The Green Forest tribune., 1913-02-07


 to be a most profitable investment. Though shut up 150 days (7:2D, God must have been in the hearts of that little company as they stepped forth upon the dry land What an over towering sense of Gods gracious mercy. What a recollection of Gods awful wrath. What a trembling least there be a repetition of this disaster. And what an amazement in contem- plating the mighty work of founding a new race
 Noah's Offering.
 The first act on Noah's part upon leaving the ark was to build an altar unto God and to offer 8 burnt offering (8:20). Thus we see that Gods GOV enant with Noah was based upon the ground of shed blood (Heb. 9:15-22), and as such it was an acceptable of fering, "a sweet smelling sacrifice" (8:2D, because 1t was an expression of entire consecration to God, Phil. 4:1S. This offering is, of course, type of Christ who is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world AS Noah's offering, see S:21, averted rightful penalty, even so the offering of Christ redeems us from the curse of sin which Is our just due, Gal. 8: 13.
 AS they look about upon the cleansed earth, for there is no sin present except that of their own hearts, they are to us a type of that ;,41 AJoh h h Jesus Christ, see I. Peter 3:20, 21.
 study of covenants and of coven- ant making ceremonies is always in- tensely interesting, In the Biblical meaning a covenant Is a compact or agreement between two parties, CD between God and man, CD between man and man. Tn this covenant God bestowed the benefit of an assurance, though Noah had had certain condi- tions imposed upon him, the fulfilling Uf which brought him to this place where he might receive this assur- ance.
 Gods covenant with Noah was one of eight great covenants, CD the one made in Eden, Gen. 1:2S; CD the Adamic, Gen. 3:15; (3) this with Noah, Gen. S:21, 22; (4) one with Abraham, Gen 15:18; (5) that with Moses, Elk. 1925; (6) one with the Israelites, Deut. 36:3; CD that with David, Sam. 7:16; (S) the new GOV enant, Heb. s:S. The main clements of this covenant are, (a) the removal Of the curse, 8:21; (b) the assurance of returning harvests and regular sea son, S:22; (c) the promise of an abundant progeny, 9:1; (d) the domi- nation of animal life, s:2; (e) provi- sion for food, both flesh and herd, g: 8; (f) provision for sacrifice and wor- ship, 9:4; (g) the safety of human life, 9:5; (h) the administration of justice, 9:6. We thus seen in this Gods pledge of the continuance of ages. Rev. 21:1. Cleansed this earth has been by water, cleansed it shall be once for all by fire, Peter 3:7.
 Gods Promise.
 Noah's life of obedience before he entered the ark had elicited Gods promise that he would establish a covenant with him, see Eph. 6:1S; and so God today holds before all men the promise of new and better covenant into which they also may enter if they will, Heb. S:8 God has frequently used this covenant as an illustration of his love and his faith fitness towards his people, Isa Bi g, 10, and this covenant included Gods care for the beasts as well as man, verses 10, 16, 16, see also Ps. 36:5, 8; Jonah All. This Is a good thought to emphasize with the younger pupils.
 II. Verses 12-17. AS though Je- hovah would make assurance doubly secure. he not only made covenant but appointed token, a sign, of that covenant, whereby the covenant is to be remembered, read Gen. 17:11; Ex. 12:13, 2:12; Matt, 26:23-28; I. Cor. Il: 23-25. We must beware of read Ing into this passage any suggestion that this is the first appearance of a rainbow upon the earth; there is no such suggestion in the text, but rath- SI 0OQ IOOh InO idlIDOW WAHcu was set in the cloud and made of 1t a token of the covenant ho had made with Noah. Whenever Ne behold a rainbow we ought to remember that his covenant was not alone to Noah, but to us, his seed. We ought to re- member that he is covenant keeping God. He says to us as he said to Noah, q will remember my covenant But to us who live in the gospel age he has made a more wonderful and more glorious covenant than that which he made with Noah (see John 10:28, 29), and, let us remember that his covenants are everlasting, V. 16 (see also Sam 23:5; Isa. 55:3; Jer 82:40; Heb. 13:20D. Our only hope Is in his faithfuln, SIS to his own word. It Is difficult to overestimate the value of this assurance il the final success of the good. Let us lift our eyes from the dreary battles with wrong, the tempests of sin whicl often hide the sun, the depths of despair and the scourges that seem like everlasting ruin, to catch a vision of that future triumph. to hear strains of the halle lujah chorus that twill fill our heartf with comfort and l0D4l