The Covenant with Noah

W. Carl Ketcherside

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     The thought of our responsibility to God is one of the greatest ideas which can invade the conscious human intellect. That responsibility grows out of our relationship to the creative Deity, and stems from the very nature of God as manifested toward His creation. "For from him and through him and to him are all things" (Rom. 11:36). This indicates divine origin, divine agency, and divine purpose. We not only are creatures of the design and power of Deity, but we exist for God. We are to him as well as from and through him. "For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist" (1 Cor. 8:6).

     It is one thing to accept the fact that we have been created by God, and to defend that concept against the subtle and materialistic insinuations that we are creatures of chance; it is totally different to accept the implications contained in the notion that we exist to God and for him. The first entails only an acknowledgment sustained by the axiomatic law of cause and effect, the other requires research into the divine-human relationship to determine how it should affect and govern my individual life on earth. It is inconceivable that I exist for God merely as a cog in the machine of mass humanity. Such a thing would violate the testimony of my own personal consciousness as well as the witness of the Son of God. He taught that a thing so insignificant as a sparrow could not fall to the ground unnoticed by God. He declared that the very hairs of the head are numbered, by which oriental imagery he enunciated the comforting, yet startling truth that not one aspect of the individual life escapes the scrutiny or knowledge of God.

     I am obligated to know God, and not merely to know about him. One may believe in the existence of a person and yet not know that person. The fact that I am a product of the creative energy of God, that I am made for him, and must sometime give account to him for my use of the time he allots to me, provides a powerful motivation to me to ascertain all that I can about my relationship unto him. Being a creature I am subject to limitations, not only of time and space, but of imagination and perception. My mind is finite. God is infinite. His ways and thoughts are not those of men (Isa. 55:8). I cannot by sheer use of reason attain unto the mind of God, "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). "No one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Cor 2:11). "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable are his ways!"

     I am dependent for my knowledge of God upon what he has seen fit to vouchsafe or reveal unto me. My scope of attainment in this regard will be circum-

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scribed by his disclosures. He is the father of lights, and the mental eye, like the physical, can only respond to the light he affords. There are three sources of information available to me- -creation, revelation, and incarnation. In a sense all of these constitute revelation, and all are associated with the word of God. Creation resulted from the spoken word, revelation embraced the spoken word, and incarnation embodied the living Word. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

     Creation not only attests to the existence of God, but reveals some of his attributes. "The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge(Psalm 19:1, 2). There is a constant telling, a proclamation, a daily pouring forth of speech, a nightly declaration of knowledge. The planetary system and the firmament are constant witnesses of eternal power and deity to men. "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse" (Rom. 1:20). They are without excuse because the witness of the heavens is universal. "Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world" (Psalm 19:4).

     Not all we need to know about God can be learned from the volume of nature. But "what can be known is plain." It is "clearly perceived in the things that are made." By the use of our reasoning faculties we can determine that there is a creative intelligence, that it is an expression of Deity, and that this intelligence possesses power, and such power is eternal. This inspires within us a sense of reverence and awe, but it does not necessarily establish the degree of personal relationship existing between the intelligent Creator and the rational creature. Since this cannot be learned by mere application of logical processes, and since it is essential to one who exists for God, it was necessary that God reveal his divine mind in such a manner as to make man comprehend. The history of mankind demonstrates that reason can be relied upon to prove the existence of God, but it is not a reliable guide to form correct concepts of the nature of God. This is understandable when we recognize that the unknown can only be understood in the light of the known. Man is sinful, weak and addicted to prejudices. He tends to rationalize in favor of what he wants to do. Accordingly, if left to reason unaided, he creates gods in his own image, then justifies his actions by regarding them as characteristic of the gods. The wish is father to the thought!

     God has spoken! He has spoken in time past to the fathers by the prophets. He has spoken to us by his Son. Fortunate indeed are we to have an account of what he said. It provides for us a genuine source of life. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." The sacred scriptures are not so much an account of man's discovery of God, as of God's uncovering of his divine nature to man. This is the story of God seeking for man, rather than of man searching for God. In that story we have pictured for us the manner and method by which God and man came into agreement and sustain fellowship with each other. Two great principles are recognizable by every consecrated student of the sacred oracles.

1. In his dealings with mankind God reveals himself as a covenant making personality.
2. He has arranged that those blessings and privileges bestowed upon men shall be enjoyed by them in conjunction with ordinances of his own appointment. Why this is so we do not know! However, we are sure that God always reveals himself in the way best adapted to man's need and state. His grace always operates for our best interest. The covenants which have been made in the various ages of history have all contributed to our elevation and ultimate glory. In this is seen the beneficence and undeserved kindness of heaven in demonstration. It is enough

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   that we have a record of these and can study them for our own spiritual growth. Let us continue our theme.

     There was one man who merited God's favor. Noah was a just man and walked with God. A direct descendant of Seth, he had kept his association pure, he was "blameless in his generation." God disclosed to Noah that he was determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth was filled with violence through them. Probation was extended for a hundred and twenty years, and during this time Noah was to construct an ark. It should be remembered that at this time Noah, had no children. His oldest son was not born until twenty years after God's decree, for "after Noah was five hundred years old, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth" (Gen. 5:32).

     The means chosen to purge the earth was a cleansing bath of water. Since every nation of antiquity has its tradition of the flood, this may account for the almost universal ritual employment of water as a symbol for purification. After more than a year, Noah and his family stepped forth into a new world. His first act was to construct an altar. In the role of patriarchal priest he offered sacrifices of every clean beast and bird. The sacrificial odor pleased the Lord, who vowed never again to destroy every living creature as he had done. The lifetime of the earth would be an undisturbed continuity. In the march of the centuries, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, would not cease.

     Noah and his sons now constituted God's sole representatives for the population of the new world. Accordingly, they were given the identical responsibility conferred originally upon Adam, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth." Since their tenure upon earth demanded that they subdue it, and take dominion over the animal kingdom, it was next declared, "The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the air, and upon everything that creeps on the ground and all fish of the sea; into your hand are they delivered." The success of men in exercise of this dominion is attested to in James 3:7.

     For 1657 years, man had been a vegetarian in accord with God's arrangement in Genesis 1:29. Now the ban on eating flesh was lifted, and man became carnivorous as well as herbivorous. With the permission to eat flesh, however, there was one restriction which has prevailed in all ages. Blood, as the life of the flesh, was not to be eaten. It was never to be an article of human diet. In view of the fact that this was one of the prohibitions placed upon the Gentiles, in the letter sent from the apostles, elders, and congregation at Jerusalem (Acts 15), I shall digress from my principal theme, and say a few words with reference thereto.

     The admission of Gentiles into the fellowship created by belief in the Messiahship of Jesus, created some grave problems in the primitive community of saints, which was composed at first of Jews. When the question of circumcision had to be resolved, and appeal was made to the brethren in Jerusalem, James stated the decision thus: "That we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles have turned unto God; but that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood." These four prohibitions constituted what were known as "The Precepts of Noah." Some

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of the Talmudists (e.g., Aboda Zara 64b, Sanhedrin 56b) regarded these principles as seven in number. It was conceded by others that there were four. The Book of Jubilee is witness to the fact that the rabbis regarded God's covenant with Noah as including all the laws of humanity. It was considered that those outside of the family of Abraham fulfilled God's requirements by observation of these four universal regulations. It is not strange, then, that the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem resolved not to bind upon Gentiles any other than "these necessary things" and to that decision, the Holy Spirit gave consent.

     Capital punishment for wilful murder was announced by God to Noah and his sons, as a means of preventing return of the reign of violence which characterized the ante-diluvian era. The basis of the decree was centered in the fact that man was made in the image of God. The sanction of judicial taking of human life for murder, germinated the seed of civil government, inherent in man's social nature, for the multiplication of men on the earth would complexify the problem of assessing guilt and exacting the penalty. Man is a social being, and no society can exist without government. Civil government is an outgrowth of man's need, and has been provided by a beneficent God to protect the good and execute his wrath on the wrongdoer (Rom. 13:1); appointed by God (Rom. 13:2); and is God's servant (Rom. 13:4). The authorities are "ministers of God" (Rom. 13:6).

     After these preliminary disclosures, God informed Noah and his sons, that he would establish his covenant with them and their descendants, and with the birds, cattle, and every beast of the earth, that had come out of the ark. The terms of the covenant were plainly announced. "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." The duration of the covenant was fixed for "all future generations." For this reason it was designated "an everlasting covenant" (Gen. 9:16).

     The Hebrew word translated "everlasting"? is olam. It is one of several terms signifying duration. Its Greek equivalent is aionios. The basic meaning is "age--lasting." To determine the extent of the duration one must study the limitations appearing in the context. In this instance they are clearly given. The covenant is to stand while the earth remains, or while the descendants of Noah for all future generations, remain upon the earth. The termination of the earthly age would mark the end of the covenant.

     A visible sign of the covenant was given which would be observable for its duration. God said, "I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth." It is noteworthy that God nowhere says that the bow is to bring to man's remembrance a flood will never again destroy the earth. Instead, God said, "When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant." Again he says, "When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant." Thus the bow is not so much a reminder to us of the agreement, but is a sign of God's covenant faithfulness. As such a symbol we may expect it to recur in any circumstances where that divine fidelity is to be displayed. For this reason the rainbow is used in conjunction with the throne of God (e.g., Revelation 4:3).

     Inasmuch as this is the first covenant God made with man, we should study it carefully for any indication of the manner of his dealings on a covenant basis.

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We can readily see that God arranged no prior consultation with man as to the content or terms of the covenant. The proposal was not, therefore, an outgrowth of reasoning between the divine and human minds. The covenant was an arrangement conceived by God in His infinite and infallible mind, and revealed or disclosed to man. This is important since we tend to think of a covenant as growing out of mutual arbitration or consultation.

     The Hebrew word for covenant is berith. Every time the word "covenant" appears in our Authorized Version of the old covenant scriptures, it is a translation of this word. The Greek diatheke is the equivalent term. When the seventy learned Alexandrian Jews, under the patronage of Ptolemy Philadelphus, began their translation, B.C. 285, of the Hebrew scriptures into the Greek language, they universally employed diatheke as the translation of berith, with two exceptions. In Deut. 9:15, they employed marturion, testimony. However, our English version has "covenant." In I Kings 11:11, the LXX has entole, commandment, but again our English version has "covenant."

     Robert Baker Girdlestone, M.A., in his "Synonyms of the Old Testament Their Bearing on Christian Doctrine," has this to say:

     "Translators have found much difficulty in giving a uniform rendering to the word berith, even in the O. T. Expressions answering to the words alliance, bond, compact, covenant, disposition, treaty, have been resorted to, but none of them are perfectly satisfactory, and for this reason, that while they represent the nature of the covenant between man and man, none of them are adequate for the purpose of setting forth the nature of God's gracious dealings with man. The translators of the LXX evidently felt the difficulty, and instead of using suntheke, which would he the natural word for covenant, used diatheke, which means a legal Disposition, and hence a Testament."

     Since the purpose of this series of articles is to elicit and expose truth to the consecrated and concerned student, rather than to write for the popular mind or the casual reader, we inject at this point, in which we are dealing with the definition of our central terms, a rather lengthy statement from the pen of Alexander Campbell:

     "Amongst men we have covenants. In these there are parties. One may sometimes be the covenanter--the other the covenantee. The former propounds--the latter accepts the stipulation. These terms are, however, seldom used. Both parties are most generally covenanters and covenantees. They both stipulate and re-stipulate. Such covenants are agreements or bonds entered into between two or more parties on certain terms. Such the Greeks called a "sunthekee--the Latins a foedus-- we a covenant, because that word literally means a coming together--an agreement. With us, indeed a constitution, or a form of government, because an agreement on certain principles between the government and the citizens, is, to all intents and purposes, a covenant.

     The Hebrew term berith, derived from barar, to purify, indicating a purification, usually by sacrifice, is that used to represent these transactions in the book of Genesis and throughout the Jewish Scriptures. This word is represented in the Septuagint, or Greek version, by the term diathekee, and never by sunthekee. In a sunthekee, or covenant between man and man, the parties are or may be equal. They are always human beings. But in a diathekee one of the parties may be so far above the other in rank and nature, as to propound all the items of the institution or covenant to the other party; to which that party must accede in order to the participation of the blessings or benefits proposed in the institution. Hence, precepts as well as promises are called covenants when they emanate from God, and have any benefits annexed to them. When any service is exacted, or any duty commanded, by an offended party, and made the condition of friendship or agreement with the offending party, it may be called a diathekee in the Jewish acceptation. Divine covenants having always been founded upon sacrifice is indeed the best reason for their having been called berith. It is very obvious that without sacrifice to purify the party taken into covenant with God, no transaction of this sort was ever valid, or regarded as ratified."

     If God disposes of His grace to mankind upon a covenant basis, it is to our spiritual interest to understand the nature of his covenant with us. We hold that one of the best sources of information

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available is in the things which were written aforetime. These are distinctly declared to be written for our learning. The revelation of God has been on an ascendant basis. All education and instruction must be presented according to the ability of the student to assimilate it. The very nature of the learning process demands progress from the lower to the higher, step by step. This is as true in the spiritual as in the social realm. Alexander Campbell wrote:

     "Everyone then who would accurately understand the Christian institution must approach it through the Mosaic, and he that would be proficient in the Jewish, must make Paul his commentator. while the mere politician, moralist, or religionist contemplates the one without the other, though he may find much to admire in both, he will never understand either. A veil thick as that which concealed the glory of the face of Moses from the Israelites, will hide the glory of the Jewish and Christian institution from his view.

     There is another important reason why, in pursuit of our object, we should carefully and meticulously consider God's covenantal relationships of the past. Since Campbell was far more qualified to state that reason, than the present writer we introduce his words once more.

     "A third object of the Jewish institution, of paramount importance to the world, was the furnishing of a new alphabet and language (the elements of heavenly science) without which it would appear to have been almost, if not altogether, impossible to learn the spiritual things, or to make any proficiency in the knowledge of those relations which Christianity unfolds. The language of the new institution is therefore explained by that of the old. No one can understand the dialect of the kingdom of heaven who has not studied the dialect of the antecedent administrations of heaven over the patriarchs and Jews."

     To these statements of truth we give our assent, and upon this basis we shall proceed. But what do we expect to prove by this research? We shall show that the thirty-nine books do not constitute the old testament or covenant. They are not the diatheke of God with Israel. They contain the history of a covenant people, the song book and sacred literature of a covenant people, and the words of warning and instruction to a covenant people. But the covenant is one thing, and these books of history, poetry and prophecy, written at various times and under various circumstances are a wholly different thing.

     We shall prove that the twenty-seven books do not constitute the new testament, or covenant, of which God speaks. They contain letters written to individuals and groups among the covenant people, and one contains the history of the struggle of the covenant people to free the Message from the prejudices of their day. Still another contains the divine prophecy of the future of the covenant people given to reassure them amidst the problems of an alien world. But the new covenant was not inscribed upon stone, neither was it written with pen and ink, as were these epistles. It was written upon human hearts with the Spirit of God. We will demonstrate that not one of the books from Matthew to Revelation is actually a part of the new testament or covenant. Thousands had entered into the new covenant with God before a single word of these was ever written. In truth, the only books the new covenant people had at first, were the books of the old covenant.

     What is the purpose of such a study? The prime objective is to arrive at truth and establish it in our generation as far as we can see and understand it, for the benefit of mankind. The secondary purpose is, through a recognition of the responsibility accruing from a knowledge of that truth, to save ourselves and them that hear us. The tertiary purpose is to eliminate false concepts and errors of opinion as to the basis of our covenantal relationship with God, so we may regain and defend the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It can readily be seen that if man postulates fellowship on a basis of covenant relationship, and at the same time regards the covenant with God as embracing the entire gamut of revelation, and if he conceives of a prior correct knowledge of all revelation based upon an infallible interpretation of such revelation in its entirety as essential to fellowship; whereas, covenant relationship with God is an individual surrender based upon the

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belief of but one fact and that only, the religious realm will be thrown into utter confusion, chaos and division!

     Under such circumstances those who claim to be most ardent workers for the Lord will instead be the promoters of dissension and strife. We believe that in this series we will be striking at the very taproot of our abnormal and deplorable condition in these days. That condition is the result of our thinking. We are exactly where our thinking has brought us. If God's purpose in sending His Son was to achieve unity, and our thinking has produced division, there is something wrong with our thinking. The overwhelming result demonstrates that it is not a mere deviation of trifling import, nor a minor defect. The whole philosophy is wrong! It will do no permanent good to tinker around with this little part or that, in the hope that we may stumble upon the secret of success. Polishing the finger nails will not save the body when the "whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint." The Christian world is sick! The divisions which exist prove the carnality of the professed believers. It is time to face up to facts and do something! It is later than you think!

     We dare not be deterred by the idea that some are not ready for the teaching. We must face up to the solemn realization that many will never be ready for the truth. They do not want it. They prefer error. They heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. They want to be stabilized in partisan seclusion. Time is passing! We are getting no younger! There is no need to let the patient die while getting ready for the operation. It is no time to nail shingles on the garage when the house is on fire. Let the truth be known! Truth is unaffected by emotion. It is no less truth because some wring their hands in morbid fear and others shed tears and grit their teeth in frustrated anger. Truth is not contingent upon past teaching, former ideas of what was good or bad, or traditional viewpoints of fallible men. If truth dashes my idols to the earth, let them fall, and let truth have the victory. If the pursuit of truth brings persecution and crucifixion let them come. The price is not so great as the blessing to be sought.

     In our next issue we will advance to consideration of the covenant made with Abram and confirmed unto his posterity. In the meantime, may the grace of God abide with you all. Pray for us!