~2 Pet, i. 4) which haYc been given to enable them to escapo the co1T11ption thnt is m t.he world through lust ( Tiic 111 "o"/l-'i' i11 im6uµ.iv 1/JBopai;, i. e. the destruction thnt is already operating in tho world and coming out of, as it is cnrried in, the wodd's lust). Ii. A sIGNA~ DISPLAY o_v THE D~YINE POWER. l. bi controlling his creatures, p) _In coll~cting the anim,als, which he did, doubtless, by making uso of their msbncts winch led them to apprehend the coming danger. VideJob xxxix.-xli. for God's power over the animal creation. (2) In usi1i(/ the powers of natm·e-- breaking up the flood-~a.~ of th~ deep, and ope_ning the wmdows of heaven. The pheno- menon we.s d1stmctly rn1racnlous; but 1f God made the world, causing it to stand together out of ihc water and through ihe water, the supernatural character of the Deluge should not occasion difficulty. Nor should the power of God be overlooked in tlie ordinary phenomena of nature. "Nature is but another nnme for nn effect whose cause is God." In the miracle God reveals what he is always silently and impercept.ibly doing in the natural event. Nothing hoppens in the realm of pro- vidence without the concurrence of Almighty power (Amos iii. 6; Matt. x. 29). Let God's power exhibited over nature's forces remind us of bis ability to bring the present terrestrial economy to an end as he has promised (2 Pet. iii, 10, 11). (3) In destroying the lives of men. In every caso life is 11 gift of God, and can only be recalled by him (Deut. xxxii. 39; 2 Sam. ii. 6). Yet, unless when God interposes to destroy on a large scale,-e. g. by famine, pestilence, war, acoident,-his absolute and unchallengeable control o,er men's lives (Ps. xxxi. 15) is apt to be forgotten. And with what infinite ease he can depopulate the fairest ond most crowded regions he has often shown ; witness, in addition to the Flood, the destruction of the cities of the plain (eh. xix. 24, 25), of the first-born in Egypt (Exod. xii. 29), of the army of Pharaoh (Exod. xiv. 27), of the host of Sennacherib (2 Kings xix. 35). 2. In pmiishing his enemies. That appalling visitation is fitted to remind us. tho.t God is able to execute ,engeance-( 1) On the greatest sinners. Having cast down the sinning angels, and drowned the world of the ungodly, and burnt up the filthy Sodomites, it is scarcely likely that any criminal will be beyond hls power to apprehend nnd chastise (2 Pet. ii. 9; Jude 15). (2) b~ the severest forms. Having all the resources of nature at l.iis command,-the gleaming thunderbolt, the sweeping flood, the sleeping volcano, the tempestuous hurricane, nil the several and combined potencies of fire, air, earth, and water,-he can never want a weapon wherewith to inflict upon bis adversaries" the tribula.tion a.nd wrath, indignation and anguish,'.\ ho has decreed for their portion (Rom. ii. 8, 9 ; 2 Thess. i. 8, 9 ; Hev, xx. 15 ; xxi. 8). (3) .At the most unexpected times. Few things connected with the Noachic Del1;1ge are more impressive and paralysing to the mind thnn the suddenness of the surpnsal with which it sprang upon the wicked generntion that for 120 years had been disbelieving its reality and ridiculing the warnings of the patriarch. _"So ALSO SHALL TEE COMING or THE So~ OF MAN DE." (4) Witli tlie most inevitable certainty. Tempted by their long lives to imagine that the penalty of death was ca_ncelled or had become inoperative, or at least would not really be put in force agamst them, these men of the first acre were recalled from their delusive reasonings. The Deluge wa1, God's proclamatio; that the penalty was still in force against sinners, God's explanation of what that penalty meant, God's ce~ification tbat that penalty_ ~as sure. 3. In protecting his people. The ark floatmg on the waters was a visible sermon to all time coming of God's ability to save them who believe and obey him. And, like the shelter enjoyed by Noah, the salvation which God besto:ws upon his people is (1) gracious-flowing from the Divine mercy ; (2) free-with no condition attached except that men shall, like Noah, believe and obey; (3) adequate-containing all that is required for their spiritual necessities, as _the. ai;~ held abundant provision for the voyage; (4) aecure-" the Lord shut him _m. So says Christ, "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never pensh " (John :x. 28). III. A SOLEMN ATI'EBTATION OF THE DIV:NE HOLINESS. Proclaiming-!. That th4 Di,vine character was holy. A deity who is himself subject to imperfection _is incon- ceivable. But sinful men are prone to forget that God is of purer eyes than to look upon iniquity. In this laet age of the world God has discovered that to men by en. v,r. 11-24.J THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 123
8onding forth an imngc or likeness of himself in the peraon of his Son, who wo.s holy, ho.rmless, undeliled, and separate from sinners (cf. John xiv. 9). In the first aga ha announced the same great truth by the water-flood. 2. That the Di,vine law WC!-! holy. That, besides being himself personally pure, ho requires sinless obedience at the hands of his creatures, the Almighty has in every separate era or epoch of human history taken pains to inform men ; in Edenic times by the forbidden tree ; in 1rnte- diluvinn by the Deluge; in Mosaic by Mount Sinai; in Christian by the cross of Cal• vary. 3, That the Di,vine government was holy. That from the first the world has been governed in the interests of holiness is unmistakably the doctrine of Scripture. If any in Noah's time believed either that God was indifferent to righteousness, or that it was possible for "the throne of iniquity to have fellowship" with him, they must have been terribly undeceirnd when the crack of doom waa heard above their heads So will it be when the righteous Judge reveals himself a second time in 0
flaming fire to render unto every man according to his deeds. Lessons •-1. "It is impossible for God to lie" (Heh. vi. 18). 2. "There is nothing to~ hard for the Lord" (Gen. xviii. 14). 3. "It is a fearful thing to fall ir:to the hands of the living God" (Heh. x. 31 ).