From the Lectionary:
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’The rainbow in the clouds signs to us God's everlasting covenant with every living thing, not just egocentric humans, the plants, the fish, the birds, the animals, the whole earth that teems with life we cannot see. God will never again destroy the whole earth with a flood, but what have we egocentric humans done with God's great gift of the whole earth? And what will we do in days to come?
Genesis 9:8-17
Picture from Wikipedia.
Here is an article about this and religion.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the ancients didn't realise that there is no such thing as a 'rainbow' but there is the refraction of sunlight from behind in the masses of raindrops in front that reaches the eyes that look forward. The refractions form the illusion of a bow in the distance.
ReplyDeleteFrom this one might construct some subjective theology somewhere...
Indeed, one might, Adrian. Write it up. I'll read it.
ReplyDeleteAnn, the a political fight about climate change doesn't make sense, and I fear by the time enough people are convinced, the change will be irreversible.
ReplyDeleteI swear, I had a horrible second where I thought it said "The Sign of Tebow in the Clouds"! *LOL*
ReplyDeleteWHEN (not If) Timmy finally COMES OUT, I think he'll see his FocusonStraightFamilies friends aren't what they're cracked up to be...
JCF -- what I think too.
ReplyDeleteJCF, you are naughty! And you, too, Ann. Well, now THAT coming out would be very interesting.
ReplyDeleteEverything about it (TT) adds up to "$3 bill", Mimi.
ReplyDeleteNot that there's anything wrong w/ that, obviously. Only the FOTF hypocrisy. [And that his "from the rafters" piety isn't in keeping w/ Jesus's "your Father sees in secret" commandmant. :-/]
We were astounded to read in the new Roman catechism several years back that the whole churchy enterprise goes back to "the covenant with Noah." Uh-- Noah is a myth, and the fabled flood is impossible on a round earth (the Genesis world is flat, with plenty of water being held off by the sky dome). I know that the story is the thing in religion, but to claim a foundation in pure story? Kinda gives the show away, right in the opening pages. (Today's spiritual experience reflects centuries of spiritual practice, whatever the origins.)
ReplyDeletePlus there are at least 2 stories of the flood in the Bible- which one is "true"?
ReplyDeleteJCF, we'll see.
ReplyDeleteMurdoch, I do not agree with the RC catechism, but Noah is a wonderful story. In my post on Facebook, one of my commenters pointed out that there was a similar story older than the Hebrew Testament story:
This is Ishtar's necklace from the Epic of Gilgamesh. "The jewels of heaven that once Anu made to please her." Utnapishtim is the one who survives the Flood in that early version from Sumer and she lifts her necklass to show that all will be well again with the Gods after the flood. Much older than the Hebrew story.
Ann, there is that, too.
My problem is with all those people and animals drowning -what kind of world can be built on a vengeful myth like that. It tells me people can float above it all if they have the resources.
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say? I like the story, the cadences, the repetition, and I like it best from the KJV. I can't say I'd want to preach on it.
ReplyDeleteAnd think of the poop!