Genesis 8:21 states that when God accepted the sacrificial offering of Noah, the LORD said in his heart that he would no longer curse the ground for man’s sake. The ground from which man was fashioned (Genesis 2:7) was cursed when Adam, the man sinned (Genesis 3:17). Now with the offering of a man, Noah, a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5), being accepted, the LORD promised not to curse the ground again anymore, for man’s sake, even though God testified that every inclination of man’s heart was evil from his youth. This speaks of the magnanimity of God’s mercy to man and grace to his creation.
Points to ponder:
Despite the evilness in our hearts, God’s mercy is magnanimous, stretching not only to man, but to all of his creation – even the very ground from which man was fashioned. For man’s sake, God shall no longer curse the ground because he is a just, merciful and loving God. For your sake and mine, God accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the man (1 Timothy 2:5), who preached righteousness (1 Peter 3:18-20), being righteousness himself (Jeremiah 23:5) and because of Jesus, he shall curse no more. Jesus had to become the curse for you and me, for it is written that cursed is every one who hangs on a tree (Cross) (Deuteronomy 23:21; Galatians 3:13). Jesus had to become the curse for you and me, for man’s sake.
Genesis 8:21 (KJV)
21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
1 Peter 3:18-20 (KJV)
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
