Judgment is God’s “strange work,” for He delights in blessing. Noah and his family were saved from the terrible waters of the flood by taking shelter in the ark, and now we read these beautiful words, “And God blessed Noah and his sons.”
No doubt many of our readers can say they are “saved” because they have put their trust in the Lord Jesus as their own personal Saviour. What a grand thing this is! But, dear young folks, do you want His blessing in your life? Of course you do, for “the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:2222The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22)). The only way to have His blessing is to walk in obedience to His Word. Many dear Christians have a great deal of sorrow in their lives because they walk in paths of their own choosing. Ask the Lord to help you to please Him day by day, and you will have a happy, useful life with His blessing.
Mankind and Animals
God has put the fear of mankind upon all the animals, birds, fishes, and creeping things. He has enabled men to tame many such animals as the horse, the mule, and the camel, and make them very useful servants, whereas there are many wild animals which, even though tamed, will not serve us. In spite of man’s sinfulness, and even hatred of God, He has given us abundant proof of His goodness, and of His care for His creatures. “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalms 107:2121Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:21)). Let us remember to thank Him for His many blessings to us.
God told Noah that “every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you.” There are some who say that it is wrong to eat meat, but God’s word assures us that we can eat and enjoy it. “Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving” (1 Timothy 4:44For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: (1 Timothy 4:4)). We must not forget, however, that it is wrong to eat blood, (Genesis 9:44But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. (Genesis 9:4)) and this command is repeated in the New Testament (Acts 15:2929That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. (Acts 15:29)). The life is in the blood, and the shedding of the animal’s blood should tell us that life for us is through death. We were dead in sins, but the Lord Jesus has died for us, shedding His own precious blood, that we might live through Him.
The Prince of Life a Substitute for Sinners
When any man killed another, he himself was to be put to death. He was a murderer. Now this world has murdered the Son of God, and must answer to God for it. Peter brought this fact before the Jews in Jerusalem. He said, “Ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life” (Acts 3:14-1514But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. (Acts 3:14‑15)).
Dear young reader, you have your part in that awful act if you are still rejecting Him in your heart. You are just as guilty before God as the men who cried “Away with Him,” unless you have owned your guilt before God, and taken His Son as your Saviour. Death, and after death, judgment, are before you at this very moment, unless you have a Substitute, whom you can say has died in your place. Wonder of wonders, the One whom we murdered, Jesus the Son of God, died as a Substitute for sinners! Can you say, “He died for me”?
Further Meditation
1. Why is it wrong to eat blood?
2. There is a mention later in the book of Genesis when the Lord Jesus ate meat. Can you find it? You won’t find His name in the verse, but Hebrews 13:22Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2) should give you the hint you need to find the story in Genesis.
3. You might enjoy a simple little article from Wonders of God’s Creation: Volume 1 by S. R. Gill entitled “What Happens When We Eat?” We are certainly fearfully and wonderfully made.