Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat. For your own lifeblood, too, I will demand an accounting: from every animal I will demand it, and from one man in regard to his fellow man I will demand an accounting for human life. If anyone sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has man been made. Be fertile, then, and multiply; abound on earth and subdue it.”
God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.”
God added: “This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:1-13)
“Be fertile, then, and multiply; abound on earth and subdue it.” Indeed, we have. God [through the author of Genesis who was quite self-serving and arrogant, don’t we think?] said, “Dread fear of you shall come upon all the animals of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon all the creatures that move about on the ground and all the fishes of the sea; into your power they are delivered.” All of this in our power?! Have we been good stewards of God’s creation? Hardly!
“Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat; I give them all to you as I did the green plants.” Again, quite the assumption and claim of the author of Genesis that is an ancient, origin myth. Too many people with authority and power live by this marching order put into the “mouth” of God. One wonders if God can weep for, if so, the tears are flowing.
Many of us also weep at the destruction humanity continues to wreak upon our planet Earth. We have wreaked havoc. Many of us try to repair the damage we have done. Unfortunately, it’s an uphill climb.
God added: “This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” Next time we see a rainbow, let’s reflect on “God’s sign” and work to reestablish the covenant between us and the earth.
Jesus' rainbow-colored thumbprint is on the Earth. It must be on all of us as well reminding us that we and the Earth are in the palm of his hand. Our fates are linked.
Deacon David Pierce
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