As the floodwaters disappear, the story begins to sound familiar.In Genesis 1, water covers the earth. God causes dry ground to appear, fills the world with living creatures, and tells humanity to be fruitful and multiply.Now water has covered the earth again.The waters recede.Dry ground appears.People and animals come out onto the land.God tells Noah and his family to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.It is almost as though creation is beginning again.Before Noah leaves the ark, he waits for God’s direction. He sends out a raven and then a dove to see whether the ground is dry. Eventually, the dove returns carrying an olive leaf.Even after Noah can see that the water is gone, he remains inside until God tells him:“Come out of the ark.”The God who told Noah when to enter the ark now tells him when to leave.When Noah steps onto dry ground, the first thing he does is build an altar and offer a sacrifice. He recognizes that he is standing there because God rescued him.God then blesses Noah and his sons and gives them many of the responsibilities humanity received in Genesis 1.Be fruitful.Multiply.Fill the earth.God also reminds them that human beings are made in His image. Even after the violence that filled the earth, human life still carries the dignity God gave it at creation.Then God makes a covenant with Noah.A covenant was more than a casual promise. It created a serious, binding relationship between those involved.God makes this covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature. He promises never again to destroy the earth with a flood.Then He gives them a sign:The rainbow.The rainbow is a visible reminder that God has bound Himself to the future of His creation.God has judged the violence that filled the earth, but He has not abandoned the world He made. He brings people and animals safely through the waters, places them back on dry ground, renews humanity’s calling, and promises to remain committed to creation.Humanity’s violence brought judgment upon the earth, but God preserved life and bound Himself to the creation He made.
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