AGENDA – THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT

OPENING PRAYER - Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to read and study Your Word. Please guide our thoughts and open our hearts to understand the truths You want to reveal. In Jesus' name, Amen.
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “CAIN AND ABEL Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, ….
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “NOAH AND THE ARK The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind, ….
YOU ARE HERE - Wickedness and evil grieve God "to his heart." What are some of the things in the world today that you think might grieve the heart of God? A common religious understanding is that God's heart would be grieved by the suffering and injustice caused by human actions. This concept is drawn from biblical sources, such as Genesis 6:6, which states that God was "grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain". 
Interpreted in the context of today's world, some of the issues that might be seen as grieving God's heart include:
Injustice and human suffering
War and armed conflict: Ongoing conflicts create immense human suffering through loss of life, displacement, and the destruction of communities. In 2023, global conflicts increased by 12%, affecting millions of people in places like Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, and Myanmar.
Extreme poverty and inequality: Despite overall progress, hundreds of millions of people still live in extreme poverty, surviving on just a few dollars a day. Meanwhile, the richest 1% of the population holds an immense share of the world's wealth. The UN notes that these inequalities fuel public anger and prevent the elimination of global poverty.
Systemic discrimination: Discrimination based on race, gender, disability, and religion persists in society. These systemic biases limit opportunities in education, healthcare, and employment, and can lead to violence. 

Environmental destruction
Climate change: The harmful effects of human-driven climate change include rising global temperatures, severe weather, and disrupted ecosystems. These changes disproportionately impact poor and marginalized communities, many of whom have contributed the least to the crisis.
Pollution: Industrial processes, improper waste disposal, and the burning of fossil fuels contaminate air and water, leading to illness and premature death, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Plastic pollution also gravely threatens ocean health.
Loss of biodiversity and deforestation: Human activities continue to deplete the planet's forests and drive species toward extinction, threatening the ecological balance. 
Interpersonal failings
Hatred and hostility: The proliferation of hate speech and prejudice, particularly online, creates division and fuels intolerance and violence on a global scale.
Corruption and greed: The pursuit of self-interest and power over the common good is a major root cause of injustice. Corruption erodes trust in institutions and undermines efforts to solve societal problems.
Toxic emotions and unforgiveness: The Bible identifies toxic emotions like bitterness, anger, and holding grudges as actions that grieve the Holy Spirit. This applies to both private feelings and how Christians treat one another and the world. Spend some time in prayer about those things.
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “AFTER THE FLOOD Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal, ….
YOU ARE HERE - The first thing that Noah does when he leaves the ark is to build an altar and make an offering to God. What might Noah's response teach us? Noah's response teaches us about gratitude for God's salvation, the importance of worship in the face of change, and the need for surrender and dependence on God. Building the altar shows how to express thankfulness for being preserved and how to establish a new foundation of faith by putting God first, even when the future is uncertain. It also demonstrates a continued understanding of the need for atonement through sacrifice for sin.  
POINT OF INTEREST - A covenant is a binding legal agreement between two parties, where each one makes promises to the other. This is the first of the covenants God makes in the Bible, often called the Noahic covenant. In addition to Noah, who does God make this covenant with? God's covenant with Noah is not just with Noah himself, but with all living creatures and his descendants (all humanity). This is the first covenant God made with all of creation, promising that he would never again destroy all life on Earth with a flood. The rainbow serves as a visible sign of this promise, which is unique to this covenant, as many other biblical covenants are made between God and specific individuals or groups. 
With all living creatures: The covenant is explicitly stated to be between God and Noah, "and with every living creature with you—the birds, the livestock, and every wild animal". 
With all humanity: The covenant is also for "all the generations to come" (Genesis 9:12), which includes Noah's descendants and all people who would live after the flood.
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “THE TOWER OF BABEL Now the whole earth had one language, ….
SCENIC VIEW - The people cite three different reasons for building their tower: to reach the heavens, to make a name for themselves, and to keep from being scattered over the earth. What might be the problems with each of these motives? The problems with the motives behind building the Tower of Babel are rooted in pride, ambition, and a desire for self-glorification, essentially attempting to defy God's authority and achieve independence from him by reaching heaven, establishing their own fame, and refusing to disperse as God intended. Here's a breakdown of the issues with each motive:
Reaching the Heavens:
Hubris and Rebellion: Attempting to reach heaven symbolizes a desire to be like God, which is considered a form of rebellion against his divine authority. It suggests a belief that humans can achieve a level of divinity on their own. 
Impractical and Impossible Goal: The physical act of building a tower to reach heaven is inherently impossible, highlighting the people's unrealistic and arrogant ambition. 
Making a Name for Themselves:
Pride and Vanity: Building the tower as a monument to their own greatness demonstrates a desire for recognition and fame, rather than focusing on God's glory. This is seen as a form of egotism. 
Defiance of God's Command: The Bible instructs people to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth," which is contrasted with the desire to remain concentrated in one place and build a towering monument to their own achievements. 
Keeping from Being Scattered Over the Earth:
Resistance to God's Plan: God's scattering of humanity after the Flood was part of his plan to diversify and populate the earth. The people's attempt to resist this dispersal by building a tower is seen as a rejection of God's will. 
Fear of Separation: While a desire for community is natural, building a tower to avoid scattering is rooted in fear and a lack of trust in God's provision for them. 
In summary, the people's motivations for building the Tower of Babel represent a combination of arrogance, rebellion against God's authority, and a desire for self-glorification, ultimately leading to their downfall and the scattering of languages.
QUESTIONS FOR THE JOURNEY
1.	Cain and Abel is the first of many stories in the Bible of sibling conflict. Why do you think this might be? The story of Cain and Abel serves as a foundational narrative illustrating how the entry of sin corrupts humanity's most fundamental relationships. As an archetype, the story sets a recurring pattern for examining themes of envy, favoritism, and the potential for both tragedy and redemption within the family structure.
2.	The story of Noah is often told as a children's story, yet it has some difficult parts. What do you notice about this story, reading it again? Which parts are difficult for you? Divine judgment and mass destruction: The most disturbing aspect for many readers is that God is described as unleashing a flood to destroy all life on Earth, grieving over the human wickedness and violence that filled the world. This raises questions about divine justice, the scale of punishment for sin, and how a loving God could cause such widespread death. The fate of the innocent: The story makes no distinction between the guilty and the innocent among those who perished in the flood. This includes the elderly, the disabled, children, and even unborn infants, as well as all land animals and birds. This raises profound ethical questions about collective punishment. Noah's flaws after the flood: Often omitted from children's versions is the story of Noah getting drunk and lying naked in his tent. This passage, and his subsequent curse on his son Ham's descendants, show that even a righteous person like Noah still possessed human flaws, demonstrating that sin was not completely eradicated by the flood. The violence and realism of the events: While often depicted in cartoons as a peaceful boat ride, the actual experience of surviving a cataclysmic flood, surrounded by the deaths of all other living beings, would have been profoundly traumatic. The logistics of caring for millions of animal species and the post-flood world full of carcasses are not mentioned in the simple narrative but are a source of deep anxiety. Which parts sound like good news?  God's plan for salvation: The flood narrative is fundamentally a story of salvation in the midst of judgment. God chose Noah, who "found favor in the eyes of the Lord," to be spared along with his family and a remnant of creation. This act of mercy demonstrates God's desire to preserve and restore rather than simply destroy. The covenant of the rainbow: After the flood, God makes an unconditional covenant with Noah and all living creatures, promising never again to destroy all life on Earth with a flood. The rainbow serves as a sign of this promise, representing divine mercy and hope for all humanity. A new beginning: The story ends with a fresh start for humanity and all creation. God gives Noah and his family the command to "be fruitful and multiply," echoing the original creation narrative. This provides a message of renewal and a second chance for the world. A picture of grace: For Christians, the ark is often interpreted as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, who provides a way of salvation from the judgment that humanity deserves. The narrative of God shutting Noah in the ark is seen as an act of protection, symbolizing salvation found through faith. 
3.	These stories balance God's punishment with God's mercy: God punishes Cain yet also protects him; God destroys nearly all living creatures but saves Noah and a pair of each species of animal. What do these things tell us about God? The story of Cain balancing God's punishment with mercy reveals that God is a complex figure whose justice is not absolute but is tempered by compassion. He holds humanity accountable for sin, but also shows grace, offering a chance for redemption rather than complete destruction. This interplay of justice and mercy establishes a framework for understanding God's character and his relationship with humanity. How do you understand the relationship between God's judgment and God's mercy? 
God values life, even the life of a sinner. God's decision to protect Cain from those who would seek vengeance demonstrates a profound value for life. Rather than allowing a cycle of vengeance to begin, God reserves the right to punish and ensures Cain is protected from further violence. This indicates that God's justice is not equivalent to human retribution.
Consequences of sin are inevitable, but not always absolute. While Cain is still exiled and his livelihood cursed, God does not annihilate him. This reveals that, even in judgment, God's wrath is mixed with grace. The punishment fits the crime, but it leaves open the possibility of a new life and a second chance.
The struggle with sin is an internal battle. The story highlights that sin is a powerful force that seeks to dominate humanity ("sin is crouching at your door"). God's interaction with Cain before the murder serves as an early lesson that people have the agency to "master" sin, but if they fail, the consequences are severe.
Mercy is extended to the undeserving. Cain's lack of humility and repentance throughout the narrative makes God's protection even more striking. This act of unmerited favor foreshadows the larger biblical theme of divine grace, which is given to humanity not because they have earned it, but because of God's compassionate nature.
Justice and grace coexist in God's character. Ultimately, the story shows that God's nature is not solely defined by one characteristic. He is a God of justice who punishes sin, but also a God of mercy who protects the sinner. This paradox is a central feature of biblical theology and is demonstrated throughout the scriptures.
4.	In this story, God's anger at humanity has implications for the animals and all of creation; the animals die alongside the wicked people. God's final covenant is also with "every living creature." What might these things tell us about the relationship between God, humanity, and creation? The Noah story illustrates that the relationship between God, humanity, and creation is deeply interconnected, with human actions having ripple effects across all life. The narrative emphasizes humanity's unique responsibility for creation and reveals God's ultimate mercy not only toward humans but to all living creatures.
NEXT STEPS 
•	When Noah and his family finally return to dry land, the first thing they do is build an altar and make offerings to God. Sit down and make a list of blessings that you have received from God and times when God has been especially present with you. 
LIST OF BLESSINGS
o	The love of my life, Karen
o	A goodly heritage from my mother and father
o	A relationship with Jesus, thanks to Dave Bane and Susan Lowrey
o	A son and a daughter that would make anyone proud
o	A daughter-in-law and a son-in-law that would make anyone proud
o	A grandson that would make anyone proud
o	The experience of the pain in losing my brother Rick and the impact his death has had upon my life
o	The love shown to me and my brother by my Aunts and Uncles
o	The over sixty years of a continuing friendship with our college classmates
o	Growing up in the Episcopal Church with many mentors
o	Seeing firsthand how a family is supposed to live
o	Learning to say “yes” when I hear God calling
o	Our friends at Christ Church
o	My talents, patterns of thought, feeling and behavior through which I interact with the world and which I received through nature and nurture
o	The gift of the Holy Spirit
o	My acolyte master, Mr. James Maddern, who taught me reverence for our liturgy
o	My statistics professor Mr. Bailey sparked my interest in statistics and their application in solving problems
•	Spend some time in prayer, reflecting on what kind of offering you might be called to make to God in thanksgiving for all that you have received. To continue my journey in becoming a disciple of Jesus.
•	The story of the Tower of Babel is usually read on the feast of Pentecost. Read the story of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-13. How is that story related to the Tower of Babel? The story of Pentecost in Acts 2 is a reversal of the Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11. At Babel, God confused the single language of humanity, scattering them and hindering their efforts to reach heaven through their own pride. At Pentecost, God's Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to speak in many different languages, allowing people from all over the world to hear the Gospel message, uniting them in one faith, and marking the beginning of the Church.
CLOSING PRAYER - Lord, thank you for this time of study and for Your Word. As we leave, please help us to carry the truths we've learned into our daily lives and to live out Your teachings. May we continue to grow in faith and reflect Your love to others. Amen.