Gen. 6:1-9:29 Deliverance through GOD's Grace and Noah's Obedience (HBH) With the passing of time it became increasingly clear that humanity was unwilling and unable to live out the responsibilities of stewardship. Humans again violated their proper place within GOD's order by overstepping the limits GOD had placed on them. As a result of the improper intermingling of the "sons of GOD" (understood as either the angels or the rulers on the earth) and "the daughters of men" (6:1-4), GOD again saw the need to reassert His lordship (6:3) and make a fresh beginning that could give the human race another chance at obedience.
The consequence of sin was the great flood (6:5-8), a catastrophe so enormous that all life and institutions perished from the earth (7:22-23). GOD's grace was still active in preserving a remnant on the ark. In response to the worship of His people, GOD promised never again to destroy the earth so long as history ran its course (8:20-22). GOD's pledge to Noah reaffirmed the creation promises of blessing and dominion (9:1-19). Though differing in detail from the original statement of GEnesis 1:26-28, the central mandate is identical. The new humanity springing from Noah and his sons was called on to exercise dominion over all the earth as the image of GOD. The sign of the permanence of that arrangement was the rainbow (9:12).
Once more, as though to underline the effects of the fall on human faithfulness, Noah fell victim to his environment. Adam had sinned by partaking of a forbidden fruit; Noah sinned by perverting the use of a permitted fruit. Both cases illustrate that unaided humans can never rise to the level of GOD-ordained responsibility.
When Noah learned of the abuse he had suffered at the hand of his son Ham, he cursed the offspring of Ham - the Canaanites. He blessed those of his other two sons (9:24-27). This set in motion the relationships among the threefold division of the human race that would forever after determine the course of history. GOD would enlarge Japheth (the Gentiles), but in time Japheth would find refuge in the preserving and protecting tents of Shem (Israel). The Shemites (or Semites) thus would be the channel of redemptive grace.
6:1-7 See section 3 of "Truth in Action" at the end of Genesis.
6:1,2 The sons of God could refer to Seth's lineage - as opposed to Cain's unfaithful descendants -, a people of high social rank, like nobles, or to rebellious angels who abandoned heaven to take women as wives. This last interpretation presents some difficulties, but seems the most suitable. It also serves to confirm the evil that reigned in the world before the Flood.
The cataclysmic deluge described in Genesis 6-9 as GOD's judgment on the earth is mentioned elsewhere in the OT (Gen. 10:1,32; 11:10; Pss 29:10; 104:6-9; Isa 54:9) and in the NT (Matt. 24:38-39; Luke 17:26-27; Heb. 11:7; I Pet. 3:20; II Pet. 2:5; 3:3-7). That more verses are devoted to the flood than to the creation (Gen. 1-2) or the fall (Gen 3) suggests the significance of the account.
The Old Testament Account
Because of the great wickedness of humanity (Gen. 6:5,11). GOD resolved to destroy all living beings (6:13) with the exception of righteous Noah and his family (6:9,18). GOD instructed Noah to make an ark of cypress wood (6:14; "gopher wood," KJV). He told Noah to take his family and seven [pairs] of every clean species and two of every unclean species of animals, birds, and creeping things, along with provisions for the duration of the flood (6:18-21; 7:1-3). The rains lasted forty days and nights, covered "all the high mountains under the whole heaven" (7:19), and destroyed every living creature on land (7:21-23). When Noah and his family emerged from the ark after a year and ten days, he built an altar and offered sacrifices to GOD (8:14-20). GOD blessed Noah and his family (9:1) and made a covenant that He would never again destroy the earth by flood (8:21; 9:11). GOD gave the rainbow as a visible sign of that covenant (9:12-17).
Date and Extent of the Flood
It is impossible to determine the exact date of the flood, since no archaeological or geological materials have been found that would enable its accurate dating. Estimates have placed it between 13,000 and 3000 BC.
The extent of the flood has been debated. Arguments for a universal flood include: (1) the wording of Genesis 6-9, which is best interpreted as a universal flood (compare 7:19-23); (2) the widespread flood traditions among many, widely scattered peoples that are best explained if all peoples are descended from Noah; (3) the unusual source of water (Gen. 7:11); (4) the length of the flood, whereas a local flood would have subsided in a few days; (5) the false assumption that all life resided in a limited geographical area; and (6) GOD's limitless ability to act within history.
Arguments against a universal flood have persuaded some scholars to accept a limited flood. Some arguments are: (1) the amount of water needed to cover the highest mountain, which would be eight times as much as there is on earth; (2) the practical problems of housing and feeding so many animals for a year; (3) the destruction of all plant life submerged in salt water for over a year; (4) the view that destruction of the human race required only a flood covering the part of the earth inhabited at that time; and (5) the lack of geological evidence for a worldwide cataclysm. While all of our questions cannot be answered, the biblical data points in the direction of a universal flood.
Theological Significance
(1) The flood demonstrates GOD's hatred of sin and the certainty of His judgment on it. (2) GOD's giving people 120 years to repent before judgment came demonstrates His patience in dealing with sin. (3) The sparing of one family demonstrates GOD's saving grace. (4) The flood reveals GOD's rule over nature and over humanity.
Gen. 6:3 My spirit refers to the Holy Spirit in his role as the sustainer of the breath of life given to the human being in the creation (2:7). Will contend: It's meaning in the Hebrew language isn't clear. God now determines to shorten the length of the life of human beings, just as he put the symbolic figure of 120 years into manifestation, putting an end to the prior period of notable longevity. The corruptability of the man faced with sin made it necessary that God reduce the years of possibly doing evil. Therefore, this should be seen as a demonstration of God's mercy, and not as divine punishment.
Gen. 6:4 the sons of GOD and their women produced sons who were giants; the brave ones who from antiquity were men of renown disappeared later due to the Flood.
Gen. 6:5 the degeneration of mankind advanced rapidly, in spite of men of GOD like Enos, Enoch and Noah.
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Gen. 6:5 Human beings rush to degrade themselves,
RESTORATION. Chapters 4-12 reveal the human rush toward degradation and their absolute need for redemption and restoration. The whole concept ofThe Holy Spirit and Restoration is fully developed in the article of the same name. (Gen. 3:21/Gen. 41:42,43) J.R |
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Gen. 6:17 The ancient cultures preserved the memory of a universal flood.
Gen. 6:18 My covenant is the first mention of a biblical covenant. The protection that GOD offered before the imminent flood is the first expression of the promised covenant.
Gen. 6:19-21 Getting every living thing and all the food into the ark, as well as the other things they needed, obviously required miracles under GOD's sovereign control.
Gen. 6:22 Noah's obedience is a patriarchal model of joint work between GOD and human beings to advance the purposes of his Kingdom on Earth.
Gen. 7:2,3 The additional clean animals and birds are used later to be offered in sacrifice (8:20) and for the preliminary reconnaissance of the earth (8:7-12).
Gen. 7:4 Forty days and forty nights can be interpreted literally, or as a conventional expression that means "for a long time" (see Exod. 24:18). The later figures seem to indicate the first meaning.
Gen. 7:11 The Flood began when all the fountains of the great abyss were broken up. Almost simultaneously submarine earthquakes and volcanic eruptions were produced that hurled the waters of the oceans massively over the earth. It could also refer to the cataclysm that created the continents, by separating these giant land-masses from the original and only plate. (This original continent is called Pangea by geologists. The theory of the diluvian origin of the breakup of Pangea is called Catastrophic Plate Tectonics, caused by Runaway Subduction. See Answers in Genesis for the best and easiest to understand explanations of this theory.)
Gen. 7:12 Rain The word used in the Hebrew text means "strong and abnormal precipitations". In verse 17 it is called "deluge". This phenomenon accompanied the massive invasion of the waters from the depths of the earth.
Gen. 7:19,20 Even the high mountains were covered by the enormous waves. Fifteen cubits above means that the waters rose at least seven meters above the highest mountains. This allowed the ark to float freely.
Gen. 7:23 Over the face of the earth: The marine life apparently survived in spite of the phenomenon, and there isn't any indication of their subsequent recreation.
Gen. 7:24 One-hundred-fifty days includes the forty days of rainfall. The ark floated upon peaceful waters for 110 days.
Gen. 8:1 And GOD remembered is an expression of divine faithfulness.
Gen. 8:3-5 During the period of 110 days, the winds (verse 1) made the waters begin to abate. Exactly five months after the Flood began (verse 4), the water level had descended 15 cubits (at least 7 meters) below the highest mountains and the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat. This indicates that it rested on an unidentified peak of the mountain range in the Ararat region; which is east of modern Turkey, south of Russia, and northeast of Iran. It took more than two months of gradual recession of the waters to leave the summits of the mountains uncovered (verse 5).
Gen.8:11 An olive leaf: Can flourish rapidly and symbolizes fertility.
Gen. 8:6-12 These verses offer additional details about Noah's activities while the waters decreased. GOD used the birds to inform Noah of the prevalent conditions outside the ark.
Gen. 8:14,15 Noah was in the ark for more than a year.
Gen. 8:19 Species: Groups of animals with similar biological characteristics. There are no indications that they reproduced during the Flood. (It is possible that most of the animals were babies or eggs. This would reduce the amount of space needed and the amount of food required to feed them)
Gen. 6:15,16 The dimensions of the ark were around 150 meters in length by 25 meters in width, and 15 meters in height, with a capacity that exceeded 500 boxcars. The way it was built made it difficult to sink.
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Gen. 8:20 The first "covenant" appears with Noah
THE BLOOD. Before Noah, the concept of a covenant can only be inferred in the Bible. The use of the term "covenant" appears for the first time when GOD's relationship with Noah is related (6:18; 9:9). The covenant is established through his sacrificial offering after the Flood. In gratitude for his deliverance, Noah constructed an altar and offered blood sacrifices. There are no specific commandments that require Noah to offer blood sacrifices, which suggests that a precedent had already been established, dating back to Adam and the lessons in the Garden of Eden, where a sacrifice of blood was required to clothe Adam and Eve. Noah's sacrifice pleased GOD and He responded, offering a covenant that he would never again destroy the creation through a flood. This is the first occasion in biblical history when the term "covenant" is applied to the relationship between GOD and an individual, as well as his descendants; and that it's established as a covenant of blood. (Gen. 1:3-5/Gen. 22:13) C.S. |
Gen. 8:21 I will never again curse the ground means that GOD would never add to the curse of 3:17. This appears to be the best interpretation. GOD's mercy is manifested here in spite of his knowledge that the Flood wouldn't change the human heart, that would always be evil from his youth.
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Gen. 8:22 GOD establishes the principle of the seed and the law of the sower and the harvest,
SEED OF FAITH. Noah's first acts after the Flood were to construct an altar and to offer sacrifices to the LORD. That pleased GOD, who made promises to the human family because of Noah's faith. He also instituted the law of the sower and the harvest: "While the earth remains..., sowing and the harvest shall not cease" (verse 22). When GOD created the first living thing, he gave him the ability to grow and multiply. How? Through the seed. His life began through the principle of the seed. Each action of his life, from his birth, has been done through the principle of the sowing which continually sprouts the good and bad seeds that you have sown. He may go on unaware of the seeds that have been sown. The principle remains today. To realize your potential, to overcome life's problems, to see your life become fruitful, multiply and provide abundance (i.e., health, prosperity, spiritual renewal, in the family or oneself), you should decide to follow the divine law of the sower and the harvest. Sow the seed of His promise in the ground of your need. (*/II Sam. 24:24) O.R. |
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Gen. 9:5,6 The sanctity of life,
HUMAN WORTH. Life was given to man by GOD. Human beings were made the "image" and "likeness" as GOD's singular creation (1:26; 9:6); spiritual, immortal and intelligent. Therefore, GOD said, "Thou shalt not kill" (Exod. 20:13). To take a human life is to violate the image of GOD in the human being, which should be respected and honored. Life, even prenatal, is always a miracle and nobody should believe he has the right to spill the blood of an innocent human being. "To require" (Gen. 9:5) indicates that GOD is doing something more than introducing a rule. GOD, in reality, "will seek justice" (from the Hebrew "darash") or "will demand" the life of a person as payment for the innocent life that was taken. To lack respect for life should never occur to anyone. We should proclaim its value and sanctity. (Gen. 3:17/Acts 17:26) C.B. |
Gen. 9:6 Human life is GOD's most sacred creation. Conscious violation of another's right to life requires punishment by the community (the agents of GOD).
Gen. 9:8-10 I establish my covenant with you: The first of the five covenants between GOD and mankind in the Old Testament was his unconditional promise that the earth would never again be destroyed by water.
Gen. 9:12-17 The biblical covenants usually contained the following elements: the covenant of sacrifice, with the shedding of blood (8:20), the supper (also 8:20), the final establishment of the covenant (9:9) and the sign of the covenant (9:13), in this case the arc...in the clouds, apparently a new phenomenon of nature.
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Gen. 8:20-9:17 After the Flood
KINGDOM BASICS. After the Flood a renewed order was reestablished. Noah's faith, through which he was saved, is now manifested in an expression of worship to GOD when he leaves the ark (8:20-22). GOD proclaims his covenant with Noah (9:8-17), after revealing again his intention to make the human race fruitful and multiply like in the beginning. However, the circumstances have changed, especially GOD's relationship with mankind, as well as the human relationship with the creation. The Flood hadn't disrupted the loss of the original human dominion. The human beings' condition, as a result of the Fall, was still maintained, although fortunately as a purpose of divine mercy. Furthermore, the animals would fear them from now on (9:2), which had not occurred in their prior relationship. In the final restoration of GOD's kingdom on earth, the original order will be reestablished where no fear will exist (Is. 11:6-9). In spite of these deficiencies, mankind needs a new and clean environment to seek the Kingdom of GOD above all. GOD reaffirms the human responsibility to administer the earth, giving account to Him (9:1-7). The Flood has neither neutralized the serpent's influence, nor changed the human tendency to rebel against GOD's government. In spite of everything, a new hope dawns with the promise of the eventual recovery of all of the original condition that was lost. (Gen. 3:16-24/Gen. 12:1-3) J.W.H. |
