3/13/22 - Capital Punishment and Rainbows - Genesis 9:1-18 - Pastor Jason Fritz

Last week we saw God's man Noah step off the boat with his family. This post flood world was different in many ways. The heart of man however would remain the same. Therefore, in God’s goodness he brought forth a series of commands that were meant to restrain what comes natural to us all; including revenge.

When I was a student at ASU, one of my professors read these verses from Leviticus 24:19-21. If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. In an effort to show how ridiculous this is, the teacher quoted Gandhi who said, “If everyone practices an eye for an eye then the whole world will be blind.” Sounds good, right? Like maybe Gandhi has a better understanding of morality than God. 
 
Here’s what Gandhi and my professor missed... Back in the day, without rules and laws, the world operated from the standpoint of revenge. For example, a few chapters earlier we read about one of Cain’s descendants, a man named Lamech. He brags about how a young man slapped him and in return Lamech killed him. So God’s command exists to restrain man's desire for taking things too far. “You bust out my tooth, I’ll kill you!” No, that’s not how this is going to go. The consequence will be in proportion to the offense. Additionally, the New Testament adds this in Romans 13:1-5.
 
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

Human authority is established by God. This includes law enforcement. Another way of saying it is that the police officer is ordained by God. Does this mean every officer is noble? Of course not. Neither is every politician, plumber or pastor…or at times perhaps you. Additionally, all human authority should be held accountable. However, to remove what is ordained by God is a big mistake. As Jordan Peterson says, “Be careful what you deconstruct when you have nothing to take its place.”

God is doing something else with these early commands to Noah. He is establishing rules that when followed, lead to a well ordered and healthy society. Take the Ten Commandments for example. Don’t carelessly take another person’s life. That’s good for society. Don’t pursue your neighbor's wife. Another great practice for maintaining healthy relationships around the neighborhood. Don’t take what belongs to your neighbor. That’s his or her property and not yours. That seems reasonable. Pre-flood mankind was a theater of violence therefore proving the need for humane laws. In God’s goodness he begins to give them to Noah as soon as he steps off the boat. Because man is made in the image of God, his life is inherently precious and cannot be taken without giving account to God.

Noah was the first to see the majesty of the rainbow. The rainbow is God’s way of reminding himself that he will never flood the earth again. For us, it is a beautiful reminder of God’s promises and that ALL of his words are true and his commands are right.