QT 8/7/2025 Gen 9:1-7, Making an impact in this world

Genesis 9:1–7 (ESV) —

1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man,

by man shall his blood be shed,

for God made man in his own image.

7 And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.”

 

NOTE: Things change quite a bit after the floor. No longer are people required to be vegetarian, but meat eating is allowed. The only prohibition is against the eating of flesh with its blood. Additionally, capital punishment is allowed by God requires a reckoning. That is, there needs to be a process to judge a man fairly before their life is taken. Many see this as the divine decree to establish governments, men appointed with the sacred responsibility of establishing law and order.

 

The original command to procreate remains. This is another area where we have moved away from the teaching of Genesis (God's original life manual). Nowadays, in some nations, there is not enough procreation to replace the current population. These nations are experiencing negative growth. Many couples marry with no intent to have children, which was never the desire of God.

 

PONDER:

What is the purpose of my life? Is it all about me or about the impact I can have in God's kingdom?

 

PRAYER: Father, I am well past the age of children. I am worn out caring for my children's grandchildren each day. But that doesn't mean I can't be involved in growing your kingdom. My job is spiritual children, and creating spiritual parents. I can grow the kingdom out of my community, church, and neighborhood. Lord, give me fresh ideas and wisdom as I seek to do that.