroad” in direct opposition to what God had instructed (Gen 11: 4) • B. Man violated the sanctity of male/female relationships which would interupt the “fruitfulness” and “multiplication” of life (Gen 9: 22 cf Lev 18: 6 ff emph v 22)

• C. “Humane” treatment of murderers has been a “trademark” of “civilized” nations throughout history in direct contradiction of God’s instructions. . . hence “civilization” has continuously failed.

III. God’s Provision • A. God enforced his command to “fill” the earth by confusing the languages (Gen 11: 8) and judged Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19: 5, 24) and He “gave up” the Gentile nations (Rom 1: 18 -32) • B. God promised, through Abraham, that “all the families of the earth” would be blessed—the Redeemer would come (Gen 12: 1 -3) • C. Once again, the only source of salvation is as a result of God’s grace