Noach--Genesis 6:9--11:32
Redemption From Destruction
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Two Pathways of Life
A little over a thousand years have passed since the beginning with Adam to the birth of Noah. Adam had died only 126 years before Noah was born. It would be another 500 years before Noah’s three sons were born and 100 years before the ark was built.
To put this into perspective, Noah was 87 years old when Enos, Adam’s grandson, died. With the exception of Enoch (365 years) and Lamech (777 years), all lived 895 years to 969 years. All family history and the precepts of Elohim were readily available to Noah “straight from the horse’s mouth”, if you will.
It is written of the birth of Enos, “Then men began to call on the name of the YHVH.” For 87 years, Noah would have had Enos as his instructor in the ways of Elohim. His grandfather, Methuselah, very likely told him the complete life story of his great grandfather, Enoch. Just four generations after Seth, it is said of Enoch.
“And Enoch walked with (Aleph/Tav) Elohim. Then he was no more, for Elohim took him.” Genesis 5: 24
Scripture says of each man in Adam’s lineage they “became the father of sons and daughters”. We also know the descendants of Cain likely lived very long lives and were prolific as well. It is written in chapter four of Lamech (not the same as the father of Noah) he told his two wives he killed a man for wounding him. Many scholars agree this man was Cain.
From the beginning of creation, there have always been two pathways from which man could choose, the paths of Elohim or his own paths. As Seth began to call upon YHVH, Cain chose his own selfish path. Beginning with seemingly harmless tendencies to jealousy and envy, his path progressed to hatred and murder. That act caused separation from his family and Elohim. Without the ideals of either input into his life, his future and that of his posterity became permanently sealed. Consider the response of YHVH concerning the level of debauchery now upon the earth.
“And יהוה saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And יהוה was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Genesis 6: 5-6
Every imagination of men were only “evil continually”. They had sunk so low there became no redeeming value in any of them. They played the harlot for so long until the only thing to do is wipe the earth clean of them and start over. It’s as a one-liner I’ve heard. “It’s time to pay the piper”. Consider the judgment of YHVH.
“And the earth was corrupt before Elohim, and the earth was filled with violence. And Elohim looked upon the earth and saw that it was corrupt – for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth – and Elohim said to Noaḥ, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. And see, I am going to destroy them from the earth.’” Genesis 6: 11-13
Ark Of Safety
The central theme of this portion is the complete destruction of the unjust and the merciful redemption and watch care of those that took care to follow the ways of Elohim. By the time He speaks with Noah, all of his family from Adam are gone, leaving only he, his wife, his sons and their wives. Of all people on the earth, only these eight were counted as righteous.
After the above observation and judgment from Elohim, He gives Noah specific instructions for building an ark. It is said among Torah scholars there is nothing redundant within Torah. If a word or statement is repeated in a verse or passage, it is wise to stop and find out what is being said. Such is the case in the very next verse.
“Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.” Genesis 6: 14 KJV
Notice the repetition of the word, “pitch”. Moshe didn’t use the same Hebrew word both times. The first time, he uses the word, “kaphar”, which literally means, “to cover with bitumen (tar)”. The figurative meaning is very revealing. The word evokes such synonyms as “expiate, condone, placate, cancel, make atonement, cleanse, forgive, merciful, pardon, purge, and reconcile.”
Now, consider the very slight change in the second word used. Moshe uses “Kopher”, which also carries a literal meaning of “covering”. However, it goes from a singular perspective, as in the single ark as a vessel of safety, to a plural perspective, as in a “village”, or community or people.
The figurative consideration is just as revealing as is with the first. Consider synonyms such as, “redemption price, ransom, and satisfaction”. The waters outside the ark represents destruction of the wicked, while the ark of safety represents to all of us as a community of believers a redemption price paid. We have been ransomed and our debt to sin cancelled.
The ark is a picture of the everlasting mercy of YHVH through Yeshua our Messiah. He is the Ark for our lives. Let the Scriptural witnesses speak this truth concerning Yeshua being the “Bridge over (our very) troubled waters“ of sin.
“And יהוה came down in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the Name, יהוה. And יהוה passed before him and proclaimed, “הוה, יהוה, an Ěl compassionate and showing favor, patient, and great in kindness and truth, watching over kindness for thousands, forgiving crookedness and transgression and sin, but by no means leaving unpunished, visiting the crookedness of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
Exodus 34: 5-7
“O Yisra’ĕl, wait for יהוה; for with יהוה there is kindness. And with Him is much redemption, for He shall redeem Yisra’ĕl from all his crookednesses.”
Psalms 130: 7-8
“For all have sinned and fall short of the esteem of Elohim, being declared right, without paying, by His favor through the redemption which is in Messiah יהושע, whom Elohim set forth as an atonement, through belief in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His tolerance Elohim had passed over the sins that had taken place before, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He is righteous and declares righteous the one who has belief in יהושע.”
Romans 3: 23-26
“For if, being enemies, we were restored to favor with Elohim through the death of His Son, much more, having been restored to favor, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in Elohim through our Master יהושע Messiah, through whom we have now received the restoration to favor.”
Romans 5: 10-11
“To the praise of the esteem of His favor with which He favored us in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of His favor…”
Ephesians 1: 6-7
“If we confess our sins, He is trustworthy and righteous to forgive us the sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1: 9
Covenant Established
Upon departing the ark, Noah built an altar, took of every clean beast and bird, and made sacrifice to Elohim upon it. As the smooth and savory fragrance arose to heaven, Elohim resolved the following.
“And יהוה smelled a soothing fragrance, and יהוה said in His heart, ‘Never again shall I curse the ground because of man, although the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth, and never again smite all living creatures, as I have done. As long as the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.’” Genesis 8: 21-22
This resolve provides a grand entrance of His covenant with Noah, his family, and his descendants with the opening of chapter nine. Noah is blessed and is told to be fruitful and multiply. He is given dominion over all living things, and they will fear men. That the blood of man and beast is the life thereof is a concept introduced to Noah.
Beginning in v. 9, Elohim bestows upon Noah and his posterity His eternal covenant. In so doing, He utters another apparent “redundancy”. He says, “And I, see, I…” For the first “I”, He uses the word, “aniy”, which is simply put, the obvious pronoun, “I”. However, for the second, He uses, “ayth”, which is a demonstrative portrayal of an “entity” (God-Head?).
The second word is generally used to point out more definitely the object of the verb. Extended, it is like saying, “I, see, (namely, every part of Me) I…” What’s clear is Elohim wants Noah and his posterity to emphatically know they can depend upon what He is about to say. They can “take it to the bank”, as we might say.
Of course, major floods have, do, and will continue to be a part of life on this earth. Yet, Elohim pledges to Noah and his posterity never to totally wipe out all life in this manner ever again, throughout the generations. To this promise, Elohim gives Noah a sign of this covenant. As the Scripture says.
“And Elohim said, 'This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for all generations to come: I shall set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.'” Genesis 9: 12-13
To this day, we still see that sign in connection with any rain storm. We also know the cause of the rainbow. Even many small children know it’s sunlight shining through water droplets in the air that cause the multi-colored sight. There is a curious revelation concerning the rainbow.
If it appeared to Noah just after the flood, why didn’t it manifest itself before the flood? The reason is obvious. The entire earth was covered with a thick mist of water through which direct sunlight couldn’t penetrate. Hence, no rainbow, and no harmful radiation to greatly shorten life-spans.
The effects that cause a rainbow were present before the time of Noah. Even though it couldn’t be seen because of the heavy mist hiding the direct sunlight, the rainbow still existed above the cover. Any storms above the mist would still be subject to the same light shining through water drops.
On a simplistic “peshat” level of understanding, the concept of a rainbow is acceptable to me, and I do not refute it. Elohim clearly says the rainbow is a sign for both Noah and posterity AND the earth. Placed before the word, “sign”, is “Lamed/Aleph/Vav/Tav”. This shows the covenant herein given is by the Authority of YHVH in and through Yeshua Messiah.
This brings to light a deeper mystery to solve. If the elements to create a rainbow were always there, why do most of Scripture translations assume the sign is a rainbow when Hebrew meaning itself supports something deeper than the obvious physical phenomenon? Consider the above reference in another version.
“And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set (Aleph/Tav) My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis 9: 12-13 KJV
The key words in this verse are “bow” and “cloud”. The KJV comes closer to the Hebrew meaning and doesn’t assume Moshe is talking about a rainbow. The actual Hebrew word used is, “qesheth”, and carries a literal meaning of a “bow”, in the sense of “a bending“. Beyond this, the concept of meaning totally parts from that of a rainbow arc. Rather, it speaks to strength, as in an archer shooting for a bulls eye.
To support the simple understanding of a rainbow, the word for “cloud” is “anan”, which carries the literal meaning of a thunderstorm cloud. Even though I have no problem with the concept of a rainbow, consider the following Scriptural witnesses.
“And it came to be, when Moshe entered the Tent, that the column of cloud descended and stood at the door of the Tent, and He spoke with Moshe. And all the people saw the column of cloud standing at the Tent door, and all the people rose and bowed themselves, each one at the door of his tent. Thus יהוה spoke to Moshe face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” Exodus 33: 9-11a
“Even when they made a molded calf for themselves, and said, ‘This is your mighty one that brought you up out of Mitsryim,’ and worked great blasphemies, yet You, in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. The column of the cloud did not turn away from them by day to lead them on the way, nor the column of fire by night to give them light in the way they were to go.”
Nehemiah 9: 18-19
In each passage, the word for “cloud” is “anan”, the same word used in the story of Noah. Since the connection in Genesis 9 is not a perfect match for the concept of a rainbow, I submit that the sign given to Noah was Yeshua the Messiah. He is the Aleph (strength) and the Tav (sign of the covenant). His arrows are His Word, which is a “two edged sword”. In addition to this, Moshe placed an “Aleph/Tav” before “My bow”. This makes for a better understanding and a perfect match for all three references.
As In The Days Of Noah
There appears to be a common concept among all Torah teachers, Jewish and Messianic alike. That is, “whatever happens to the fathers will happen to the sons.” In that, the account of Noah is a parallel account for us in our generation. There is a coming judgment coming upon this earth equal and proportionate to the destruction in Noah’s time. Consider Yeshua’s comments on the matter.
“And as it came to be in the days of Noah, so also shall it be in the days of the Son of Adam: They were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noaḥ went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. And likewise, as it came to be in the days of Lot: They were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building, but on the day Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and sulphur from heaven and destroyed all. It shall be the same in the day the Son of Adam is revealed.”
Luke 17: 26-30
The coming destruction will be Sodom and Gomorrah on a global level. It is well known there is enough nuclear warheads available to completely destroy the entire planet. The purpose of this commentary is not to pursue this fact, but, rather, draw a parallel to Noah’s escape from destruction in the ark and our future escape from world wide calamity by way of what has been termed as “the camp of the righteous”.
For those astute observers, it’s not hard to see parallels between Noah and our day. It’s not hard to see “wickedness in high places”. Just look at the revelations of our recent Presidential election cycle. Societies around the world are tinkering and messing with YHVH’s ordained concepts of marriage.
That we are at the very door of that destructive judgment of YHVH has been clearly established in my writing. Even so, the naysayers just scoff. They ignore the warnings just as those with Noah and continue on in their reveling until it’s too late. By the time they realize their folly, we will be in the “camp” with the doors securely shut.
Anytime we try to describe complete chaos in our lives, personal or family, the phrase “it’s a zoo around here” is usually uttered in some form or another. Consider Noah. For him, it was literally true. He had a complete menagerie on his hands and it was square in the middle of his living room. Can you imagine living with that for a year, with all the windows shut?
In the camp of the righteous, we likely won’t have to be cooped up in that manner. Yet, we’ll have to put up with discomfort. Everything our lives were about has been left behind. We know we’re going to the Promised Land but how we’re going to get there is a mystery. Destruction is all around us, some family members that refused to believe as do we are left behind for that destruction, and our biggest enemy will be FEAR.
Even in the camp, some will succumb to fear and leave their camp/ark of safety and become a part of the destruction. It is written that those who endure to the end will be saved. Noah and his family endured their journey and walked out of the ark onto dry land. Those that endure the tribulations associated with the “camp of the righteous” will walk alive into the Kingdom of Elohim.
Even before we get to the camp of the righteous, there will be those that “jump ship”. They’ve prepared for this event, maybe for years, and everything just seems to go on as before. For the cares of their life and the world, they just slip back into their destructive patterns. Certainly, smell the roses along the way, yet, steadfastly pursue the prize that awaits us and walk alive into the Kingdom.
Haftorah-Covenant Of Peace
During times of distress, the Hebrew people devised a parallel set of Scriptures to use as instruction for when they were not allowed to teach directly from Torah, the first five books of the Bible. These are called the “Haftorah”. This week’s Haftorah is Isaiah 54-55: 5.
When I read this passage, I’m reminded of all the disappointments of my life. I’m told by the prophet these are just temporary. If I will but trust in YHVH of hosts, they will become as a distant memory. He equates these as the flood waters of Noah. As the Scripture says.
“For this is the waters of Noah to Me, in that I have sworn that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth, so have I sworn not to be wroth with you, nor to rebuke you. For though the mountains be removed and the hills be shaken, My kindness is not removed from you, nor is My covenant of peace shaken, said יהוה, Who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54: 9-10
“And I shall make a covenant of peace with them, and make evil beasts cease from the land. And they shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest. And I shall make them and the places all around My hill a blessing, and shall cause showers to come down in their season – showers of blessing they are. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit and the earth yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land. And they shall know that I am יהוה, when I have broken the bars of their yoke. And I shall deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them, and they shall no longer be a prey for the gentiles, and the beast of the earth shall not devour them. And they shall dwell safely, with no one to make them afraid.”
Ezekiel 34: 25-28
From the barren woman instructed to “enlarge the place of (her) tent”, to the “afflicted one, tossed with storm, and not comforted“, there is sweet refuge with this covenant. The barren woman will be more prolific throughout the nations than the married woman. There, we will no longer suffer shame, hurt, or humiliation. The disappointments of life will become a distant memory, or even totally erased.
Even before we reach the Kingdom, we will be benefactors of YHVH’s hand of protection. Even before fear is totally wiped out with the bestowing of His covenant of peace, we will be able to walk in the knowledge that His watchful eye is always upon us, guiding our every step. As Scripture says.
“In righteousness you shall be established – far from oppression, for you shall not fear, and far from ruin, for it does not come near you. See, they shall indeed assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever shall assemble against you falls for your sake! See, I Myself have created the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire, who brings forth an instrument for his work. And I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall prove wrong. This is the inheritance of the servants of יהוה, and their righteousness from Me,” declares יהוה.” Isaiah 54: 14-17
Isaiah succinctly identifies the Bestower of this covenant. Without Him, we would be left in utter chaos. If not for Him, our lot would be barren, with a continual drowning in bitterness and disappointment, and in the end, eternal damnation. He takes our miserable lot and becomes our Husband, with all the benefits therein. As the Scripture says.
“For your Maker is your Husband, יהוה of hosts is His Name, and the Set-apart One of Yisra’ĕl is your Redeemer. He is called the Elohim of all the earth.”
Isaiah 54: 5
He bids us come to Him and receive His covenant of peace. Even if we have no money, He calls the thirsty to partake of His goodness. Why would you continue to spend money on what doesn’t fulfill or labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Why turn away from such a valuable gift as the “sure mercies of David” through the Son of David, Yeshua Messiah? As the Scripture implores.
“Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, so that your being lives. And let Me make an everlasting covenant with you, the trustworthy kindnesses of David. See, I have given Him as a Witness to the people, a Leader and a Commander for the people…Seek יהוה while He is to be found, call on Him while He is near. Let the wrong forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to יהוה, who has compassion on him, and to our Elohim, for He pardons much.”
Isaiah 55: 3-4, 6-7
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