We find Noah right where we left him at the end of Genesis 7: adrift who-knows-where on Earth-covering seas. Almost immediately, though, the author reminds us of an important characteristic of our God. “God remembered Noah….” This is a promise we can and should hold onto every day of our lives. No matter how rough the waters get–and they can get pretty rough, something to which I’m sure Noah could attest–God will always remember us. He may choose not to remove the waters immediately, or ever, but He will always be there with us to see us through.
It is interesting to note that the flood was the turning point from vegetarian to meat-eating culture for humanity, not the Fall in Genesis 3. Why? I have no idea. I just found it interesting. Perhaps it was practical, in that the flood killed most of the plants they would otherwise eat. Perhaps it was more Spiritual, and God was showing Noah and his descendants once again that Earthly Paradise was gone forever. God did forbid eating animals with blood still in their veins, just as he forbade killing another human. It is one of the first indications of a justice system. God told Noah that if any man killed another man, he too would be killed. On a similar note, we see from chapters 4 and 8 that sacrifices, including animal sacrifices, were not an Israelite phenomenon. Cain and Abel made sacrifices, as did Noah.
Right after the flood ends and Noah’s family and all those animals they took with them finally poured out of the Ark (where they had spent an entire year!), God made a covenant with Noah. It is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful covenants in the whole Bible. God promised that He would never, ever again wipe out all living beings in that same way. To “seal” the covenant, God put a rainbow in the sky. Since the flood is the first mention of rain in the Bible, it is not at all farfetched to believe that was the first time anyone saw a rainbow. In today’s society, the rainbow is used to symbolize everything from pots of gold to gay pride, so I think this passage is particularly striking in its reminder of the purpose of the rainbow. It is a reminder of God’s promise that He still shows us today, thousands of years later. Every time you see a rainbow, I hope you remember why it’s there, not just enjoy how pretty it is.
Unfortunately, not even a man who “walked with God” is without sin. The next story begins with the author’s note that Noah was “a man of the soil.” I believe this has a double meaning; not only is the author informing the reader that Noah was a farmer, he is also subtly reminding us that mankind was formed from the soil and will someday return to the soil. So Noah, a man of the soil who walked with God, got good and drunk and lay naked in his tent, an act one hardly expects from a man God speaks of so highly. His son Ham does no better when he informs his brothers what their father had done. Noah’s response to the situation, though, is very intriguing. He puts all the blame on Ham and takes none on himself! Was what Ham did wrong? Probably. Should he have been more thoughtful and kind, like his brothers Shem and Japheth? Absolutely. But should Noah have taken some responsibility for starting the cycle of sin by getting himself so drunk in the first place? Personally, I believe so. He is hardly a good role model for his sons here, and I think a lot can be learned about what not to do from this little anecdote.
From there we get a long list of descendents; 70, to be exact…a number that symbolizes totality and completion. In other words, the author probably left out some names to get that wonderful number. One name stands out from the list, though. Nimrod, “a mighty hunter before Yahweh.” Isn’t that an interesting thing to point out? No other name gets such attention, and he is spoken of highly as a “mighty warrior on the earth” who founded an entire kingdom. Yet we remember nothing of him today.
When Noah’s descendents once again fill the Earth, sin once again rears its ugly head. The people decide to build for themselves a great nation and a tower at Babel that reached to the Heavens. Such a lofty goal for people whose recent ancestors were the only survivors of a huge flood, saved only by God’s grace. Yet, in their arrogance, they believed they were the ones who could create a paradise for themselves. The result? Everyone speaking a language no one else understood. The old adage certainly rings true here: Pride goeth before destruction. I think they learned their lesson, at least for a while. Yet, how often do we do this today? “I have to work hard to get the job of my dreams.” “I have to save up enough money to provide for my family.” “I have to do everything in my power to go to the ideal university, find Prince Charming, you name it.” I, I, I. What room is there for God to show His greatness and love if we’re always trying to accomplish everything ourselves? What’s more, what room is there for us to recognize Him as our Lord and Savior if we’re always so focused on ourselves? Remember what happened at Babel next time you want to “build a great nation” for yourself.
Next time: Abraham! An extremely important man for three major world religions. We’ll see what his life has in store for us….
“From Yahweh comes deliverance. May Your blessing be on your people.” Psalm 3:8
God Bless
Eat This Book 