Reflection Genesis: The Water

Our reflections follow the Bible Month 2024 book of Genesis. In particular we're going to look at some of the places the stories take place and what we might learn from these.

The Water

"I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh."
Genesis 9 v13-15

We often see water used in the bible as a metaphor for cleaning and new starts- from the ceremonial washing of the Old Testament rituals through to the baptism of Jesus's early followers in Acts and beyond. Here, we see floods being seen as a cleansing force to 'reset' Earth. The devastation is easy to imagine when we think of the damage done by floods around the world- even in York- in the past few years.

It's also a new start. God makes a covenant- a promise- with Noah and his family, a covenant that looks back to Eve and Adam and yet also forward to Abraham, Moses, and beyond to the 'new covenant' Jesus talks about at the Last Supper. The covenant isn't just with Noah, it encompasses 'every living creature' (v10). Next time you see a rainbow, remember the new start God offers us.