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 the blood (9:3-4)

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 18:6ff emph v22)

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 and man proves that he cannot justify himself (Rom 3:19)