It is interesting to know that even though everyone in the Bible in Genesis lived long, these people were all dead before the flood came except for Noah and his family. I made a chart on a piece of paper after I saw the Inductive Study Bible's chart. I wanted to follow the Scripture and try to created the same chart on my own. I was looking for a way to post it here, then, I found it on line. Here is a chart that shows the longevity of the Bible people (http://www.kreasjonisme.com/artikler/_images/longevitychart.pdf) It is really interesting to see this. The first thing I noticed was that Noah was alive when Abraham was born. Isn't that something.
Methuselah is the person who lived on this earth the longest. He outlived his son. Then notice that all mentioned in the Bible -Noah's family- died before the flood. The Jewish tradition says that Noah had a grieving period of 7 days after Methuselah died and then God closed the door of the ark.
Noah is the only righteous person but 7 more family members got to go on the ark. I think of this verse.
Only Jesus can save our lives. No human can. But because whoever believes Jesus can pray for their family until the very end, that is what all believers should and want to do! That's what I do - keep on praying for my family.Acts 16:31 (NIV) They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."
One Hebrew word has some different meanings.
Here is an example of רוח (ruwach). It is the word for wind, breath, or spirit. When I read the English Bible or Japanese Bible I just accept what I read as it is, but reading with some Hebrew knowledge helps me to think more.
Gen 1:2 "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
Gen 7:15 "And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein [is] the breath of life.
Gen 8:1 "And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind ..."
The Hebrew text uses the same word 'ruwach' for all the purple words above: Spirit, breath and wind. I have a lot of questions.. How do you know which English word to use when you translate? By context? Could you translate Gen 1:2 as 'wind'? Could it be that God sent the Spirit in Genesis 8:1? When a Rabbi reads Genesis 8:1 and sees the word 'ruwach', would he be thinking that this has something to do with the Spirit even though it is a wind? I would love to know if they are interchangeable.
God repeated the creation after the flood.
| to Adam | to Noah | |||
| water was separated | God made an expanse to separage the water (Gen. 1:6) | The rain from heaven was restrained (Gen 8:2) | ||
| dry land appeared | Dry land appeared (Gen 1:9) | The ark rested (Gen 8:4) | ||
| God's words to all creatures | Be fruitful and increase in number.(Gen 1:20) | Multiply upon the earth.(Gen 8:17) | ||
| God's words to human | Be fruitful and increase in number; (Gen 1) | Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.(Gen 9:1,7) |
God gave Adam all the greens and herb to eat (Gen 1:29), but God added beasts for meat for Noah. (Gen 9:3)
When we talk about Noah's sons, it is always 'Shem, Ham and Japheth', but the Jewish teachings say that Japheth is probably the oldest.
Some more thoughts on Noah's story.
I tried to draw the ark by just reading the Bible.
Gen 6:15-16 (NIV) This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.
Gen 6:15-16 (NAS) "This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.
Gen 6:15-16 (KJV) And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
I am just a regular person and I still don't know the grammar of Hebrew, but the word top or above make me want to draw one window on the top. (just an opinion of a mom...but I like my drawing!) I found an interesting commentary right after I drew this today.
"Noah's window only looked upward. It had no outlook on the waters; therefore, he sent forth the birds." (F.B.Meyer)
The rain must have come in. Still this one window on the top fits my image after drawing the ark as I read the Complete Word Study Old Testament. One window to only to look up, trusting the LORD... They were not allowed to see the world go under the water, but just trust in the LORD.
"What drowns other men only lifts the child of God nearer his home" (F.B.Meyer)
This is still encouraging to us in modern days. When the water is coming down and we are scared but we need to remember to look up to Him through the only opening we have on the top...
Just a little note...
Only those who were on the dry land perished! The creatures in the water remained the same before or after the flood. Interesting.
Japheth spread into Europe
Shem spread into Asia
Ham spread into Africa
11/19/2008
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