Parashat Noach
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
This week’s Torah portion is all about Noah. It is from Genesis 6:9–11:32; with the Haftarah in Isaiah 54:1–55:5; and the New Covenant portion in Matthew 24:36–46, 1 Peter 3:18–22 and Hebrews 11:7. Last week we looked at the Creation of the World, this week we look at it’s destruction
We will begin by reading the second half of Gen. 6:9-22
These are the genealogies of Noah. Noah was a righteous man. He was blameless among his generation. Noah continually walked with God. Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Now the earth was ruined before God, and the earth was filled with violence. God saw the earth, and behold it was ruined because all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh is coming before Me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. Behold, I am about to bring ruin upon them along with the land. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood. You shall make the ark with compartments and smear pitch on it, both inside and out. Now this is how you shall make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. You shall make a roof for the ark, and you shall finish it to within a cubit from the top. You shall put the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third stories. Now I am about to bring the flood—water upon the land—to destroy all flesh in which is the spirit of life from under the sky. Everything that is on the land will perish. But I will establish My covenant with you. So you shall come into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. Also of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of everything—male and female—into the ark to keep alive with you. Of the flying creatures according to their kind, of the livestock according to their kind, of all the crawling creatures of the ground according to their kind—two of everything will come to you to keep them alive. As for you: take for yourself every kind of edible food and gather it to yourself. It will be food for you and for them.” So Noah did according to all that God commanded him; he did so exactly.
Narrator is Right
Narrator is Right
When we read through a story, and more specifically when we read through a book of history, we usually assume that the Narrator is telling the truth. If we find internal or external inconsistencies, we then might question that assumption. But for the most part, we start by assuming that the author of the history book is telling the truth, albiet from his point of view.
In the case of the Scriptures we should do the same. If indeed Moses wrote the Torah, as we spoke about last year, we look to see what his point of view was, and whether or not he had any incentive to lie. Moses would have been well educated in the ways and histories of the Egyptians, so what would he have gained by contradicting that world view? Did Moses gain power, or position? Did he gain wealth or sexual favours? Or was he lying to get out of trouble? These are really the primary reasons why someone might lie. What we see with Moses, however, is that by following Adonai, and by contradicting the Egyptian world view and history, Moses actually lost everything. Moses lost position, power, wealth. So we do not see a reason for him to lie. And if you think that he gained power and authority over the Israelites, then I think that you forget that he actually transitioned from being a Lord over slaves, to a servant leader of a people who constantly complained. He went from dwelling in a palace to living in a tent.
So when we read this passage about Noah, we should remember that Moses had nothing to gain by writing this, and everything to lose. Therefore we have a good reason to trust the Narrator.
Secondly, Moses is primarily writing at the dictation of Adonai, and as it says in Num. 23:19
God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes his mind! Does He speak and then not do it, or promise and not fulfill it?
Therefore, not only does Moses have a great source with whom he could discuss the details, but we should also trust the words of Adonai. You might think that this goes without saying, but I am going to say it anyway.
Noah
Noah
Now let us have a look at Noah, himself. Multiple times throughout the first couple of verses we learn that Noah was man of good character. Moses writes that:
A righteous man
Blameless among his genemration
Walked with God
This is a great compliment, especially when we remember from last week that Genesis 6:5b “every inclination of the thoughts of their heart was only evil all the time.”
Now Adonai called Noah some time after he had given birth to his 3 sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. We see that Noah had these three by the age of 500 years old. Adonai then calls Noah, his three sons, and their wives, so it is some time after he is 500, but the flood comes when Noah is 600 years old.
I bring this all up to say that Noah was building the ark for somewhere around 50 or so years, but definately not longer than 100 years.
And Adonai gives Noah clear instructions for how big it was going to be, and how many animals were going to be on the ark, and therefore how much food he would need to preserve for all these animals.
Genesis 6:22 “So Noah did according to all that God commanded him; he did so exactly.”
Did Noah save the dinosaus?
Did Noah save the dinosaus?
There are all sorts of arguments that I hear about how Noah could not have possible had enough room to save all the animals, but I want you to consdier 2 things”
Adonai was bringing the animals to Noah,
Although the big animals are big, the small animals are small.
What do I mean by this? Even though Elephants are huge creatures, their babies are much smaller. And since Adonai is the one bringing the animals to Noah, I am fairly certain that the creator brought the Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Even a T-Rex, starts from a baby which is about 1 meter long, the size of a medium dog.
The biggest problem are the changes to the earth and to the climate after the Flood. The Scriptures point out that, Gen. 7:11
In the six-hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on this day, all the water sources of the great deep burst open, and the windows of the sky were opened.
And not only that, but in Gen: 7:20
The waters rose 15 cubits higher, as the mountains were covered.
This was a time of totaly cataclysm, where every volcano erupted, all of the techtonic plates shifted, and water that was above the sky (remember last week) fell to the earth.
The water above the sky is one of the most important parts. Prior to the Flood, the entire planet would be like a huge green-house at a beautiful 24 deg C, all day every day. The air pressure could have been about double what it is today, meaning that birds would have an easier time to fly, injuries would heal a lot faster, and everything would have grown a lot bigger.
But now after the flood we see that Adonai states the following: Gen. 8:22
While all the days of the land remain, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will not cease.”
This is the first mention of seasons, and it is quite probable that there were no seasons before the flood, and that the seasonal shift is a direct result of what caused the flood.
Also we see that Noah is now allowed to eat meat. This might be because our bodies could not process the protein from vegetables as well as we used to before the flood. Gen. 9:3
Every crawling thing that is alive will be food for you, as are the green plants—I have now given you everything.
But even then Adonai tells Noah and all his descendents that they must not eat the blood: Gen. 9:4-5
Only flesh with its life—that is, its blood—you must not eat! Surely your lifeblood will I avenge. From every animal and from every person will I avenge it. From every person’s brother will I avenge that person’s life.
God Remembered Noah
God Remembered Noah
There is an interesting statement in Gen. 8:1
Then God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. So God caused a wind to pass over the land and the water subsided.
It is this sense that Adonai was so caught up in the fury of the judgement, so focused on re-terraforming the world, and on bringing the evil of mankind to an end that in some way Noah was not the centre of his focus.
David would later write in Ps. 30:6
For His anger lasts for only a moment, His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Adonai’s judgement is always short but effective, measured but necessary. In 40 days, Adonai reset the world. This was the Great Reset! Afterwards, Adonai moved his focus back to Noah and Adonai brought Noah and the Ark to rest in the mountains of Ararat.
I want to take a little time to touch on some archeological digs that are going on at the Durupinar Formation. You may have heard that there are some wonderful new discoveries and that Noah’s Ark has been found. … This is not true.
The location that they are looking at has been studied since 1959, and most extensively in 1992. It was proven at the time to NOT be the site of the Ark by Scientists who were Christians, and the information was published by Creation Ministries at the time. Creation Ministries has once again published a report warning believers to not get their hopes up at this excavation.
The fomation is not unique, as there are multiple hills that look very similar in the area, there is no petrefied wood in that location, the soil samples do not contain the quanity of wood , the shape is not the same as what is defined in Scripture, etc. etc. etc.
Quoting from the article:
So there is no mystery about this site and its boat shape. For the many who had their hopes built up that this may be Noah’s Ark, it needs to be kept in mind that the Bible in no way says that Noah’s Ark would be preserved as a witness to future generations. Nevertheless, it certainly would be an exciting and powerful testimony to an unbelieving world for the Ark to be found, but if that is to happen it will be unmistakably God’s doing in His time and in His way to bring Him the glory. In the meantime, as Christians we need to always exercise due care when claims are made, no matter who makes them, and any claims must always be subjected to the most rigorous scientific scrutiny. If that had happened here, and particularly if the scientific surveys conducted by highly qualified professionals using sophisticated instruments had been more widely publicized and their results taken note of, then these claims would never have received the widespread credence that they have.
There is an enormous amount of evidence for creation and the Flood, so we don’t need the Ark to be discovered in that sense. Also, the opposition to that evidence and to the clear teaching of the Scriptures, Peter reminds us, is because scoffers are ‘willingly ignorant’ (2 Pet. 3:3–7)—it is a spiritual issue. As Christians, we need to do as 1 Thess. 5:21 states: ‘Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good’.
Didn’t last long
Didn’t last long
Even though Adonai had given Noah and his family a new start, it was not long until the re-newed world was once again poluted with sin.
Only one generation later we read of how Noah’s Son Ham, the father of Caanan, dishonoured his father. This then leads to a curse being placed on Caanan and Ham, and opens the door to the Tower of Babel.
At the Tower, Adonai did not destroy the world again, but deloberatly slowed its progression down by scattering the people around the world and dividing their languages.
Application
Application
How do we apply this passage of Scripture to our lives?
Isaiah’s comparison to Noah
Isaiah’s comparison to Noah
Well to do that I think that we should look at the Haftarah and New Covenant passages. Lets start with a passage from Isa. 54:5-13
For your Maker is your husband —Adonai-Tzva’ot is His Name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called God of all the earth. “For Adonai has called you back like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of one’s youth that is rejected,” says your God. “For a brief moment I deserted you, but I will regather you with great compassion. In a surge of anger I hid My face from you a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says Adonai your Redeemer. “For this is like the waters of Noah to Me: for as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more cover the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor will I rebuke you. Though the mountains depart and the hills be shaken, My love will not depart from you, nor will My covenant of peace be shaken, says Adonai who has compassion on you. Afflicted one, storm-tossed, unconsoled, behold, I set your stones in antimony, lay your foundations with sapphires, make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of crystal, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children will be taught by Adonai. Your children will have great shalom.
This passage comes directly after Isa. 53, and speaks of a restoration of Israel, and the love that Adonai will pour onto Israel. Notice how Adonai makes the comparison between the brief nature of the judgement during Noah’s day, and the brief separation of Israel from Adonai?
Adonai has promised to bring Israel back to the land and pour out his love on them. We are living in the days where this is happening. And we get to particpate. One of the reasons that we exist as a congregation is to declare to the Jewish people and to the world that Adonai has once again turned his favour on Israel! Specifically we are declaring that the Holy One of Israel, took on flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his Glory as the Only Begotten of the Father, Yeshua the Messiah!
Yeshua’s comparison to Noah
Yeshua’s comparison to Noah
We have spent the last year going over the signs of the last days. When we were going through the Olivet Discourse, we came across the following passage in Matthew 24:37–39:
“For just as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For in those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. And they did not understand until the flood came and swept them all away. So shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Yeshua is using the story of Noah to show that the rest of the world will not expect the return of Yeshua. Noah built the ark for 50+ years. I am sure at the beginning many people asked him what he was doing, but after a decade or so, they probably just resorted to mocking him and ignoring him.
This is very similar to today. Athiest Richard Dawkins on the 24 Mar 2012, told and audience of thousands:
“Mock them, ridicule them… in public. Don’t fall for the convention that we are all too polite to talk about religion. Religion is not off the table. Religion is not off limits. Religion makes specific claims about the universe which need to be substantiated. Need to be challenged and if necessary need to be ridiculed with contempt.”
So, it is no different today. Instead of listening or considering any other point of view, we are simply surrounded with mockers and cynics.
For us as believers we should remember that Yeshua warned us in Matt. 10:25
It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
We should not expect any different treatment, but we should still love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us.
Peter’s comparison to Noah
Peter’s comparison to Noah
Peter makes a different comparison. In 1 Peter 3:20-21
Long ago they disobeyed while God kept waiting patiently, in the days of Noah as the ark was being built. In that ark a few (that is, eight souls) were brought safely through water. Corresponding to that, immersion now brings you to safety—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but a pledge to God of a good conscience—through the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua.
Peter is looking at the experience of Noah and his family as synonomous with Immersion in water. When we are immersed in water, then we experience a salvation, in the same way that Noah was saved. Noah and his family had the opportunity to begin anew. So also, when we turn to Yeshua, repent, and are immersed, we have the opportunity to start a new life.
Now I would like to encourage you all, if you have not been immersed in water, this is a great opportunity to demonstrate outwardly your pledge to Adonai, and publicly confess that Yeshua is Lord and has raised from the dead!
The Faith of Noah
The Faith of Noah
The final passage of the Brit Hadashah is in Hebrews 11:7, where it says:
By faith Noah, when warned about events not yet seen, in holy fear prepared an ark for the safety of his household. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
We also are called to prepare ourselves and our loved ones for the judgement that is coming. It is not a judgement that is intended for us, but it will come on the unsuspecting world.
As believers we have a responsibilty to warn others, but once we have warned them, they are responsible for their own decision.
Conclusion
Conclusion
I will conclude with one final passage from 2 Peter 2:5-10
He did not spare the ancient world. He preserved only Noah, a proclaimer of righteousness, along with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly. He devastated the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes—making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly. He rescued Lot, a righteous man deeply troubled by the shameless immorality of the wicked. (For that righteous man, while living among them, was tormented in his righteous soul day after day by lawless deeds he saw and heard.) Therefore the Lord certainly knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and how to keep the unrighteous being punished until the Day of Judgment— especially those who follow after the flesh in its unclean desires and who despise the Lord’s authority. Brazen and arrogant, these people do not tremble while slandering glorious beings;
