So the flood is over – the waters have rescinded – and Noah is instructed by God to leave the ark with his family and begin the process of creation anew. We have seen this process laid out in detail for Adam and Eve – and the destruction that came about due to their disobedience. We have watched the first family structure degrade under the curse of disobedience – eventually ending in murder. Now we see a restart (of sorts).

Just as He did with Adam, God declares the Blessing over Noah. “Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth.” Gen 9:1) Notice this is the exact same words spoken to Adam in Gen 1:28! God’s plan hasn’t changed due to man’s disobedience – it is simply following a different route. This is important to remember – because man does not have the power to stop what God wants to do. The irony is that man has the choice to participate with God or not… but God will only find someone else who will obey him! Adam chose to disobey and invited sin into the beautiful creation, so God simply found another – Noah – who would obey him and put His plan back into motion.

As noted in the comments of a previous chapter – the word “fruitful” does not suggest simply having babies. The Hebrew word is actually “parah” and it means “to bear fruit, grow, increase”. It has a much deeper meaning then simply procreation. It means production – multiplication – reproduction. It means to fill and spread and cause what was at the beginning to reproduce itself. Adams charge (and now Noah’s charge) was always to take the template that God has started and work it, build on it, create with it – and cause it to spread across the earth.

Of course – if I am to be honest – the next logical question is… did this mandate stop with Noah? If it didn’t, then does it also apply to me? If so – then in what ways am I doing that today?

 

Grace & Peace,

PK