Question 1

What does it mean when God tells Noah to be fruitful and multiply?

Accepted Answer

When God tells Noah and his sons to be fruitful and multiply, He is giving them a fresh start for the human family after the flood. The world had been emptied of people, so God is calling them to have children and refill the earth. This repeats what God said to the first people at the beginning of creation. It shows that God still wants human life to grow and flourish on the earth. It is both a blessing and a responsibility, because Noah’s family is now the beginning of all future generations.

Question 2

Why does God say the fear and dread of humans will be on the animals?

Accepted Answer

God says the fear and dread of humans will be on the animals to show that people still have authority over other creatures, but the relationship has changed. Before, creation was more at peace with humans. After sin and the flood, animals will not gladly obey people but will often fear them. Yet God keeps the animals from raging against humans as much as they could. By putting them into human hands, God is giving people real rule over creation, but it is now marked by distance and fear rather than simple harmony.

Question 3

What is the meaning of the command not to eat flesh with the blood in it?

Accepted Answer

When God says not to eat flesh with the life in it, that is, the blood, He is teaching that life is special and must be treated with respect. Blood stands for the life of the animal. God allows people to eat animals for food, but He does not want them to be cruel, to eat animals while they are still alive, or to treat life as cheap. This rule trains people to be gentle and to remember that every life comes from God. It also prepares the way for later teachings where blood has a special place in sacrifice and forgiveness.

Question 4

What does “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed” mean?

Accepted Answer

This sentence sets out how serious murder is in God’s eyes. To shed a person’s blood is to take a life made in God’s image. God says He will demand an account for every human life taken, even if an animal kills a person. The line about a murderer’s blood being shed by humans points to the duty to punish murder so that life is protected. It is not about personal revenge, but about justice. It shows that harming another person is also an insult against God, because people still carry His image.

Question 5

Why does this passage stress that humans are made in the image of God?

Accepted Answer

The passage reminds us that humans are made in the image of God to explain why human life is so precious. Even after sin and the flood, people have a special dignity that animals do not share. To attack or kill a person is to strike at the image of God in them. This truth is given as the reason for strong judgment against murder. It means that everyone, no matter who they are, deserves respect and protection. Remembering that others bear God’s image should shape how we speak, act, and make decisions about life and justice.

Question 6

What is God’s covenant with Noah and every living creature?

Accepted Answer

God’s covenant with Noah and every living creature is a firm promise that He will never again destroy all flesh with a flood. This covenant is not only with Noah and his children, but with all future generations and with the animals as well. It is about preserving life and keeping the order of the world going. God Himself makes this promise without asking Noah to do something in return. It shows God’s mercy after judgment. Even though people will still sin, God chooses to keep the earth going and give space for human life to continue.

Question 7

Why did God choose the rainbow as the sign of His covenant?

Accepted Answer

God chose the bow in the cloud as the sign of His covenant so that there would be a visible reminder of His promise. When clouds gather and rain falls, people might fear another flood like the one that destroyed the earth. The rainbow appears as a sign that God remembers His word and will not send such a flood again. God says that when the bow is seen, He Himself will look on it and remember the everlasting covenant. The rainbow therefore points both humans and God back to this steady mercy and to the ongoing preservation of life.

Question 8

What does this passage teach about God’s character after the flood?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows God as both just and deeply kind. He had judged the world with a flood, yet now He blesses Noah, renews human purpose, and protects life with clear commands. God cares about how people treat each other, so He upholds strong justice for murder. At the same time, He freely promises never again to destroy all life with a flood, even though human hearts are still weak. His covenant with all flesh, marked by the rainbow, reveals a God who rules over creation, values human life, and chooses mercy over repeated destruction.

Question 9

How can this covenant with Noah shape how we live today?

Accepted Answer

This covenant can shape our lives by reminding us of three things. First, God cares about families and communities growing, so we should value life, children, and long-term faithfulness. Second, God gives people real responsibility over animals and the earth, so we should use creation for our needs with respect, not cruelty or waste. Third, the strong words about murder and the image of God call us to treat every person with deep respect. Knowing that God still keeps His promise, shown in every rainbow, can also steady our hearts when the world feels unsafe.

Question 10

What was happening in history when God spoke these words to Noah?

Accepted Answer

These words come right after the great flood, when the earth had been judged for deep and constant evil. Almost everyone had died, and only Noah, his family, and the animals in the ark were left. The ark had come to rest, and Noah had already offered sacrifices to God. So this is like a new beginning for the world. There are no nations yet, only this one family. In that setting, God lays down basic rules for food, for how to treat human life, and gives a firm promise that such a flood will never happen again.

Genesis 9:1

And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

The Covenant of the Rainbow

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Genesis 9:1

And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

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The Covenant of the Rainbow

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