For some of the readers of this blog this is Biblical Theology 101. For others it may be a stretch for some they may consider this eisegesis. I have come out of a slight hiatus of personal journaling to just discuss my encounter with this story in Genesis and how it rings so clear of the Gospel. Biblical Theology has been a huge blessing in my life as I now read the Old Testament Narratives with Christ being the main focus and goal. So here is my first feeble attempt to convey Christ from Genesis in a way I hope is encouraging to all, challenging to most and educational for those who have the responsibility of teaching young children from biblical narratives.
The Text Genesis 6:1-13; 7:1; 15-23 (in that order)
6:1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
7:1 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.
15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in. 17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark.
1. The Judgement for Sin
We see the clear effects of sin and God’s righteousness jeopardized if man were to continue in this way. Genesis 6 says “5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The next few verses then shows God’s judgment of all of mankind. We see God grieved at mankind’s propensity and desire to sin continually. So in turn he declares complete and full judgement on them and the creation. We see this when the author says this:”So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them”
This is the same language used in John 3 . God has already judged mankind. The penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23) all have been declared unrighteous (Roman 3) and God has promised that He will destroy this world (2 Peter 3:10)
2. God’s Mercy and Grace Put on Display
In verse 8 we see the kindness, mercy and richness of Grace of our God when the word “But” is used to contrast the fact that all of mankind will be destroyed. You see all of mankind was wicked and God said He will destroy them all. Why? Because He is just and can’t allow Sin in His presence. However, God is loving as He is just, He merciful as He is full of wrath, and He is kind as He is jealous!
Now the question should be asked when we read this is: how does Noah find favor? I believe the answer is found in Epheisans 2:
2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Almost the exact same language is used. How? Well Paul declares all mankind dead in sins and trespasses, without hope and thus prepared for God’s wrath. And then the famous contrast the climax of the book of Ephesians just like the climax of this narrative the word “but”. Just as we are not righteous in ourselves, but we have a credited righteousness from God’s work in Christ and so recipients of His divine favor so is Noah. Noah was not righteous because He was a good person (we see him later drunk and naked and declaring cursings on his son a couple of chapters later) Noah was righteous because He found favor in the site of God!
How beautifully this fits into the picture of the Christian. We are dead, hopeless, declared guilty on all charges and thus prepared for the wrath of God to be poured out on us, but there is a Divine Interruption and it is the favor of God that saves us from God! Noah too was declared guilty when God says “every intention of the thougths of their heart are wicked”. Noah was not excluded from this list because he so happened to be the only good person around. Nope! He was declared righteous by the great mercy of God.
3. God’s Redeeming Instrument
Next we see God make a plan of escape from His own wrath. Which is namely a big boat called an “ark”. God gave the exact specifications and detail on how to construct the ark and all that was to go into the ark and the only thing Noah had to do was believe that it would rain and that God would preserve him, the animals and the rest of his family. Just as Noah had never saw God’s wrath before and had never even smelled rain, we too have to receive God’s favor by faith. It would had not been enough for Noah to affirm that what God had said was true. He must gather the Gopher wood, warn his family (in which most probably thought he was crazy) and enter the boat at the designated time.
For Christians our ark is Christ. We must enter in by faith and faith alone. However the faith is to be evident by our actions to now walk in Him. As stated above we have not seen the wrath of God poured out as it is promised in the book of The Revelation. It is actually quite a weird story of horses, dragons, fire, and pits, and demons and Satan, and great wars. Nothing like it has been seen but we must believe it true if we are to escape it. The big difference is that it was only a 120 year time period from God’s declaration to His consummation. For us it has been 2000 years.
You best believe that those 120 years were years of ridicule and verbal abuse. He was mocked, scoffed, belittled, called stupid. Fired from His day job, rebuked by His relatives, scorned by friends, but He kept building by faith. The same picture today and Peter promised in 2 Peter 3 “there will be scoffers” they will laugh at our declaration of God’s judgment by fire and the torment of hell. We will and some have lost vibrant relationships with loved ones, many in other nations are losing their lives, we are called stupid. Mocked by Saturday Night Live, MAD TV, MTV, BET, different award shows. Movies are made to mock out God, some who even profess Christ don’t believe in this wrath to come.
But we persevere by faith just as Noah did. Not because we are smart but because God gives us the gift of faith to believe and the Holy Spirit to persevere. And as you can imagine what Noah experience during these years was painful but he persevered and so will you and I. Not in our own strength but because of the power of the New Heart given in the New Covenant. Finally…..
4. God’s Great Patience on Display by the 120 100 Years
Finally we see that God was also very patient with mankind. He put up with them for years and the sunk further and further into unrighteousness. But not only that. Noah didn’t build the boat in some secret basement like on Iron Man. This was built in public for all to see. I am sure they asked Noah “what are you doing dummy” and “we have never heard of a such thing as rain” and “God will not surely judge us”. As many must have screamed these things to him, he continually nailed each board into place. He continue to harvest the land, he continued to go to sleep and wake up the next day and continue to build.
This is a picture for us. As we are mocked, as God has patiently allowed 2000 years to past since the resurrection of Christ and as He has given us His word, He has church buildings, television stations, gospel tracts, radio programs, and our daily witness and just as in Noah’s day they scoff and laugh at God’s great patience. As God continues to fill their bellies with food, and their ears with good music, and their eyes with beautiful hues, and gives them nice houses to live in, dependable transportation and most of all breath in their lungs and blood in their veins, they response is EXACTLY like it was in Noah’s day! They say “there is no God” or better yet “I am good enough and I don’t need God to help me do anything”.
Maybe they agreed that rain could happen but maybe they thought they could swim to the boat later, or maybe they thought they could swim to the top of a high mountain and bypass God’s wrath. Maybe they thought “when it does rain, I will just walk up to the boat and get in when I feel like it”, or maybe they thought when the rain started to fall they could grab a raft or build a small canoe to escape the flood waters. The same is today. People reject God’s only plan. They take His patience for toleration or powerlessness. Many think Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheism (just ignore the rain and it will go away), Good works, Self Determination and effort will get them a pass!
Closing
Just as in Noah’s day many reject God’s plan for salvation. Others ignore God, others think they can wait for the last minute. All of these are lies from Satan the “father of lies”. Just as those in Noah’s day was blinded so are those in our day. However we must persevere just as Noah did, through all of the heartache and pain is a great joy and a fountain of hope only found in trusting Christ. Lets be thankful that “God has not counted our transgressions against us”. We have found favor just as Noah has and we will only experience the joy of these words “enter into the joy of your Master”
Bro. Lionel,
Great attempt! (Nothing feeble about it) I would like to make one point of clarification. It was actually only 100 years. The 120 year calculation (if I’m not mistaken) is one of those things that have been repeated over and over again and has been considered true. Let me explain:
We are first introduced to Noah at the end of the genealogy in chapter 5. In verse 32 it says “And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” (KJV) At this point Noah is 500 years old.
Now Noah goes into the ark at age 600. In Chapter 7 verse 11-13 it reads “In the six hundreth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;” So at this point Noah was 600 years old.
Since we aren’t told at what age God first talked to Noah, it is possible that there was a 120 year interval. However, if we stick with the numbers that we do know, then we only have 100 years. Ample time since any amount of time that God gives us to repent is an infinite act of grace.
Again, though this is majorly minor (get it majorly minor), that was just for clarification.
Thank BLD! Great observation. I appreciate the comments my friend.
Excellent parrallel between these great passages of scripture. Redemption is such a beautiful picture but in the same token a painful experience for those who do not believe. God Bless in Christ
The story of Noah’s Ark is a story of symbology. None of the events actually happened. To be even more direct, The Jews (OT Authors) actually took this story way out of context we they wrote their bloodline into this story. The story of a great flood destroying mankind and blah blah blah, was an old story long before the new testament was written. One of the more notable writing comes from Tablet XI from “The Epic of Gilgamesh”.
Try to focus more on the symbology rather than the literal words. This story is much more powerful than you may believe. In all… it is a good story…just not a true documentary.
That would make Jesus and his followers a liar Chuck. Why don’t you believe it to be true?
“…That would make Jesus and his followers a liar…”, If you take the stories literally, then I suppose you are correct.
Interesting don’t you think that in these last days the one thing that the scientific community has really focused on are fossils.
Fossils as it turns out are all the remains of animals buried alive under mud and dirt as a result of an upheaval on the earth.
You know, something like a catastrophic flood. Derrr
But I guess if you want to pursue a “no flood” agenda, then you also want to pursue a “no sin” agenda.
The flood was the result of sin. No flood, just a fairy tale then there is no sin, and no God who desires men be saved.
Pretty obvious line of thought wouldn’t you say, for those who deny the truth!
Tim.
Greetings in the Name of Jesus!
WORDPRESS says that our two blogs (at least our most recent posts) are related, so I came by to check you out–I hope you enjoy my slant on the topic (even if we are not in total agreement). Please stop by my blog and let me know what you think: Jesus + Compassion.
God bless you!
Cd