BLESSINGS AND PROHIBITIONS

And GOD BLESSED NOAH and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth – Genesis 9:1

The fall of Man did not change the nature of God: He remains the BLESSER! The first blessing is here renewed, and repeated in Genesis 9:7, for humanity was, more-or-less, beginning anew! The blessing bestowed upon Noah, matches that given to Adam – to be fruitful, to multiply, to fill the world with human life, and to exercise dominion over the animal world (Gen. 1:28-29; 2:16-17). There were however a significant omission and two additions.

The key omission was the command to ‘subdue,’ that is, to acquire knowledge and mastery over the material environment and bring its elements under restraint for human benefit. The blight of Sin and the flood judgement may account for man’s reduced ability to subdue the earth. One can only imagine what heights humanity would have attained based on the original mandate, given the marvels of modern science, technological advances and innovations already attained!

The significant additions: first, the grant of dominion is extended such that the animals are now given to man for his FOOD in addition to plants and herbs: Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things (9:3). However, just as there was a restriction as regards Adam’s food, the fruit of the tree of knowledge being forbidden to him, so now there is a prohibition against the eating of BLOOD. Why? Essentially because life is in the blood, not in the flesh; valuing blood is valuing life! The second addition is the sanctity of human life, with the apparent intention of guarding against such a disruption of the human race as was the result of Cain’s murder of Abel.

The merciful God grants humanity a fresh opportunity in the assignments of fruitfulness, multiplication and replenishing of the earth, with the human life becoming more solemnly guarded. In furtherance of these, the Judge of all decrees the penalty for Murder (Gen.9:5-6). This follows from the value of blood and the sanctity of life: when God requires the life of a human being from the one who took it away unjustly, the murderer cannot render that, and therefore must render his own instead! Moreover, he who unjustly kills another, defaces the image of God – which Man is – and does dishonour to Him.

Viewed from all perspectives, God is the BLESSER! All of his pronouncements, prohibitions and judgements are aimed at blessing creation and humanity. His prohibitions are not punitive. His commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:3). The Creator cares enough for every individual human being: how we are housed (Gen.2:8); how we are clothed (Gen.3:21); the food to eat and not to eat (Gen.9:3-4); and the protection and preservation of our lives on earth (Gen.9: 5-6), all in order that we might fulfill our Purposes and Life-assignments!