The Lord Makes a Covenant with Noah (Genesis 6:1–22)

 

The Lord Makes a Covenant with Noah (Genesis 6:1–22)

God is a God of justice. When He saw how full of wickedness the world had become—how people’s every thought and intention was constantly evil—He declared that He would bring judgment through a great flood. But even in the midst of judgment, God made a covenant with Noah. He told Noah to build an ark and to take his family, pairs of animals, and enough food into it to survive.

The flood that God sent lasted forty days and forty nights—a massive, earth-covering deluge. Everything that breathed through its nostrils perished. But Noah and his family, who were inside the ark, were saved. The ark, in many ways, points forward to Jesus Christ. Just as the ark saved Noah from judgment, anyone who is in Christ will never be lost.

As Acts 16:31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

God is not only just—He is also a God who saves. He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to come to repentance and be saved (2 Peter 3:9). That’s why anyone who turns from their sin and believes in the Lord Jesus will not be condemned but will have eternal life. But those who reject Jesus to the end will face the righteous judgment of God.

My Spirit Will Not Contend with Humans Forever

“1 When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:1–4)

In Genesis 5, we see how human life had expanded and generations had multiplied. People lived for hundreds of years—many over 900. Among them, daughters were born, and the “sons of God” took them as wives. This phrase—“sons of God”—has sparked a lot of debate. One interpretation says these are the descendants of Seth (the godly line), while the “daughters of humans” were from Cain’s line (the ungodly). But in the Old Testament, the term “sons of God” typically refers to heavenly beings—angels (Job 1:6; 2:1; Psalm 89:6; 82:6). So it is believed these were fallen angels who rebelled against God and are now considered demons.

In Genesis 3, the serpent (Hebrew: nachash) who deceived Eve is a term that can mean “whisperer” or “enchanter”. While we don’t fully understand how fallen angels could have children with human women, we do see that throughout history and across cultures, people have interacted with mediums, spiritists, and the occult—practices that God considers detestable and strictly forbids (Leviticus 19:31; Exodus 22:18).

In verse 3, God clearly states that His Spirit will not remain with humanity forever, since they have become corrupt. This signals impending judgment. Humans were originally created in God’s image—formed from the dust, with God breathing life (His Spirit) into them. But sin caused them to become flesh—separated from God’s Spirit, disconnected from the relationship of love and obedience they were made for.

As Romans 1:21 says: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

A Covenant of Grace and the Patience of God

Even then, God didn’t abandon humanity. He gave Adam a promise—a covenant of salvation. He would send the offspring of the woman, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as the Lamb who would take away the sin of the world. Through this Savior, fallen humans could be redeemed.

God didn’t bring immediate judgment. Instead, He gave them 120 years—a grace period, a chance to repent. Many believe this was the time Noah spent building the ark. Similarly, in the book of Jonah, the violent and rebellious city of Nineveh was warned of destruction in 40 days. But when they repented, God postponed judgment for 100 years.

The Nephilim and the Spiritual Battle

The children born from the union of the “sons of God” and human women were Nephilim—giants and mighty warriors, like Goliath. These were the Anakites, mentioned again when the twelve Israelite spies scouted the land of Canaan. Seeing these giants, they reported,

“We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” (Numbers 13:33)

What does this mean spritually?

It’s a picture of spiritual warfare. Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). In this world, it may seem like the powerful—the rich, the famous, the successful—run everything. But remember David. He was just a shepherd boy with a slingshot, yet he took down the mighty Goliath. How? By trusting in the Lord Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth.

The Narrow Way of the Cross

The world chases success, power, fame, and recognition. That’s what people admire and pursue. But Jesus chose a different path—a narrow, difficult road marked by the suffering of the cross. He was rejected, despised, humiliated, accused, and ultimately crucified.

He suffered for our sins. And now, He calls His followers to take up their own cross daily, deny themselves, and follow Him.

God Saw How Great Human Wickedness Had Become

“5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” (Gensis 6:5-7)

God sees everything—nothing escapes Him. And while He has every right to judge immediately, He doesn’t. Instead, He patiently waits, longing for people to repent. Just like He already knew the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah but still sent angels to confirm them, He also saw how deeply people had turned away from His godliness and holiness. He saw that they didn’t turn back, didn’t repent.

So the Bible says God was grieved and deeply troubled—not because He made a mistake, but because judgment was now necessary in a world full of sin. Isaiah called God’s judgment a “strange” or “unusual” work (Isaiah 28:21), meaning it’s not His first desire—but He is just. When He declared that He would wipe out all living creatures—people, animals, and birds—it was because wickedness had filled the earth.

Through this, we can discern when God’s judgment is at hand. When it is coming? There is a clue in the covenant with Abraham. When God made a covenant with Abraham, He said it would take 400 years before the Amorites (representing the Canaanites) would be judged because “their sin has not yet reached its full measure” (Genesis 15:16, NIV; ESV: “not yet complete”).

The Hebrew word used there is shalem (שָׁלֵם), which means completeness, wholeness, or payment in full. It’s related to the idea of something reaching its limit or being fully paid—just like when Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30). That Greek word—tetelestai—also means “paid in full” or “completed,” translated in Hebrew, shalem.

Therefore, God's judgment doesn’t come arbitrarily; it comes when sin has reached its full measure. This shows us something amazing: God holds off judgment until Jesus Christ, His Son, became the sacrifice for sin, the ransom price in full. That’s why there is patience—so people have time to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

We might wonder: how could God’s judgment like the flood or the Amorites' destruction happen before Jesus came? The answer is found in God's eternal plan. The book of Revelation tells us that the Lamb—Jesus—was slain “from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Even before time began, God already planned salvation through Jesus. That means Old Testament believers, like Abraham, were saved by faith in the coming Christ, just as we are saved by faith in the Christ who has come.

Noah Found Favor with God

“8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.” (Genesis 6:8-17)

Noah found grace in God’s eyes—not because he deserved it, but because of God’s mercy. The Bible says there is no one righteous on their own (Romans 3:10), and salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). So how did Noah become righteous and blameless? Because God had chosen him in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). His righteousness was a gift, just like ours.

And just like Noah, when we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness, we walk with God. That walk means living differently in a corrupt world, denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Jesus (Luke 9:23). It means dying to self and living for Christ.

God saw the world’s violence and corruption, so He told Noah to build an ark. It was massive—about 145 meters long, 24 meters wide, and 14 meters high (three stories tall). It would be the means by which Noah and his family would be saved when the flood came to judge the world. The ark represents Jesus Christ—God’s only provision for salvation.

God Makes a Covenant with Noah

“18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Gensis 6:18-22)

God made a covenant with Noah—and it was a covenant of salvation. He invited Noah and his family into the ark to be saved from judgment. Likewise, the only way to be saved from God’s final judgment is to enter the "ark" of Jesus Christ. That happens when we trust in His blood that was shed to wash away our sins. When we’re cleansed, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us again, restoring our relationship with God and making us in His royal residence.

The covenant with Noah foreshadows the greater covenant of salvation through Jesus. It is by grace alone. And it comes with a warning: those inside the ark are saved, but those who stay outside will perish.

God told Noah to bring two of each kind of animal, bird, and creature—male and female—to preserve life. He also told him to gather food for the journey. All of creation, because of humanity’s sin, is groaning for restoration (Romans 8:19).

Noah obeyed. He did everything God told him. That’s faith in action. Jesus said the wise person is the one who hears His words and puts them into practice—that person builds their life on a solid rock. When storms come, they won’t fall. But the one who only hears and doesn’t act is like someone building on sand. When the storm hits, their life collapses (Matthew 7:24–27).

Those who stand on the solid foundation of Jesus—our ark and our Rock—are safe. But those who ignore Him face destruction.

May 11, 2025
Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

The Adamic Covenant (Genesis 3:1–24)

 

The Adamic Covenant (Genesis 3:1–24)

God gave Adam a covenant—often called the “primitive gospel." In it, God promised that the offspring of the woman (singular) would crush the head of the serpent, while the serpent would strike his heel. This was a prophetic sign pointing to Jesus Christ, who would one day die on the cross and rise again, defeating the power of death for the sake of those in Adam.

Why did God give this covenant to Adam? It was to bring salvation to Adam, who had fallen into sin. God said to Adam: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:16–17)

But the woman was deceived by the cunning schemes of Satan and ate the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, Adam, and he ate it too. That moment marked humanity’s fall into sin. Why? Because God had said, “the day you eat of it, you will certainly die.”

Adam didn’t die physically that day, but he died spiritually. The evidence? He and the woman hid from God, who was walking in the garden. The intimate relationship they had with God was broken. So, the Adamic Covenant was given to restore that broken relationship.

The Father of Lies Tempts the Woman

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1–5)

The Hebrew word for serpent here, “nachash,” can mean a shining one, a whisperer, or someone who practices divination. It represents Satan, the deceiver. He twisted God’s words and convinced the woman that God was keeping something good from her—that He didn’t want her to become like Him.

But the truth is, God did want humanity to become holy like Him: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:44)

God created humans in His image and in His likeness so that they could reflect His holiness in united relationship with Him. Satan, however, tempted them with the idea of becoming “like God” without God. But we were never made to be independent of Him. We were made to live in complete dependence on God’s grace.

Jesus put it this way: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:20-21)

The Woman Eats the Fruit and Gives It to Adam

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:6–7)

This short passage carries devastating consequences. The woman listened to the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit, then gave it to Adam, who ate without any protest. Both failed and yet each had a chance to resist.

The woman, though still not yet fallen into sin, felt intense confusion and inner turmoil as she listened to Satan’s lies. She could have chosen to trust God's words instead. (If even the woman without sin was tempted and failed, how much more vulnerable are we!)

Adam, on the other hand, did not face direct deception. He simply took the fruit and ate it, even though he had received God’s command. He should have stood firm and rejected it out of reverence for God's word.

As a result, their eyes were opened, but not in the way Satan promised. They became aware of their nakedness and felt shame. They sewed fig leaves to cover themselves. Before this, they had been naked all along and felt no shame (Genesis 2:25). What changed? They had stepped into the role of judge—deciding good and evil for themselves instead of trusting God's judgment.

This is the essence of sin: when people try to take God's place and make moral decisions on their own. King Saul is a good example. He judged David as a threat and pursued him for years out of jealousy. It all started when David killed Goliath and the people sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” (1 Samuel 18:6–9)

By eating the fruit, Adam and Eve gained the knowledge of good and evil—but not the way God intended. That knowledge is meant to come through relationship with God, because only God is truly good.

So How Do We Trust God in Real Life?

It starts with believing that God is always good like Abraham did. He didn’t know where he was going when God told him to leave his home, but he obeyed anyway. That’s trust.

Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. When we refuse to judge or condemn others, we’re choosing to trust God’s justice instead of our own.

To live by faith is to continually depend on God’s word, God’s goodness, and God’s grace.

Who Told You That You Were Naked?

“8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.” (Genesis 3:8-14)

God came looking for the people who had sinned. He asked who told them they were naked and why they had done such a thing. Ashamed and afraid, they hid from His presence. But when God confronted them, they admitted they had eaten from the tree, deceived by the serpent.

God then cursed the serpent—Satan, who had tricked them into sin. When Scripture says the serpent will “eat dust,” it symbolizes humiliation, defeat, and shame. The devil, by opposing God and refusing to submit, lives under constant curse. The Bible says, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." (James 4:6)

The Adamic Covenant

 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)

This is the first declaration of the gospel—often called the “primitive gospel.” God cursed the serpent first. He declared there would be enmity between Satan and the woman, and between Satan’s offspring and hers. Ultimately, one particular “offspring” (singular) would crush the serpent’s head, though the serpent would strike his heel.

This offspring refers to Jesus Christ. The promise, which starts dimly here, becomes clearer over time. It is called “progressive revelation.” In Genesis 22:18, God says to Abraham: “Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed”—and again, the word “offspring” is singular.

This verse is cited in multiple New Testament passages:

 “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20)

“14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.” (Hebrews 2:14–16)

Revelation 12 describes this war between the woman and the dragon. The woman is in labor, about to give birth. A great red dragon appears, ready to devour her child. The child is a male, destined to rule the nations with an iron scepter, and is caught up to God. The dragon is unmistakably Satan, and the child refers to the church built on the blood of Christ Jesus. As Acts 9:4 shows, Jesus identifies Himself as the church.

Thus, this covenant in Genesis 3 foreshadows Jesus’ death on the cross. Satan bruised His heel by crucifying Him, but Jesus crushed Satan’s head by rising from the dead and ruling eternally. As 1 Corinthians 15:25 says, “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”

God’s Prescription

“16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” 17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” 20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:16–21)

To the woman, God gave pain in childbirth and a desire for her husband, who would rule over her. To Adam, He gave the burden of lifelong labor, thorns, and sweat—until he returned to the dust.

But notice this: even after their sin, God made garments of skin and clothed them because they acknowledged eating the forbidden tree. That act required the death of an animal—it involved a sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” This shows both God’s mercy and the cost of sin. Adam was forgiven not because he excused himself, but because he admitted his sin and relied on God’s promise.

God’s “curse” was actually a prescription for redemption. He gave them burdens not to destroy, but to awaken them to their need for Him. Life isn’t a picnic—it’s a journey full of suffering, pains, and learning and seeking. And in the midst of hardship, we are drawn to depend on God.

Sin is trying to determine good and evil for ourselves without God. But no one’s life turns out exactly how they want—whether rich or poor, people still face struggles. Divorce, domestic violence, and suicide all prove that we need help. And God calls us to Himself through these pressures. In the midst of pressures, anyone who turns to Him finds grace.

Adam and Eve Are Sent Out

“22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22–24)

God expelled Adam and Eve from Eden, but He did not destroy the garden and  the tree of life. He placed cherubim—angelic beings—with a flaming sword to guard it. This tree ultimately symbolizes Jesus, the source of eternal life.

We see the tree again in Revelation: “1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1–2)

Because of Jesus—born of the woman, crucified, and risen—we can now be restored to be united with God. We can drink from the river of life and eat from the tree of life. That’s our eternal hope! Hallelujah! Amen.

May 4, 2025
Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

God is Compassionate, So His Anger Does Not Cease (Isaiah 9:8–21)

 

God is Compassionate, So His Anger Does Not Cease (Isaiah 9:8–21)

The latter part of Isaiah 9 is quite different from the earlier part. The first part speaks of the birth of a child—the coming of the Prince of Peace—as a great hope for humanity. But the latter part highlights the wrath of God. However, this wrath stems from His compassionate love.

When does the Lord’s anger stop? The prophet Isaiah asked, “Lord, how long?” And the Lord answered,

“Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged,
until the Lord has sent everyone far away
and the land is utterly forsaken.” (Isaiah 6:11–12)

What is the spiritual meaning of this? It shows that no human being in the flesh has any merit to receive God’s grace of salvation. It reveals that the flesh must die. Spiritually, “desolation” represents the death of the person in the flesh.

In truth, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross was a substitutionary death that redeemed the sin of the world—meaning, the death of the person in the flesh. This occurred spiritually through faith.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Through this, God's wrath is finally satisfied, and peace is made in Christ. No one is worthy to receive grace.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)

So then, if we have received salvation through faith in Christ, we must continue to live by faith. Living by faith means to eat and drink the flesh and blood of Christ—depending entirely on the Lord Jesus Christ from beginning to end. For in Christ, the wrath of God has already ceased. Instead, His great light has shone upon us, and that light continues to shine in our hearts in Christ.

The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

“8 The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel. 9 All the people will  now know it—Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—who say with pride and arrogance of heart, 10 “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” 11 But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them and has spurred their enemies on. 12 Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west have devoured Israel with open mouth. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. (Isaiah 9:8–12)

God sent the prophet Isaiah to call His people to return to Him. Until that day comes, God disciplines and refines the people of Israel. That day refers to the coming of the Messiah, the Christ of God, who shines God’s great light. Until the day of repentance and return, the wrath of God does not stop. This is because of their hardness and disobedience.

But if they do not repent until the end, they will face judgment. They did not receive God’s discipline with humility; rather, they resisted and responded with arrogance. They boasted that they would rebuild what was torn down. Because of this, God stirred up their enemies—the Arameans and the Philistines—to consume Israel. Yet even then, “His anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.” (Isaiah 9:12)

“Edom may say, ‘Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.’ But this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord.’” (Malachi 1:4)

Because of His compassionate love, God does not cease His discipline until the sinner comes to Him for salvation. For if one continues in stubborn disobedience, they will ultimately fall into the inescapable fire of hell. That is why God continually sounds the warning and desires that they turn back to Him. Yet anyone who listens to the Lord’s invitation and returns will be forgiven of all sins and receive abundant grace of salvation.

God also spoke of His compassionate love through the prophet Jeremiah:

“5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 “He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.’” (Jeremiah 18:5–10)

God also revealed His compassionate love through the prophet Joel:

“12 “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. 14 Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing—grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God. (Joel 2:12–14)

But the People Have Not Returned to Him

13 But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the Lord Almighty. 14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day; 15 the elders and dignitaries are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. 16 Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray. 17 Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men, nor will he pity the fatherless and widows, for everyone is ungodly and wicked, every mouth speaks folly. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.” (Isaiah 9:13-17)

Even though God kept calling them in mercy and love and warning them over and over again, they hardened their hearts even more. They didn’t return to Him or seek Him. It’s a heartbreaking reality. God never desires that anyone should perish. Just as in the days of Noah, when God saw how corrupt mankind had become, He even regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and His heart was deeply troubled (Genesis 6:6).

Isaiah also cried out in sorrow in chapter 1:

“4 Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. 5 Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. 6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.” (Isaiah 1:4-6)

So God, in a single day, suddenly cut off their head and tail, palm branch and reed. The head referred to the high-ranking officials, and the tail referred to the false prophets. The kings, priests, and rulers were in league with the false prophets and committed all kinds of evil, disobeying the holy word of God. Because of the disobedience of the kings and the deception of the false prophets, the people lost their godliness and spoke irreverently. God did not take delight even in the young men, nor did He show compassion to the orphans and widows.

This stands in contrast to the merciful character of God who doesn’t even break a bruised reed and who shows compassion to orphans and widows. Why was it different here? Because they had become utterly corrupt from head to tail. They held God in contempt and treated His commandments with disrespect. God does not look at outward appearances—He sees the heart. Anyone who comes to God with a broken and contrite heart will be washed clean and declared righteous by His merciful grace.

Yet, even then, the Lord’s anger was not turned away; His hand was still upraised.

God never gives up. That’s because His merciful love never changes. God’s holy love for His people is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost—He wants everyone to be saved and enter heaven.

Yet for All This, His Anger is Not Turned Away, His Hand is Still Upraised

18 Surely wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns, it sets the forest thickets ablaze, so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke. 19 By the wrath of the Lord Almighty the land will be scorched and the people will be fuel for the fire; they will not spare one another. 20 On the right they will devour, but still be hungry; on the left they will eat, but not be satisfied. Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring: 21 Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh; together they will turn against Judah. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.” (Isaiah 9:18-21)

Their wickedness rose like fire to the heavens. Fire is an image of God’s judgment. Because of His wrath, the land burned and the people became like kindling for the fire. Compassion and affection vanished. People did not spare even their own brothers—they caused harm instead. Hunger became so severe that they even resorted to cannibalism (2 Kings 6:27–28). Tribal conflicts arose, and they even joined forces to attack Judah. All of this came because of God's righteous anger.

Yet for all this, the Lord’s anger was not turned away; His hand was still upraised.

The Lord’s outstretched hand means His mercy has not ceased. The Apostle Paul quoted Isaiah in Romans 10:

“But concerning Israel he says, ‘All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.’” (Romans 10:21)

God is holy—He cannot tolerate evil. That’s why His wrath remains against those who do evil and refuse to repent. But when people turn back and repent, He always forgives.

The prophet Jonah went to the violent and rebellious city of Nineveh and proclaimed just five Hebrew words: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown." From the king to the animals, everyone fasted in sackcloth and ashes, and turned to God. God spared the city for another hundred years. God truly is a God of mercy. Jonah got angry when God chose to save Nineveh, but God used that moment to teach Jonah about His gracious love and mercy.

“And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” (Jonah 4:11)

God saved Rahab, the prostitute of Jericho, who feared the Lord after hearing about the plagues in Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. She risked her life to hide and protect the two Israelite spies.

God also blessed Jacob, who wrestled with a man all night and turned back to the Lord. God renamed him Israel, meaning "he struggles with God,” or “God prevails.” It signifies that Jacob finally turned away from his own schemes and turned to God in desperation. This was the moment of Jacob that after all those years of struggles he came to God for true help!

So, what is repentance? It means dying to oneself completely—because the flesh is totally corrupt and unacceptable before God. The flesh rejects God. That’s why the New Covenant in Christ is this: “Nothing coming from me, everything coming from Him.” Because we are declared righteous in Christ, we now live—not by our own strength, but by His power and authority forever. God prevails!

April 24, 2025
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Scripture quotes are from the NIV.