The Noahic Covenant: Humanity’s Path to Redemption
Greetings, saints of the Most High. Welcome to another installment of the Messianic Torah Observer. I’m Rod Thomas, coming to you on a beautiful Shabbat in the DFW area. I hope this message finds you and your loved ones well and blessed.
Today, we delve into the Noahic Covenant, the second rung on Yehovah’s ladder leading to our redemption. This covenant, established after the Great Flood, is foundational to our understanding of redemption and renewal.
Our Torah Reading for this week is contained in Genesis 8.15-9.17, with the haftarah reading to be found in Isaiah 42.7-21, and the apostolic in 2 Timothy 2.8-19. I’ve chosen to entitle this post: “From Flood to Faith—The Enduring Promise of the Noahic Covenant – My Thoughts and Reflections on Torah Reading 7.”
Key Concepts:
- Covenant (Brit): Yehovah’s plan to redeem humanity.
- Renewal: The command to repopulate the Earth and renew the original Edenic/Adamic Covenant.
- Burnt Offerings: Noah’s offerings on a rebuilt altar, leading Yehovah to resolve never to curse the ground or destroy all living creatures again.
Yehovah acknowledges humanity’s inherent evil but blesses Noah and his sons, reasserting human dominion over creation and lifting the prohibition against consuming animals for food. However, the consumption of blood and murder are strictly prohibited, with severe consequences for violators.
The Noahic Covenant is a unilateral covenant, with Yehovah doing the heavy lifting to restore the broken relationship between Him and humanity. This covenant lays the groundwork for humanity to develop a “yetzer tov” (good inclination) and fulfill its purpose as Yehovah’s image bearers on Earth.
Significance of the Covenant:
- Unconditional Blessings: Despite humanity’s shortcomings, Yehovah honors His covenant promises, symbolized by the rainbow.
- Foundation for Redemption: The Noahic Covenant is crucial for humanity’s full redemption, reaffirming our inherent value as Yehovah’s imagers and paving the way for future covenants.
In conclusion, the Noahic Covenant is a testament to Yehovah’s grace and commitment to humanity’s redemption. As we reflect on this covenant, let us strive to overcome our “yetzer ra” (evil inclination) and walk in righteousness, fulfilling our purpose as Yehovah’s image bearers.
Shabbat Shalom.
Faithfully submitted,
Rod Thomas, The Messianic Torah Observer
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