God made a covenant with Abraham – one that God reiterated with Jacob and Isaac, and again with David. But before all of these God made a covenant with Noah. Very early in the history of humanity the corruption of people nearly destroyed everything God had made. A disappointed and angry God vowed to destroy the earth before the humans could destroy it. But God found one man, Noah, that was pure of heart enough to save the world from total destruction. With Noah God made a covenant that God would spare Noah, his family, and all the animals that Noah could keep. In return, God would rid the world of the corruption and to give Noah a clean slate.

God has made a new covenant with us. Not that the world should be destroyed, but that the world would be saved. Our part of the covenant is simply that we love God. God’s part of the covenant is so much greater. God gives us a clean slate. Every day, with every poor decision and harmful action, with repentance and God’s covenant, God wipes the slate clean. With Jesus’ blood, God wipes the slate clean. The covenant is with us.

Genesis 6:11-22

Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth.

And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks. For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive. Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.”

Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.