Week 6, Noah Part A

Well we've finally arrived at Noah and the flood. The message here is that God is pissed, and remorseful about creating us in the first place. It turns out human beings are a murderous and violent lot and God wants to wipe us out. Woman may have eaten the fruit but it's the male population that brings violence.

God does however find favour with a guy named Noah who is described as "righteous, blameless among the people of his time and he walked with God". 6:9.

(I owe a lot to Noah, he saved my butt).

God tells Noah to take two of every animal and gives him very specific instructions on how to build an arch. Noah was 600 years old when the flood came. What? Yes. That's 600 years old.

A couple of things to note here. Man's relationship with the animal kingdom changes. Not only do animals now fear man but human beings begin to eat meat. God also decrees that man will be mortal and his days will be numbered, up to 120 years! The world has changed.

I'm a little puzzled here. How did we get to a point where our average age is only around 80?

Anyway, the flood lasts for forty days. That the same amount of days that Lent lasts, so I figure it's a good lotto number. In fact there are lots of numbers in Genesis 7, who knew?

Next comes a very poetic part that I like very much. Noah sends out a dove who returns to the arch, he waits seven more days and sends out the dove who returns with an olive branch. I think that's where we get the idea of extending an olive branch as a show of friendship and reconciliation.

The great part is that God promises never to flood the earth again. Obviously he feels some remorse, after all we are a charming and entertaining bunch. And to seal the deal he says" whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth ." 9:15.

As I read this the rainbow which is so beautiful and hopeful takes on a new meaning for me and I hope I see one soon. It's been a long time since I've seen a rainbow in the sky.

When is the last time you've seen a rainbow?