In this next chapter, God pronounces the Noahic Covenant. According to Jon Courson, it has three parts: diet, discipline, and declaration (we’ll look at the latter and at the significance of covenants tomorrow).
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 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. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” (vs 1-3)
As Noah and his sons begin their new life on the changed landscape, God seems to indicate here a new relationship between man and animals. First, they will now fear man. From the beginning, man would rule over the animals (Gen 1:26,28). Now, however, animals will fear man – possibly because now man will be able to eat them!
I don’t know about you, but I often thank God for food! I’m so grateful for the variety He has given us! I love the fruits of summer, and there is nothing like a wonderful slice of prime rib or salmon. Yum! God has given it all to us for food. Thank you, LORD! However, there was one exception given to Noah and his sons:
But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting… Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. (vs. 4-6)
Because man is made in the image of God, an attack on a man is an attack against God. God exacts strict discipline for murder: the death penalty. This is the first foundation of government given by God. Governments are given to keep order, and capital punishment is given here as the basis for checking human behavior.
Finally, in verse 7, God repeats the marching orders for Noah and his sons: get busy repopulating this planet! I think that’s an order men love to hear!
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