2. God’s Promise of Seedtime and Harvest and Sparing of the Earth for mankind

Genesis 8:20-22 -

20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.


22 “While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”


This beautiful promise, God spoke to Himself, but as all God’s promises are concrete and true we see evidence of this one today. I found this Promise particularly wonderful because, these are things that fall upon all man regardless of whether they acknowledge God or not. His love is as such, that it has be laid and poured out throughout the earth.


For the sake of you and I, God promise never to curse the earth as He has done before, even though from birth our hearts are wicked and evil. What is God telling us here. I believe this has allot more to do with God’ heart towards us.
In genesis 3:21 which reads :


Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
God’s love towards us is without description. Right after we disobeyed, not only did He promise to that He would overcome the enemy which deceives us, but more so He also clothed us before He sent us out of the garden.


This promise, God made for us. That He would not curse the earth again has He done before, it’s a promise of security from such an event taking place again. It’s also a Promise that also in it gives direction as to why God moved this promise and that is found in “for man’s sake”, Which can be translated to “for mankind”. We witness God’s Mercy here because He both merciful towards Adam and Eve and merciful towards Noah and those who follow


It also reveals to us some of our nature, because God says He will not curse the earth as He had done because of the wickedness of our hearts. God also goes on to speak that He will no longer “destroy every living thing”, Since which God has never done such a thing again, Though throughout the old testament God has cursed small places and locations as such to show how displeased He was with certain behaviour.
Mankind by it’s very nature having been defiled by sin, are deserving to be cursed. God out of the abundance of His love, has turned a Blessing towards mankind.


God ultimately says, “Even though you are wicked from childhood, I will supply your need”


God just flooded the earth because of the wickedness of our hearts, Genesis 6:5 reads

“5 Then the LORD[a] saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. “
The first time God makes note of the Sinfulness of mankind’s nature in Genesis 6:5, it’s flooded by death and destruction, But the second time God makes this observation it is followed by His Grace and Mercy.


So there is a key lesson here, Because God excuse Noah from this sinful nature, so why doesn’t God cause death and destruction the second time. Prior to the flood, mankind was wicked in everything and did not acknowledge God, Except Noah. So Noah was saved and death and destruction fell upon the rest.


The second time God makes note of the sinfulness of man, it is after Noah made an offering to The Lord God. First thing Noah did was make an offering to God and it was “soothing” to God, another word to be used could be pleasant.
Noah believed in God and wanted to serve Him, He was grateful for what God had done for him and his family.


Noah gave God a sacrifice, and God was pleased with him, because of Christ ( Because we can not separate God’s Promise from Jesus Christ ). While we were deserving judgement and wrath, God gave us a promise and a sign.


God promises that one season will follow the last until the end of days, and day will be followed by night until the end of days.
It’s a beautiful promise and it’s reassurance of God’s order within the world, Shall remain until the end of days. If this promise wasn’t in place, then imagine if our world was unpredictable it would be in the sense of seasons, If we had 3 winters. How difficult life would be, If it wasn’t for God’s Order being established we wouldn’t have the ability to survive.


Thanks giving, the holiday has its origins here, because God promised both Seed time and Harvest. Noah gave thanks to God and it’s result was this Promise of God.
Genesis 8:22 –


22 “While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”


It’s a promise we often take for granted, especially in countries where resources are easily accessible, but if it hadn’t been for God establishing this promise and covenant with us, we would not be able to sustain life. God is Our One and Only Provider.