David Bahn – Reflections

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. ² And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. ³ And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” ⁵ And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. ⁶ And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” ⁸ So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.⁹ Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. – Genesis 11:1-9

“It’s Bue-kay, not bucket!” So says Hyacinth on the British comedy, Keeping Up Appearances. She makes certain everyone knows she has Dalton china, a Princess slimline telephone, an only accepts first class mail. She keeps up all possible appearances of being a cultured highbrow personage. It makes for painfully-funny comedy. 

Maybe you know someone like that. I do, and out of love and respect I won’t divulge that one’s identity. Let’s just say, it can wear thin on me. I easily get tired of the pretense. Could it be that I am just better at it (in my humble opinion) than that one? Could it be painful because we’ve been taken in by those who manage to keep up appearances in the face every challenge and obstacle thrown their way? Only later to discover they have feet made of clay.

The problem with keeping up appearances is the impossibility of keeping them up. Sooner or later everyone is unmasked. Sometimes it’s notorious. Epstein. Jackson. Armstrong. All have fallen from their places of fame. They couldn’t keep up appearances. Jesus says, “There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed” (Mark 4:22). We can’t hide behind fame, fortune, or fashion the fact that we are fallen broken sinners.

But the purpose for which God will bring us down to reality is not to embarrass nor to shame us. John announced Jesus’ coming by quoting Isaiah, “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low” (Isaiah 40:4). Mary rejoiced as she contemplated the child she was to bear saying that God had “scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty” (Luke 1:51-53). 

God will not allow the people in the land of Shinar to make a name for themselves. They need him. They need his mercy. They need his provision. They need his goodness. They need his guidance. Because they suppose they will be able to make it on their own, he will not allow them to do so. 

Next time your mask slips, and you are found out, don’t be alarmed. Don’t be ashamed. Be honest, humble, and repentant. Acknowledge the poverty of the fig leaves you’ve tried to sow together to cover your shame, and rejoice in the robes of Christ’s righteousness. And remember the promise: “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). That’s an appearance that we can anticipate with great joy.

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Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. ² And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. ³ And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” ⁵ And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. ⁶ And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” ⁸ So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.⁹ Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth. – Genesis 11:1-9

[Note: On this Memorial Day, we honor those who have given their lives defending the freedom we have as citizens of these United States of America. In our family we remember Aaron Clark who was killed in Iraq. He was a comrade of our own Aaron who served with him there. We remember our fallen soldiers and pray for comfort and healing for those they leave behind.
Also…You may have expected to begin looking at Genesis 10 today. Others may wish to reflect on the genealogies that are found there. They chronicle the expansion of Noah’s family, and the chapter ends: “These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood” (Genesis 10:32). So now that the clans have spread all over the world, we have yet another reminder of the sinful nature of man here in the land of Shinar.]

Perhaps you’ve experienced the frustration of unclear or misunderstood language. It’s more and more common for me as I age, and my hearing is less and less acute. Someone will say something and I’ll mistake an f for an s, or a b for a p. But that’s nothing compared to an even more troubling reality most all of us have experienced. Many of us all too many times. Not just a mistaking of words, but more importantly, a misunderstanding of intent. 

Have you been there? Every word you say is perceived to be harmful. Every time you try to clarify yourself, you muddy the waters further. Then you get more angry because you’re being misunderstood – or because you are being thought of poorly. That surely doesn’t help. 

The problem here, however, is not just a difference of hearing. It’s not just that the builders of the Tower of Babel said, “Give me some bricks,” while the one who heard it thought he had asked for sticks. It’s not that when asked, “Are you ready?” And rather than hearing, “No” they thought you said, “Go!” That would be trouble enough. But add arrogance to the equation, and you have a real ballyhoo. Not good.

Even people with different languages can get along quite well in many situations. Patience, a willing heart, and humility of spirit go a long way toward good communication. But the foundation on which this conflict-riddled tower is being built it one of hubris. They are in it to make a name for themselves. And it won’t end well. 

But the only Name that deserves to have something made over it is the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord our God. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow. Not at the name of Babel. Not at the name of the United States of America. Not at Israel. Not at Iraq. Not at Great Britain. Jesus is the name above every other name. And he was a man of humility. And he sought to make a place for us by being lifted up on a cross. Humility, love, grace, faithfulness, obedience and goodness combine for our eternal good. Let there be no confusion about that. 

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For your personal edification and meditation on this Lord’s Day…

Psalm 30:4-5

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
⁵ For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

Psalm 60:11-12

Oh, grant us help against the foe,
    for vain is the salvation of man!
¹² With God we shall do valiantly;
    it is he who will tread down our foes.

Psalm 90:16-17

Let your work be shown to your servants,
    and your glorious power to their children.
¹⁷ Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and establish the work of our hands upon us;
    yes, establish the work of our hands!

Psalm 120:1-2

In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
² Deliver me, O Lord,
    from lying lips,
    from a deceitful tongue.

Psalm 150

Then Noah said,

I mentioned yesterday about how much I love speaking the words of the benediction at the end of worship services. I almost always use the Aaronic benediction from Numbers 6:24-26:

The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The LORD look upon you with favor and give you peace.

A contemporary version of that blessing has touched my heart many times. That was especially true at my final Sunday as senior pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, Texas. I’ve included a Youtube link to the song below…

What was and is such a powerful point in the song is the refrain:

May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children

Songwriters: Chris Brown / Steven Furtick / Cody Carnes / Kari Brooke Jobe
The Blessing lyrics © Worship Together Music, Capitol Cmg Paragon, Kari Jobe Carnes Music, Writers Roof Publishing

Noah offers a blessing to Shem and by extension Japheth. Even Canaan can be part of the blessing if we understand what is actually being said, and the will, intent, and plan of God. 

God wants all people to be saved. Jesus came to call all people to himself. He died for the sins of the world, and commanded his disciples to make disciples of all peoples. The Hebrew nation can be thought of as Shem’s progeny, and Japheth be seen as the Gentile nations. And while Canaan is mentioned as a slave to these peoples, let’s not be too quick to jettison the descendants of Canaan. For a Canaanite woman sought Jesus’ healing for her daughter (there’s the issue of children again!). And Jesus – after seeming to turn her away – commended her faith and healed her daughter. Read it here…

Oh how I pray that our children and their children, and their children will remain under the blessing of God! And the delightful truth is that by faith they can be! It’s not a matter of ancestry. You don’t have to be a fifth-generation-bonafide Texas Christian. Make no mistake, it’s a great legacy to claim and pass on! But legacy and progeny is not the formula for God’s blessings. What good would a blessing be if there is no faith to receive it?

The formula is: God’s grace, love, kindness, mercy, and forgiving redemption + Faith. We receive the fullness of God’s grace and gifts by faith. And that promise is to us, and our children, and their children, and their children…for a thousand generations! Amen.

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When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, ²⁵ he said,

“Cursed be Canaan;
    a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

²⁶ He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem;
    and let Canaan be his servant.
²⁷ May God enlarge Japheth,
    and let him dwell in the tents of Shem,
    and let Canaan be his servant.”

²⁸ After the flood Noah lived 350 years. ²⁹ All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died. – Genesis 9:24-29

One of the great privileges I had over the past 40+ years of pastoral ministry is that of pronouncing the benediction at the end of the worship service.

The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The LORD look upon you with favor [lift up his countenance], and give you peace. – Numbers 6:24-26

Whenever I’ve spoken the benediction, I have done so with deep sense of privilege and good will toward the worshippers. I need that blessing and so do the people. I say it like I mean it because I do. Curses…not so much.  

Of course, I’ve been inclined to offer a curse to the driver who pulls into my lane on the highway (I do own the road after all!). And if someone needlessly prevents me from getting to my parking spot at the grocery store, I might not be inclined to offer a blessing. Not sure that’s a curse, but I sure don’t think of blessing them. Your dog keeps me awake all night: No blessing. You have a party in the apartment above mine into the wee hours. No blessing. 

One Saturday night at 10:30 PM, our next door neighbor was revving his motorcycle again and again. No blessing: I went over to him and said, “I’ll make you a deal. You don’t rev your motorcycle at 10:30 and I won’t run my chain saw tomorrow morning at 6!” That was not a blessing. Maybe I do employ a curse more often than I thought. 

Noah offers a curse and a blessing based on the behavior of his sons. The youngest son who just had to tell his brothers about their dad’s drunken nakedness is cursed. Canaan, Ham’s son, will be cast out. He will serve his brothers. The Canaanites would ultimately be conquered by the Hebrews in the conquest of the Promised Land. Noah’s curse might simply be a foretelling of what would actually happen many years later. 

The blessing Noah offers provides a look forward to the Hebrew people who would, alone, hold true to the faith for many centuries. This blessing now goes to the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. And they come from every tribe, nation, and tongue. No longer are certain people groups more or less favored by God. His grace now comes to all people.

Not only does the blessing come to all people, God’s people are to be servants of all. Jesus calls upon his followers to serve others as a show of true faith and discipleship. 

Jesus called [his disciples] to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, ²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:25-28

It is a sad commentary on the sinfulness of man to learn that some people used this Genesis text to justify enslavement of African people. This is a wrong hearted and wrong headed notion. I love Matthew Henry’s comment: This [text] in no way excuses the covetousness and barbarity of those who enrich themselves with the product of their sweat and blood. God has not commanded us to enslave Negro’s [sic]; and without doubt, he will severely punish all such cruel wrongs.”

There are two significant incidents of cursing in the New Testament. One is actually on the lips of Jesus in Matthew 25. He says, “Depart from me you who are cursed…for I was naked, hungry, sick, and in prison…and you did not [help me]. It is clear that those who must depart from Jesus’ presence are cursed, and not that he curses them. On the other hand, Paul offers a curse to those who would preach a “gospel” different from what he delivered to them. 

There is no other hope and no other blessing than that which is in Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior of all who believe. It is God’s delight to offer and give those eternal blessings. It glorifies Jesus, and God’s glorious grace.

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When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, ²⁵ he said,

“Cursed be Canaan;
    a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

²⁶ He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem;
    and let Canaan be his servant.
²⁷ May God enlarge Japheth,
    and let him dwell in the tents of Shem,
    and let Canaan be his servant.”

²⁸ After the flood Noah lived 350 years. ²⁹ All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died. – Genesis 9:24-29

Maybe you’ve done it too. There’s a traffic accident. Police, EMT, fire trucks, wreckers are everywhere. Red, blue and white lights flash and blink. It’s obviously serious. But how serious? What do we do? We slow down and engage in that troubling and traffic clogging activity of rubber-necking. Maybe it’s a bit less dangerous. You’re fascinated by the night sky, and spend many minutes, or even hours star gazing. Or is it star-gazing of another kind: celebrities, actors, athletes, glitz and glamor catch your eye. And you don’t want to look away. Distracting all. Possibly even seductive. 

Noah’s youngest son apparently didn’t refrain from looking at his father in his shameful estate. He saw his father drunk, unconscious, and naked. Rather than just overlooking what he saw, he told his older brothers. The way the story unfolds – together with the older brothers’ discretion in covering their father’s nakedness – indicates that this was not a kind telling. Ridicule. Contempt. Scorn. Look at dad! He’s drunk. He’s naked! 

It was a Progressive® moment. We all see it. We all see it… He’s got blue hair! You’ve seen the commercial, haven’t you? Sometimes you just can’t keep from saying what is better left unsaid. Sometimes we look and gawk when we should just avert our eyes. Or simply overlook what is not ours to see or comment upon. 

Peacemaker Ministries (see below) has a very helpful diagram on dealing with sin and conflict. One of the healthy ways of dealing with conflict, offense, or sin is to overlook the offense. Sometimes we simply need to let it go. Nothing needs to be said. Nothing needs to be reconciled. We realize it’s just a one-off situation, and we can easily ignore it.

Ham did not choose that approach. And his son had to deal with the consequence. Harsh you say. And so would I. Thankfully that’s not how God deals with sin today. God determined, during the days of Ezekiel:

The word of the Lord came to me: ² “What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? ³ As I live, declares the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. ⁴ Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.  – Ezekiel 18:1-4

But a more gracious righteousness prevails. For God made him who knew no sin be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21). God has done more than overlook our sins. He has atoned for them and declared us to be pure and righteous in Christ Jesus. We have been redeemed. We are no longer under the judgment of God.

Jesus has taken our sin, guilt, and shame upon himself. And the Father overlooked his own Son so that he might upon us with favor, mercy, and approval. 

Some things need not to be said. Some things need not be gawked at. But God’s loving kindness is not something that we should overlook. Thanks be to God!

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Peacemaker Ministries

Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. ²¹ When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. ²² Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. ²³ But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. 

– Genesis 8:18-29

There are three incredibly troubling episodes in my life that put my sinful nature on bold display. I wish those episodes of shameful behavior would never come to mind again. Perhaps I should be thankful that there are only three. Maybe I should be plagued by the memory of many more. Needless to say, I won’t be rehearsing them here. In humility I take them to the cross of Jesus whenever the devil tries to pull me down with their memory. Thankfully Jesus invites me to leave them there. 

Shame has to do with grave vulnerability. It’s being exposed and therefore ridiculed for who we are. It’s not just what we’ve done. It’s an uncovering of one’s broken and deficient self.

Noah was uncovered and revealed in a very vulnerable condition. Drunk and naked. Defenseless and vulnerable. Exposed and deficient. He had to be covered up literally, because to be seen (oops, too late!) in that state would reveal a grave deficiency. A lack of self control. A weakness that an enemy could easily exploit. A condition all too easily open to ridicule. 

And Noah’s response is both predictable and further evidence of his fallen state. No judgment here: we all are sinful. It leaks out of us all too easily. But that doesn’t excuse the response of anger, cursing, and defensive judgmentalism on Noah’s part. He has been shamed. Now he will erupt (fight). Sometimes people will withdraw in the face of such exposure (flight). In any case neither fight nor flight is a sufficient or helpful response to shame.

Fast forward to a hill outside Jerusalem. To a cross. To a man, now naked, humiliated, exposed, and shamed. He has nowhere to turn. Most of his closest followers have forsaken him. His mother, some other women, and one of his disciples stand by watching this terrible scene. He cries, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Alone. Judged. Ridiculed. Shamed. 

He didn’t belong there. He is the Son of God. He loved God perfectly. He loved all people perfectly. He was anything but deficient. 

But Jesus took our shame upon himself. And now he offers us a robe of righteousness to cover our deficiencies. It’s far better than even well-intentioned family members waking in backwards to cover our shame. Jesus takes our guilt and shame upon himself and fulfills the promise of Isaiah 61:7: Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.

The sooner we learn to entrust ourselves to Jesus’ mercy and restoration, the sooner we’ll also be able to overcome the fight or flee responses we too easily employ in the face of our shame. Instead we will find great honor in the sight of our Father himself because of God’s love for us and his mercy in Jesus: all by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God says, “You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you” (Isaiah 43:4). There’s no shame in that!

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The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth.(Ham was the father of Canaan.) ¹⁹ These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth.

²⁰ Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. ²¹ When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. ²² Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. ²³ But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.

²⁴ When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, ²⁵ he said,

“Cursed be Canaan!
    The lowest of slaves
    will he be to his brothers.”

²⁶ He also said,

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem!
    May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
²⁷ May God extend Japheth’s territory;
    may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
    and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”

²⁸ After the flood Noah lived 350 years. ²⁹ Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.

A favorite tradition of mine is watching the movie, Independence Day, on July 4 every year. Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum play characters who are trying to fly an alien space ship from Area 52 to the mother ship of invading E.T.s.  As they try to take off the first time, Will Smith’s character bangs the ship against its dock – having moved the flight lever the wrong way. “Oops!” he says. Goldblum says, “Oops! Don’t say oops. Oops is not good.” 

There’s another reason not to say, “Oops!” And it has to do with the seriousness of our actions – especially when they put the sinful human condition on display. Noah and his sons do just that in this portion of the Noah narrative. This is not an “oops” moment. This is a grave reminder of why God had to have determined not to bring a curse again upon the world as he did in the flood. He knew that the imaginations of man’s heart are evil even from his youth” (Genesis 8:21). 

Imaginations of people’s hearts run deeply evil. There’s no other way to say it. This is not an “oops” issue. This is a time for contrition, confession and repentance. Drunkenness, nakedness, immodesty, hubris, and rage: It’s all here. But make not mistake, this is not just an “oops” issue. This is a fundamental issue of our fallen sinful human condition. 

I’m not sure I know anyone who is happy about acknowledging his sinfulness. We’d rather not think of ourselves as evil. Trouble is, we are evil. Jesus says so – even to his disciples! “If you, being evil, [emphasis added] know how to give good things to your children…,” he says (Matthew 7:11). And even though we are new creations in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:23), we still battle the sinful flesh.

For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. – Galatians 5:17

I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, and this must never be an excuse to say, “Well, I’m just a sinner.” But the truth is that we are by nature sinful and unclean. Our desire to dismiss this truth is evidence of our fallen state.

Noah and his sons show this in this episode immediately following his deliverance from the flood. Noah found favor in the eyes of God. Noah was a righteous man. But Noah showed, also, that he is a sinner. He needed God’s mercy and forgiveness.

The Bible is replete with examples of sinful servants. David commits murder and adultery. Isaiah confesses that he is a man of unclean lips. Paul calls himself the chief of sinners. Jesus called Peter Satan. And Thomas wouldn’t believe in Jesus’ resurrection until he saw the risen Jesus for himself. They all needed God’s grace and forgiveness.

And so do we. That being the case, let’s be careful not to simply say, “Oops” too quickly or blithely. We do not need to rake ourselves over the coals in endless acts of penance, or try to remember every sin we’ve ever committed in order to be in God’s grace. But we do need to acknowledge our sins, repent and confess them to God. Jesus included, “Forgive us our debts…” in the Lord’s Prayer for a reason.

That’s not a casual “Oops.” Nor is Jesus’ forgiveness a casual promise. He went to the cross for our sins. God promises to forgive the sins of those who confess. He removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. For that we can – instead of saying “Oops,” say, “Thanks be to God!”

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For your personal meditation and edification on this Lord’s Day

Psalm 23

Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,⁹ “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, ¹⁰ and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. ¹¹ I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” ¹² And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:¹³ I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.¹⁴ When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” ¹⁷ God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” – Genesis 9:8-17

Gertie was a wonderful dog…most of the time. She was a mostly-German Shepherd dog birthday gift to me and I managed to train her to some degree. But I couldn’t get her to stop barking…until one fateful morning. My history teacher lived next door to us and had complained to me more than once. “Your dog woke me up very early again this morning. Too early.”

Sometime later I heard Gertie barking. My bedroom was on the second floor with a small balcony that was right over Gertie’s doghouse. I opened the door and yelled, “Gertie! Shut up.” She was quiet for a moment or two. I went back to bed only to hear her barking again. I opened the door – after grabbing a shoe – and yelled, again, “Gertie, shut up!” At the very time I yelled, I threw the shoe toward the entrance to Gertie’s doghouse. Gertie’s entrance and my shoe were perfectly timed. It hit her on the rear just as she went in. Her yelp was the final early morning disturbance we had to deal with. 

Gertie was a wonderful dog. JoJo was not. JoJo was dumb. And afraid of storms. Those were the only two dogs that I have had any extended ownership experience. There have, however, been granddogs: Mobie, Gus, Max, Leah, Lillie, Peyton, and -each with their own personalities and lovability quotient. Dog lovers can be a very special breed themselves. And when their pet dies, it can be traumatic. 

Children have asked me over the years, “Will my pet be in heaven?” 

I don’t have an absolute answer to that question. But I do have an absolute and strong opinion. I believe dogs, cats (yikes!), and all manner of animals will be part of the new heaven and the new earth. And the basis for this opinion is partly founded on the phrase in this passage. God says, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth.” And so it is that God makes a covenant not only with Noah and his family, and all future generations, but he includes in that covenant also every living creature of all flesh. 

In other places there is reference to animals in heaven. “The lion will lie down with the lamb,” says Isaiah (Isaiah 11:6–10; Romans 8:18-22). God saved the world from an animal-less existence. And while I do not wish to bind anyone’s faith by this opinion, I do hold it strongly. Imagine a perfectly balanced creation. No sin. No death. No predators. No prey. Just beautiful symmetry. Synergy in all of creation and for all of creation. Only perfect equanimity. Imagine the heart of God as large enough to include animals. Then remember that his heart is large enough to include you as well.

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