What was God’s covenant with all living things?
This covenant is often called the Noahic covenant because God spoke this covenant to Noah.
How do you know this covenant was not just made with Noah but with all living things?
First, because the recipients of the blessing are all living things. We read this in Genesis 8:
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. (Genesis 8:20-21)
Second, in Genesis 9, God tells Noah, “This is the token of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is upon the earth.” (Genesis 9:17)
What was the blessing which God conferred by way of this covenant?
In Genesis 8:21, God promised never to curse the ground again. In Genesis 9:15, this is further explained when God promises never again to send a worldwide flood of water to destroy the earth.
What was Noah’s side of the covenant? What conditions were laid on him?
We do not read anywhere of any conditions being laid on Noah or any person. This is purely an unconditional covenant.
Why is this important?
It shows that this covenant is a manifestation of the eternal covenant of grace which God made with His Son and not a covenant of works which demanded perfect obedience to all of God’s commands.
What was the function of the rainbow?
God gave this rainbow to serve as a sign of the covenant between God and human persons. God says that whenever He sent clouds and rain on the earth, this covenant sign would also appear to show that these clouds were not sent to flood the earth as it had been previously. The inhabitants of the earth did not need to tremble in fear every time it started to rain. Note the underlined:
God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)
Calvin writes on this:
That the memory of the deluge might not inspire them with new terrors, as often as the sky were covered with clouds, lest the earth should again be drowned; this source of anxiety is taken away. And certainly if we consider the great propensity of the human mind to distrust we shall not deem this testimony to have been unnecessary even for Noah. He was indeed endued with a rare and incomparable faith even to a miracle but no strength of constancy could be so great that this most sad and terrible vengeance of God should not shake it. Therefore, whenever any great and continued shower shall seem to threaten the earth with a deluge, this barrier on which the holy man may rely is interposed. source
What else is noteworthy about this covenant sign?
The text in Genesis 9 makes it clear that this covenant sign was meant for God, and not in the first place for humans. Note the underlined:
God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16)
Is the Noahic covenant mentioned anywhere else in Scripture?
Yes, it is mentioned in Isaiah 54. In this chapter, God is telling His people of their future glory. He tells His people in exile:
“For a brief moment I forsook you, But with great compassion I will gather you. In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, But with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you,” Says the LORD your Redeemer. (Isaiah 54:7-8)
Then, God compares His treatment of Israel to His treatment of the people at the time of the flood.
“For this is like the days of Noah to Me, when I swore that the waters of Noah would not flood the earth again; so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you nor will I rebuke you. For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” Says the LORD who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:9-10)
Here we see that God reminds His people of what He did to the pre-flood world. He was angry with them and punished them severely. After this, however, God had again showed compassion and favor to the world by making a promise and covenant to them that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood of water. In the same way, God had sent His people Israel into exile because of His just judgment for their sin; but now, He would bring them back from exile and make their way prosperous again.