Grace, shalom and joy be to you all.
Hello and welcome to First Generation Assembly; Bible study from a first century paradigm. What did it mean to those early, post-resurrection Believers? This work is not copywrited, as it is Yahuah’s word. So please feel free to copy and use. The only thing that I ask, is that you reference this website.
This study will discuss the importance of the Noach account. In it, the following subjects will be looked at:
As in the days of Noach p1.
Who was Noach? p2.
Why is he critical to 21st. Century evangelists? p4.
Grace in Tanakh p5.
Why was the Flood necessary? P5.
The building of the tebah (ark) p6.
Salvation of households p9.
Why is the Flood chronology in such detail? p10.
The seven Noachide Laws p16.
The shameful episode of Kham (Ham) p17.
- Noach in the Renewed Covenant p18.
Summary of Types p19.
References and credits p21.
NOACH
(Gen. 5:28-9:28)
As in the days…
In the passage in the 24th. Chapter of Matthew, the Master explains that, “As the days of Noach were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matt. 24:37). So what were the days of Noach (Noah/Noe) like?
a) “Tzillah also gave birth to Tuval-Kayin, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron. Tuval-Kayin’s sister was Na`amah.” (Gen. 4:22). There was great progress in the use of metallurgy and technology.
b) “They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:27 KJV). The pleasures of the flesh outweighed any spiritual influence. Likewise, the references to marriage in this passage seem to indicate that the sacrament of marriage had been replaced by a more secular form with total disregard to importance given to it by Yahuah.
c) “Lamekh took two wives: the name of the one was `Adah, and the name of the other Tzillah.” (Gen. 4:19). This was in blatant contravention of the original economy Yahuah had for Mankind in that one man was to take only one woman as his wife (Gen. 2:24).
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d) “It happened, when men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them,” (Gen. 6:1). The widespread sexual immorality caused a rapid increase in population. Although on the face of it, this was in obedience to Yahuah’s initial commandment to be fruitful (Gen. 1:28), it is typical of the world’s system that it is not the act that is important, but more the motive behind the act. In this case, it was purely the pursuit of pleasure.
e) “Yahuah said, ‘Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind… bring forth living creatures after their own kind… `Elohiym created man in His own image. In `Elohiym’s image He created him; male and female He created them.’” (Gen. 1:12a, 24a, 27). Yahuah `Elohim ordered Creation according to His divine will. Again, in direct rebellion, the pre-flood world was experimenting with genetic re-modelling. This is seen in the recent ‘creation’ of cybrids (human nucleus in animal cell) and chimeras (animal nucleus in human cell) (Johnson(2) p13; Johnson (3) p195).
f) “and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noach with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when He brought a flood on the world of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 2:5). Although Yahuah has raised up Evangelists to preach the Good News, the worldly desires caused them to ignore Yahuah’s warnings.
g) “Yahuah said to Noach, ‘Come with all of your household into the tebah, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.” (Gen. 7:1). “Avraham drew near, and said, ‘Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?’” (Gen. 18:23). In the days immediately prior to the Flood, Yahuah could not find anyone else who was righteous apart from Noach. It may not necessarily be the conduct of the people that had dismayed Yahuah, but that there was a lack of Believers to carry out His work. It has been recently been remarked upon that there is a dearth of young prophets coming through and the current crop is getting old. This could also be true of teachers as both prophets and teachers need to have younger people to mentor and encourage. The role of both these groups of people is to explain the Scriptures and how to show how to apply them to everyday life. The moment that the Messiah returns in many respects does away with the need for prophets and teachers as Scripture makes plain what is to take place. Is this scarcity down to the imminent return of the Messiah and Yahuah will no longer have a need for them in the next generation?
Who was Noach?
“Lamekh lived one hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of a son,” (Gen. 5:28). It is usually asserted that Noach was Lamekh’s firstborn son. Hebrew tradition has it that Lamekh alludes to melech meaning king. Therefore, Hebrew listeners would associate Noach as being the firstborn of the king (Danieli p122).
“and he (Lamekh) named him Noach, saying ‘This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Yahuah has cursed’” (Gen. 5:29). Noach would bring about the reversal of the curse given to Adam by Yahuah (Gen. 3:17-19). This curse came about by the attempt by Adam to cover or atone for the sin of disobedience in eating of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 2:16, 17). The punishment handed down by Yahuah `Elohiym was in direct relation to the sin. Adam ignored the warning that, although Yahuah had graciously provided all the food for Adam, Adam had to go and use his own hands to provide food. Therefore, from then on, Mankind had to provide food for themselves by their own labours. (This will be more fully discussed when dealing with Gen. 8:4). Likewise, Adam attempted to cover his nakedness by using his own hands to make fig leaf clothes when only Yahuah could provide suitable coverings.
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When parents gave a name to their child, it was usually in anticipation of the character or occupation of the child (Harris et al p.934). It was only later that parents tended to name children after close relatives.
“It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zekharyah, after the name of the father. His mother answered, ‘Not so; but he will be called Yochanan.’” (Luke 1:59, 60).
“When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esav.” (Gen. 25.24, 25). The naming of the child may be due to some physiological aspect of the child.
“After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esav’s heel. He was named Ya`akov. Yitzchak was sixty years old when she bore them.” (Gen. 25.26). The child could also be named after some psychological aspect.
Sometimes, under the influence of HaRuach, the parents prophetically name their child. “But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of Yahauh appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Yosef, son of David, do not be afraid to take to yourself Miryam, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Ruach HaKodesh. She shall bring forth a son. You shall call His name Yahshua (Yah is salvation), for it is He who shall save His people from their sins.’” (Matt. 1:20, 21).
It is my belief, that Lamekh named his son Noach prophetically.
נֹחַ #H5146 *1323b noach rest or salvation from the root נוּחַ #H5117 *1323 nuwach spiritual rest, absence of trouble; ~1107-J(V) a place of quiet and rest form burdens, work or enemies. There are two types of rest cessation of labour (shabbat), “On the seventh day, Yahuah finished His work which He had made; and He rested from all His work which He made.” (Gen. 2:2) and entering into a state of victory or salvation, “for in six days Yahuah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested (nuwach) the seventh day therefore Yahuah blessed the day of Shabbat and made it set apart.” (Exod. 20:11). Noach was named prophetically designating a temporary rest after his construction of the tebah that was a type of eternal rest found in Yahuah’s salvation through the Messiah Yahshua.
Col. 2:17 – “which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is the Messiah’s.” Rabbi Sha’ul is describing to the Colossian Assembly what is a ‘type’ (shadow). It is something or someone that points prophetically to a much more important event or person some time in the future. The ‘antitype’ is the fulfilment of the prophetic type. Throughout
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Scripture the antitype is found in the reality (body) of the Messiah. If you asked most people on the streets, they may know of the person of Yahshua (known to them as Jesus), if only for the celebration of the pagan festival of Christmas. However, many more will know of the account of Noah’s (sic) Ark. Yahshua is no longer taught in schools, but most will have a lesson on the Ark. Evangelists, therefore, may benefit from using Noach as a starting point for the Good News.
6:8 – “But Noach found grace in the Yahuah’s eyes.” Grace is usually translated in modern versions as favour.
חֵן #H2580 *694a khen grace favour; ~1175-H(M) from tent or camp, a place of refuge, compassion, mercy. Many commentators who have teach that Yahuah has replaced His people, Yisra`el with the Church, often state that there is no grace in Scripture until the Messiah Yahshua was crucified and replaced Torah with grace. This may be due to the effect of using some modern translations that use favour, not grace. These versions tend to be the thematic type, and rely upon the translators’ personal views rather than the literal meaning.
6:9 – “This is the history of the generations of Noach. Noach was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noach walked with Yahuah `Elohiym.”
צַדִּיק #H6662 *1879c tsaddiyq just, lawful; ~2658(b) straight. This is the same word Yesha’yahu used when describing the Suffering Servant (Isa. 53:11).
תָּמִים #H8549 *2522d tamiym perfect, whole, complete entire. This is the same word used when describing the condition of the animals selected for sacrifice being without spot or blemish (Exod. 12:5). This in turn was a type of the Messiah (1 Pt. 1:19).
6:10 – “Noach became the father of three sons: Shem, Kham, and Yefet.”
שֵׁם #H8035 from #H8034 *2405 Shem name, conspicuous position alluding to #H8864 heaven:. ~1473-A(N) sky
חָם #H2526 from #H2525 * 677b Kham warm (#H2552 to inflame oneself or result of the sun’s effect). Note that this was before the Dispersion.
יֶפֶת #H3315 from #H6601 *1853 Yapet opened, expansion, enlarge morally.
Why was the Flood necessary?
6:11, 12 – “The earth was corrupt before Yahuah `Elohiym, and the earth was filled with violence. Yahuah `Elohiym saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” Not only was Mankind part of the deterioration of Creation, but all things had been corrupted. HaSatan’s system to corrupt Mankind and negate Yahuah’s promise to Havah of her seed defeating haSatan was almost accomplished. Yahuah saved all of Noach’s family because of the righteousness of one man when Noach obeyed Yahuah building the tebah and taking all his family into the tebah.
אֶרֶץ #H776 ‘erets earth, land and/or its people.
שָׁחַת #H7843 *2370 shachath corrupt, destroy, ruin, decay, perverted. Here, the land and all living animals were subjected to corruption and Creation had been perverted from the perfection of Gen. 1:31. It states that the earth itself was acting as a destroyer. This can mean that there was an increase in deadly earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts, storms and localised flooding. This is very similar to what is happening in the 21st. Century.
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חָמָס #H2555 *678a chamas violence, cruelty, injustice, extreme wickedness; ~2172- V violent shaking, cruelty, injustice, unrighteous. It appears that after all that was going on, it was the violence, the sins attributed to cunning and malice, which caused judgement to fall (FFOZ Vol.1 quoting Leibowitz). Due to the global nature of the Flood, it would seem that all of Creation was subjected to the coming judgement. It has been claimed that marine life-forms escaped from this. However, the mass of freshwater entering the seas would have killed off most of these. Also, the deposition of marine life found in fossil records would indicate otherwise (Westacott & Ashton).
This violence was not the sort related to an end state, such as a mugging. It was violence for the sake of and the goal of itself; wanton wickedness.
“Yahuah, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you ‘Violence!’ (chamas) and will you not save? Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.” (Hab. 1:2-4). In the prophecy of Havakkuk, Yahuah shows him a time of utter disregard to Torah. Instead of unity, there was strife; instead of mutual respect, tolerance and community there was a state everyone looking out for their own ends; instead of love, worship and obedience to Yahuah there was evil and rebellion.
The prophet is shown the condition of the Yehudi and sees that Torah has become ineffectual. Why was Torah given? Rabbi Sha`ul tells us that
a) “For the wrath of Yahuah is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known of Yahuah is revealed in them, for Yahuah revealed it to them. For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. Because, knowing Yahuah, they did not glorify Him as Yahuah, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. (Rom. 1:18-21). Through Yahuah’s grace and mercy Torah was given that Man may know the invisible attributes of Yahuah and His wrath towards evil-doers.
b) “For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.’ Now that no man is justified by the law before Yahuah is evident, for, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” (Gal. 3:10, 11, 19-24 cf Hab. 2:4). Man can never become righteous by his own efforts.
Thus, in revealing this, if a person or nation wilfully ignores and rebels against Torah, Yahuah hardens their hearts so that repentance is no longer possible. Therefore, Yahuah’s long-suffering has to give way to His righteousness. When, as a result of a person’s heart becoming hardened, chastisement is no longer possible, so judgement must fall. Chastisement is a result of Yahuah’s love and constant working to bring wayward Man back to Himself. If Man chooses to ignore these warnings, Yahuah stops working to bring Man back, but to bring about destruction (Gen. 6:5).
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Yahuah’s covenantal (Adamic) people rebelled and judgement fell (Flood). Yahuah’s covenantal (Moshaic) people rebelled and judgement fell (Bavel exile – Hab. 1:6-1; Jer. 2:7-13).
6:13 – Yahuah said to Noach, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” The judgement has been determined. Compare the account of Abraham/S`dom and Yonah/Ninerva. If a person, city or nation should repent, Yahuah is willing to stay punishment. Failure to do so results in the proclaimed judgement being carried out. The addition of the word ‘them’ infers the promise that Noach would be spared.
Enough is enough! Although one of the attributes of Yahuah `Elohiym is His long-suffering towards man, there was a limit and man had now over-reached that limit. (Morris).
The building of the tebah
6:14 – “Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch (1) it within and without with pitch (2)” (KJV).
תֵּבָה #H8392 *2492 tebah huge, rectangular box-shaped vessel; ~1028 A(i) an empty container waiting to be filled. The only other time this word is used in the Tanakh is to describe the vessel that Moshe was put into on the Nile (Exod. 2:3). The tebah is the means whereby the righteous (Noach and his family) have escaped the wrath of Yahuah. Therefore, this is a type of the Kingdom of Yahuah. The word תֵּבָה #H8392 *2492 tebah is used in preference to ark. This is because of the image ark brings to mind. This derives from the Roman Catholic art of the Middle Ages that so often depicts biblical scenes in a Middle Age, western European character. Below are several descriptions of the tebah that may conflict with the traditional view of the ark.
The use of the word a box is more accurately portrayed by the sort of vessel seen in ancient Egyptian paintings and models that show a box on a floating raft of reeds or Mesopotamian images of a wicker boat.
גֹּפֶר #H1613 *374 gopher the actual material is unknown. However, several theories have arisen with the wood being a resinous timber such as pine or cypress; a solid wooden frame-work in-filled with reeds (Harris et. al.) or completely constructed of reeds as seen in Egyptian hieroglyphics. The frame-work is the foundation that ultimately divides the righteous from the wicked. This wooden frame is a type of the Cross upon which atonement was secured. Whatever the material, some form of coating or caulking material would have had to be used to prevent ingress of water.
כָּפַר #H3722 kaphar *1023, *1024 to cover, purge, make atonement for; ; ~2283-V appease, mercy. The first use of the word ‘pitch’ (1) above is the same word that is used throughout Vayikra (Leviticus) and B’midmar (Numbers) when talking of the Temple sacrifices. All these point to the sacrifice of the Messiah and its result.
כֹּפֶר #H3724 kopher *1025b bitumen, ransom, to atone by offering a substitute; ~2283(g) ransom. In Hebrew these two words are spelt identically. It is only when later (Masoretic) vowels were added that the words were pronounced differently. The verse above would be more accurately translated ‘…and cover it inside and out with a cover.’
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The external covering was there to keep out the water from the vessel. Water is a type of Yahuah’s wrath. Therefore, the external covering protects against the wrath of Yahuah. This is a type of salvation where the blood is applied to the cross for the forgiveness of sins. The internal covering is when the blood is applied after salvation. This again is for the forgiveness of sins but after salvation and for the healing of Believers. In the expression ‘Between the devil and the deep blue sea’ is very apt here. In nautical terms, the ‘devil’ was a seam between the ship’s hull’s timbers. To be between the devil and the sea meant to have to decide upon one or other dangerous course of action. Here, the caulking or covering keeps the righteous safe from haSatan and Yahuah’s wrath.
“Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will confess before my Father who is in Heaven, But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in Heaven.” (Matt. 10:32, 33 ). In the Aramaic text, the word deny is כָּפַר #H3722 kaphar has the dual meaning of to deny but also to cover or atone. Hence the commandment to deny or afflict oneself on Yom HaKippurim (Lev. 23:27). It is not a cover in the sense of a carpet covering a floor but in the sense of paint covering a wall or a disguise covering a face. Its intention is to distort the appearance or characteristic of the original and thus indicates a cancellation or mis-representation of the original or over-writing a document to change its meaning (Wadge quoting The Complete Word Dictionary p.296 #248).
“Your covenant with death shall be annulled (kaphar), and your agreement with She`ol shall not stand, when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be trodden down by it.” (Isa. 28:18). Therefore, it can be seen the Blood of the Lamb, in covering sin both cancels it out and denies its power to bring death (cf 1 Cor. 15:56).
“In my Father’s house are many mansions (rooms). If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2).
μονή #G3438 mo-nā’ room, a staying, abiding, dwelling or abode.
קֵן #H7064 qen chamber, dwelling, room; ~1428-A(N) a bird’s nest or animal stall. The use of rooms by the Master in referring to the eternal abode of Believers may have suggested to His listeners the account of Noach, the tebah and ultimate salvation of the righteous.
6:15 – “This is how you shall make it. The length of the ark will be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.” It is unfortunate that some Bible translations state these dimensions in modern terms as it is not possible to determine exactly the length of the tebah cubit. There are several known cubits used in the ancient world varying from the Hebrew Short Cubit of 17.5” (44.5cm) to the Egyptian Long Cubit of 20.6” (52.3cm) (www.worldwideflood.com ). A comparison in the dimensions is given in the Table 1 below. Only the wilderness Tabernacle and Yechezk`el’s Temple are such exact details of construction given.
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A further comparison between the tebah and R.M.S. Lusitania (www.rmslusitania.info) is given in Table 2.
Table 1
| Unit | Length | Beam | Depth |
| Hebrew Short | 437.5 ft | 73.0 ft | 43.75 ft |
| Hebrew Short | 133.5 m | 22.25 m | 13.35 m |
| Egyptian Long | 515.0 ft | 85.6 ft | 51.5 ft |
| Egyptian Long | 157.0 m | 26.2 m | 15.7 m |
Table 2
| Lusitania | 760 ft | 87.5 ft | 60.4 ft |
| Lusitania | 231.5 m | 26.7 m | 18.4 m |
However, research has proven that the dimensional ratio L:B:D of 30:5:3 produces the best compromise of stability, seakindliness, strength, cargo capacity and survivability (answeringenesis; www.worldwideflood.com). In the comparison above between the Ark and R.M.S. Lusitania there is a similar B:D ratio. The length of the Cunard liner is proportionally much greater but this is due to the stronger materials of construction and the need for speed.
If the tebah was in the (commonly acknowledged) shape of a barge and given the dimensions in Table 1 the tebah’s capacity would have been between 39600 and 64600 cubic metres (13984 to 22813 gross tonnage). The Lusitania would have been 89340 cubic metres (31550 gross tonnage).
6:16 – “You shall make a roof in the tebah, and to a cubit shall you finish it upward. You shall set the door of the tebah in the side of it. You shall make it with lower, second, and third levels.”
צֹהַר #H6672 tsohar *1883a midday, blessings *1883b roof. This is probably a skylight-like aperture made a cubit below the apex of the roof. However, the meaning is unclear and may have referred to a casement running around the eaves of the roof for most of the vessel. With the darkness of judgement and all the chaos that was happening outside of the tebah, the only light and fresh air would come from this aperture. For the blessing and refreshing, Noach and his family had to look up to the sky.
פֶּתַח #H6607pethach opening, door, gateway. This one and only door would be located at the upper (of three) decks and included a ramp of some form. The Septuagint (LXX) translation into Greek used θύρα thyra. This is the same word #G2734 used in the Greek translations of the Renewed Covenant by the Master in John 10:9 “I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.” In this passage of the Parable of the Good Shepherd, the Master likens the pasture to the Kingdom of Yahuah and that the one and only way into the Kingdom was by Him.
6:17 – “I, even, I do bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the earth will die.” Yahuah has seen that the earth, His Creation, has been perverted and His Creation has turned away from Him therefore it is He that brings judgement upon the earth and its inhabitants. This judgement has been pronounced and the punishment certain.
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6:18 – “But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the tebah, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” (See also 7:6 below). Here, the term covenant is ambiguous. It may be a specific promise to Noach to protect him and his family from the coming judgement with a separate covenant made to all Mankind in Gen. 9:9 (Hertz). It may also mean that this is the covenant made to all Mankind and is re-affirmed in Gen. 9:9 (Skinner).
Salvation of households
7:1 – “Yahuah said to Noach, ‘Come with all of your household into the tebah, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation’”. I believe that this verse defines what version of the Bible should be used. In general, the literal translations have Yahuah commanding Noach and his family to ‘come’ into the tebah. In the thematic translations Yahuah commands Noach to ‘go’ into the tebah. Some translations are ambiguous in having ‘enter’. There is nowhere in the Bible that Yahuah commands Man to go away from Him into salvation. Everywhere, Yahuah invites them to join Him in His Kingdom.
This verse poses a problem to me in that it is commonly understood that it was only Noach that was righteous. This verse would therefore mean that Noach’s family was saved because
of his righteousness. This would be contrary to faith in Messiah (John 3:16; 10:9). The following scenarios are stated for consideration:
1) That Yahuah was referring to each family member as being righteousness and was saved by their own faith. However, we are not told of their righteousness. On the contrary, Scripture tells of the unrighteousness of Noach’s son, Kham (v9:22).
2) That Yahuah used Noach as a type of the Messiah and that the family’s faith and obedience to Noach as head of the family (type of the Messiah) was counted as their individual righteousness.
2a) “Speak to all the congregation of Yisra’el, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household;” (Exod. 12:3).
2b) Rachav said, “Now therefore, please swear to me by Yahuah, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true token; and that you will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.” (Josh. 2:12, 13).
2c) “‘Sirs, what must I (Thyatirian gaoler) do to be saved?’ They (Sha`ul and Silas) said, ‘Believe in the Master Yahshua the Messiah, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” (Acts 16:30b, 31). From the accounts of Noach, the first Pesach, Rachav and the Thyatirian gaoler, it wouldappear that the household was saved because of the faith of one of its members.
7:2, 3 – “You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you, the male and his female. Of the animals that are not clean, take two, the male and his female. Also of the birds of the sky, seven and seven, male and female, to keep seed alive on the surface of all the land.”
טָהוֹר #H2889 * 792d tahowr pure, clean. When Moshe redacted B’resheet/Genesis under inspiration of the Spirit of Yahuah he may have classed clean and unclean after the revelation of Lev. 11:1-47. However, since the first death of an animal in Gan Eden to atone for Adam’s sin, I believe that Adam and future generations knew what animals were acceptable for sacrifice. Noach knew what the significance was between clean and unclean as he had to take on board the relevant numbers of the different animals. In his essay Geological Evidence for Creation, Snelling writes that the number of animals required would not be that of every creature but of every kind that would go on to diversify as known today (Westacott & Ashton).
One of the major objections to the Noach narrative is the period Man and beasts were locked up together. Many consider that the lions, tigers, bears and wolves etc, would have attacked and eaten the other inhabitants. This does not take into account that all creatures (including Man) were herbivorous until the dispersion after the ark was re-opened.
Another factor, if all were herbivorous, is the amount of fodder (and mucking-out) that would have been required to sustain the inhabitants. It may be possible that Yahuah caused a deep sleep (hibernation) to fall upon all the inhabitants, man and beast, The entrance to the ark can be seen as the ‘sleep unto death’ (cf. John 11:1-45; Eph. 5:14) and the ark’s awakening unto a renewed world, as our resurrection. All burst out into halleluYah’s the moment eyes are opened upon Yahuah and the Lamb.
Isa. 11:6 – “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.” This passage in Yesha’yahu is often quoted as referring to the Millennial Kingdom of Yahuah. This is also a picture of what it would have been like inside the tebah. Up until the dispersion after the flood had subsided, all animals (including Man), were herbivorous and would have grazed together.
Chronology of the Flood
7:6 – “Noach was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth.” In the Genealogy of Adam (Gen. 5:1-32) several facts arise concerning Noach:
a) That he was the first of the pre-flood Patriarchs born after the death of Adam (Hertz).
b) That he was considerably older when his first child was born; 503 years old with the next oldest being Metushelach who was 187 years old.
c) That he was the only pre-Flood Patriarch with more than one son named.
d) That his father, Lemekh died 5 years before the Flood.
e) That he was alive when Bavel was started (Table 3 below).
Further, to be noted:
f) That he was the first to cultivate plants (vines) as opposed to planter/reaper/gatherer (v9:20).
g) That he is the first person recorded to be drunk, either from the accidental fermentation in his stomach of the grapes, or the intentional production of wine.
7:7 – Year 600: Month 2: Day 10 Year 600: Month 8: Day 10
The Jewish (secular) New Year commemorated the birth of Adam and is the starting point of dates until the giving of the religious New Year. A new calendar was instigated by Yahuah, “Yahuah spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Mitzrayim, saying, ‘This month shall be to you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year to you.” (Exod. 12:1, 2). The date references are for the age of Noach showing the secular calendar first followed by the Biblical calendar. Some Biblical dates have been calculated and when reference is made to the Biblical year may be within counting error of a day or so. The use of Mo`edim would suggest that the calculations may be slightly out. The accuracy of the transposed dates into the biblical calendar may vary depending upon the calculation of a biblical (lunar) month of 28 days and the addition of a thirteenth ‘balance’ month. Calculations may also be out due to the counting of days. For instance, the day noted as the completion of a passage may also be counted as the beginning of the next passage simultaneously. This is best described in the counting of the one hundred and fifty days of Gen. 7:24 and 8:3. Therefore, given this discrepancy, the biblical date would be according to Yahuah’s mo`edim. There is also the difficulty in the Flood narrative in that the narrator tends to go back over events and not follow a strict chronological account (cf Gen. 7:7 and 7:16).
“Noach went into the tebah with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, because of the waters of the flood.” בֵּן #H1121 ben son, any male descendent, group of children both male and female. There is no mention of any grandchildren of Noach until Yahuah’s command of Gen. 9:1. Although the reference to sons could have included grandchildren, the context renders this unlikely. This is confirmed in 1Pt. 3:20, “…when Yahuah waited patiently in the days of Noach, while the tebah was being built. In a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.”
7:11 – Year 600: Month 2: Day 17 Year 600: Month 8: Day 17
“In the six hundredth year of Noach’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep were burst open, and the sky’s windows were opened.” The accuracy of the dating lends credence to the veracity of the Flood account (Henry p35). It also is a means of indicating mo`edim.
Snelling describes a theory of global tectonics as being Yahuah’s way of using the earth to bring about His judgement for corrupting the earth (Westacott & Ashton).
7:12 – Year 600: Month 3: Day 26 Year 600: Month 10: Day 26
“The rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.” If the ‘sky’s windows’ were closed, it is assumed that the ‘fountains of the great deep’ were likewise closed. This would relate to the Hanukkah Day 3. The four candles traditionally represent ‘dedicated to love `ahavah – help to fill the world with love (machar.org).
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7:16 – “Those who went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as Yahuah `Elohiym commanded him; and Yahuah shut him in.” After Noach’s absolute obedience, Yahuah completed the act of salvation by closing the door so that nothing could enter and the waters were kept at bay: all that could be done was done. “While they were away to buy, the Bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with Him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.” (Matt. 25:10); “When Yahshua therefore had received the vinegar, He said, ‘It is finished.’ He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30). Although Yahuah is long-suffering and is not willing that any should die, His patience is not unlimited. Yahuah has set a time limit on individuals, nations and the earth. Once this limit has been reached, it is final.
7:17, 18 – “The flood was forty days on the earth. The waters increased, and lifted up the tebah, and it was lifted up above the earth. The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the surface of the waters.” This alludes to the lifting up of the copper serpent (Num. 2:9) and ultimately of the Master’s crucifixion (John 3:14). Although sin seems to have overcome the world, those in the Messiah are kept safe (rescued, saved) from the judgement.
There is no indication that this was a violent event. Rather, it is the imagery of Renaissance paintings and subsequent images that show this as a period of violent storms with lightning flashes.
7:20 – “The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered.” Atheists cite this in order to refute the historic accuracy of a global flood. Taking into account Mt. Everest’s current height (8850m) and the estimated annual rate of increase in height (4mm), Mt. Everest would have been approximately 8830m during the Flood. The waters would have had to been 7m (15 cubits) higher than this globally. Snelling counters this with his global tectonic theory. If all the earth was relatively flat, then there would be sufficient water in the ocean basins to accomplish this. Mt. Everest was only created by the upheaval due to the tectonic plates of Africa and Asia colliding and was rapidly thrust up to somewhere near its current height. Although the Biblical account does not describe stormy conditions (that are typical of the common interpretation of events), Snelling’s theory would give rise to catastrophic changes on the earth. Mountain ranges and submarine ridges were formed in a very short time with corresponding tidal surges (tsunamis) of 20m high waves moving at velocities of 15-30m/s across the continental land masses.
“The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.” (Exod. 27:14). The curtains of the Tabernacle symbolically separated the righteous (those allowed access to the court) from the unrighteous. Those who have been justified were in the tebah separated by fifteen cubits of water from those falling under judgement.
“Yahuah `Elohiym said, ‘Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry [land] appear,” and it was so.” (Gen. 1:9). On day three of Creation, Yahuah `Elohiym caused the land to be formed. This would seem to indicate that either the land
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encompassed all the seas (one big lake), or that one huge sea surrounded a single land mass (one big island). “To `Ever were born two sons. The name of the first was Peleg, for in his days was the eretz divided. His brother’s name was Yoktan.” (Gen. 10:25).
ץאֶרֶ #H776 `eh-rets is translated over 2200 times in KJV as land or earth. Whilst it also became to mean nations or the people habiting a land, from a Biblical point of view, it should be rendered land or earth. “These are the families of the sons of Noach, after their generations, in their nations. Of these were the nations [םהַגּוֹיִ֛ hagoyim] divided in the eretz after the flood.” (Gen. 10:32). The word for the human inhabitants in this verse is referred to as םהַגּוֹיִ֛ #H1471e hagoyim and not ץאֶרֶ #H776 `eh-rets Therefore, it is unlikely that Peleg was so named because, as some commentators have remarked, Yahuah `Elohiym caused the people to be scattered after the Bavel incident.
It is much more likely that the reference is to the single land mass that started to separate at the beginning of the Flood and came to rest (a hundred and one years after the Flood) approximately to what is known today. Although science may agree with the concept of a single land mass (Pangaea) surrounded by a single mass of water, the Biblical time scale of 101 years does not tally with scientific time scale of 200 million years (history.howstuffworks.com).
8:3- Year 600: Month 7: Day 20 Year 600: Month 1: Day 20
“The waters receded from off the earth continually. After the end of one hundred and fifty days the waters decreased.” The exact dating of the start and finish of the one hundred and fifty days is problematic as no definitive dates are mentioned. It may refer to the date the deluge commenced or the date when the waters stopped and the ark floated. The completion of the one hundred and fifty days may refer to the waters receding; the first sight of land, the tebah grounding, or dry land appearing.
8:4 – Year 600: Month 7: Day 17 Year 600: Month 1: Day 17
“The Ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat.” טאֲרָרָ #H780 ’ă·rā·rāṭ (according to Strong) curse reversed. The Master was crucified on Pesach (Month 1: Day 14).
“In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is Yahuah’s Pesach.” (Lev. 23:1). “For as Yonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matt. 12:40). Three days (and three nights) after His death, The Messiah was raised from the tomb. This day also coincided with the waving of the First Fruits (Lev. 23:9-14) in the year that the Messiah was crucified.
8:5 – Year 600: Month 10: Day 1 Year 600: Month 4: Day 1
“The waters receded continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.” It would have been impossible for Noach to have been able to judge how fast, if at all the waters rose or drained without any reference to depth. It was only when the first land appeared, that any perception of the water receding would be noticeable.
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8:6, 7 – Year 600: Month 11: Day 11 Year 600: Month 5: Day 11
“It happened at the end of forty days, that Noach opened the window of the tebah which he made and he sent forth a raven. It went back and forth, until the waters were dried up from the earth.” The waters were slowly receding, but probably only mountainous terrain that was inhospitable was visible. Noach waited until local habitable land appeared before he sent out a raven to scan the earth. The raven was to unsuccessfully search for 50 days.
Ravens at this time were not yet the scavengers known today. Although it has been said that the raven failed to find dry ground as it was feeding on a corpse (sefaria.org). However, this seems unlikely as all the animals were still herbivores until after the dispersion from the tebah. Most views take it that the raven was only sent out once and returned after which the dove was sent out in its place. The raven has the potential to fly continuously for several days and made be up to a week (biology.stackexchange.com). The raven was traversing the waterscape and the inference is like that of a tracker dog criss-crossing a trail. Ravens are of superior intelligence, not only for birds, but of most animals (mentalfloss.com). They also have the ability to climb high and soar and glide unlike doves that tend to fly close to the ground and must have active wing beats in its flight (quora.com). These scientific facts were unknown to the human Noach, but are to an omniscient Creator, Yahuah `Elohiym.
8:13 – Year 601: Month 1 (assumed): Day 1 Year 601: Month 7: Day 1
“It happened in the six hundred and first year (of Noach’s life), in the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth. Noach removed the covering of the tebah, and looked. He saw that the surface of the ground was dried.” This date coincides with Yom Teruah, “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a set apart convocation; you shall do no servile work; it is a day of blowing of trumpets.” (Num. 29:1). The occupants of the tebah may have been sleeping, either due to the temperature of the season and being enclosed, or induced by Yahuah. Yom Teruah is an alarm call for the nation of Yisra`el (both spiritual and physical). Yom Teruah takes place after the long, hot summer during which time, people become lethargic due to the heat. The trumpet blasts are to awaken workers out of this sluggish period and Believers out of their spiritual lethargy.
8:8, 9 – Year 601: Month 1 (assumed): Day 8 Year 601: Month 7: Day 8
“He sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the surface of the ground, but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned to him into the tebah; for the waters were on the surface of the whole earth. He put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the tebah.” As the dove is used typically to represent the Spirit of Yahuah, then this verse reflects back to the dawn of Creation, “Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. Yahuah’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.” (Gen. 1:2). From Noach’s perspective, the open expanse of water would have been ‘formless and empty’.
As Noach waited seven days between repeatedly sending out the dove, it may be assumed that he waited seven days between the final flight of the raven and the dove’s first flight and can be borne out by the repeated use of the phrase ‘yet another seven days’. This would fit neatly into the Biblical mo`edim.
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8:10, 11 – Year 601: Month 1 (assumed): Day 15 Year 601: Month 7: Day 15
“He waited yet another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the tebah. The dove came back to him at evening, and, behold, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off. So Noach knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.” The olive tree is a relatively short tree and the leaf would indicate that the waters had all but subsided. The Rabbis have a comment that when the dove returns with a bitter leaf in its mouth it appears to say ‘Better bitter food that comes from God than the sweetest food at the hands of man’ (Hertz). In most cultures there is an account of an ancient deluge and many of these have the raven as an omen of chaos and the dove as a symbol of peace. This could well have stemmed from the deluge account.
In the Biblical calendar, the mo`edim would relate to the first day of Sukkot. This is one of the most significant mo`edim as it relates to the day the Master was born, symbolizing the turning away of Yahuah’s wrath.
Sukkot is also called זְמַן שִׂמְחָתֵנוּ Z`man Simchateinu (Season of Our Rejoicing); What can give us greater joy than to celebrate the birth (and return) of our Redeemer!?
8:12 – Year 601: Month 1 (assumed): Day 22 Year 601: Month 7: Day 22
“He waited yet another seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she did not return to him anymore.” The day after the seven days of Sukkot is to be a separate feast day known as שמיני עצרת Shemeni Atzeret or The Eighth (Day of) Assembly (hebcal.com/shmini). “On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no servile work;” (Num. 29:35). It is closely associated with ערב שמחת תורה Simchat Torah or Rejoicing with/of the Torah. This is the completion and commencing of the weekly parashot Torah reading cycle. (hebcal.com/simchat).
Ironically, another aspect of Shemeni Atzeret is the ancient tradition of reciting the ‘Prayer for Rain’ on this day. After the completion of the harvest on the seventh day of Sukkot, a special prayer was offered on Shemeni Atzeret for rain to celebrate the beginning of a new cycle. Throughout Scripture the Messiah/Master is referred to as rain or water (Isa. 12:2-6; 44:3; 55:10-13; John 4:10).
8:14 – Year 601: Month 2: Day 27 Year 601: Month 8: Day 27
“In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the ground was dry.” Although there are several references to dry land, this verse seems to indicate that the ground was dry and firm enough for the animals to disembark.
8:20 – “Noach built an altar to Yahuah, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.” Although this is not the first reference to offerings (Gen. 4: 3, 4), it is the first reference to an altar being built upon which to offer a sacrifice. The burnt offering was wholly consumed by the flames (cf. Lev. 1: 1-17).
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9:3 – “Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As the green herb, I have given everything to you.” Prior to the dietary laws of Lev. 11:1-47, any creature was considered edible but not acceptable for sacrifices. However, it is unlikely that Noach suddenly changed to a meat-eater overnight. The Flood survivors’ stomachs would have to slowly be accustomed to the new diet. Also, the non-Kashrut animals only had a single pair. To kill one for food would cause the extinction of the breed. This could well be the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs.
“For I am Yahuah who brought you up out of the land of Mitzraim, to be your `Elohiym. You shall therefore be set apart, for I am set apart.” (Lev. 11:45). I believe that the reason for the dietary laws was to set the Yisra`elites apart from other nations, proclaiming Yahuah as their `Elohiym. At the time of Noach, no such separation of identity was necessary and so any animal could be considered as food, but not necessarily beneficial. This does not mean that one has to obey the dietary laws as given to Moshe, in order to be set apart. It is similar to Immersion that does not save, but is an outward physical sign of an inward spiritual change. I believe by observing the dietary (and all relevant) laws does not lead to salvation, but is a major witness to Believers being separated from out of the world.
The seven Noachide Laws
9:4 – “But flesh with the life of it, the blood of it, you shall not eat.” “It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.” (Lev. 3:17). “You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.” (Acts 15:29 – NLT). Of important note is the prohibition of eating anything containing blood. Yahuah commanded Noach, re-affirmed it through Moshe and inspired Ya’akov (James) to include it in the letter from Yerushalayim (Council) to Gentile Believers in Asia.
The traditional seven Noachide Laws are said to be applicable to all Mankind (jewishvirtuallibrary.org) up to the giving of Torah on Mt. Sinai, and all Non-Jews up to the present. These are:-
- Do not deny Yahuah.
- Do not blaspheme Yahuah.
- Do not murder.
- Do not engage in incestuous, adulterous or homosexual relationships.
- Do not steal.
- Do not eat of a live animal.
- Establish courts and a legal system to ensure the laws’ observance.
However, it can be clearly seen that these do not originate with the Noachide Covenant as only d) and e) are based on Scripture. Furthermore, it can clearly be seen that these laws did not originate at this time.
8:17 – “Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, cattle, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth.” This is a commandment Yahuah gave to Noach and his family. Therefore, the Noachide Law prohibiting incestuous relationship (d) would be in direct contravention of this commandment. There were only four couples that survived and all were close relatives. This also does not make sense in the Law of legislation (f). Noach would be the head of the family and all decisions would ultimately fall to him. Hence, it would be safe to assume that the seven Noachide Laws originated several generations, if not centuries after the Flood.
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9:11 – 13 “‘I will establish my covenant with you; neither will all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither will there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.’ Yahuah 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 set my bow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.’” This promise does not exclude that Yahuah will never bring about local floods nor that He will never destroy all creatures.
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.” (Rev. 21:1). It can, therefore, be seen that the Noachic Covenant of Gen. 9:1-17 is not equivalent to the seven Noachide Laws.
The shameful episode of Kham
9:20 – “And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:” (KJV). חָלַל #H2490 chalal 1.D.ii to begin. This is the most common use of the word. *661d t`hilla refers to this word as being the first in a series or the originator. Thus Noach was the first recorded account of the cultivation of a plant as opposed to a simple sower, reaper or gatherer. There is no direct translation of husbandman but Noach is called a man of the earth who planted a vine.
If Noach began to cultivate a vineyard, what was his occupation prior to the flood. Was he herdsman (like Hevel) or a sower reaper (like Kayin)? Or could he have been a carpenter (like the Master)?
9:21 – “He drank of the wine, and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent.” This is the oldest account in literature of the danger of over indulgence of alcohol.
9:22 – “Kham, the father of Kana`an, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.” It is significant that in this segment, Kham is referred to as the father of Kena`an alluding to the fact that Kena`an was the more renowned. Kena`an is known as the youngest (or fourth) son of Kham
“None of you shall approach anyone who are his close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahuah.” (Lev. 18:6). This whole chapter, Lev. 18:1-30 all refer to immoral sexual relationships. To ‘uncover a person’s nakedness’ is synonymous with having sexual contact with the person.
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“The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” (Lev. 20:11). This verse compares the uncovering of the father with uncovering his wife. Therefore, Kham may have had a sexual encounter with his mother.
9:24 – “Noach awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done to him.” This verse is quite ambiguous. The normal reading is that Noach is referring to the youngest of his three sons, Kham. Nevertheless,
קָטָן #H6996 qatan *2009a young, small, insignificant. Someone who is young is small in the number of years.
9:25 – “He said, ‘Cursed be Kana`an; A servant of servants will he be to his brothers.’” The strangest part of this episode, is the fact that Noach does not condemn Kham, but Kham’s son, Kena`an. However, it could also refer to Noach’s grandson. Due to this verse, it has been said that Kena`an was the instigator of this whole sorry affair (Danieli p. 139 fn 381 quoting Rabbi Judah).
Noach in the Renewed Covenant
Luke 17:26, 27 – “And as it was in the days of Nukh, likewise it will be in the days of the Son of Man. For they were eating and drinking and taking wives and giving them to husbands until the day that Nukh entered into the Ark and the flood came and destroyed everyone” (AENT). This is often quoted as referring to the Rapture. However, the context has the Master explaining how it will be when He returns back to earth. In the Noach account, it is the wicked that are swept away in judgement and wrath and the righteous being saved. This can only refer to the terrible Day of Yahuah.
However, as can be seen from Table 3 below, Noach was still alive when Bavel was under construction. This Patriarch experienced two of the world’s most prominent and evil of times in history; the Flood and the Dispersion of the Nations. So it shall be when the Messiah returns back to earth that evil will be at its fullest.
Heb. 11:7 – “By faith, Noach, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an tebah for the saving of his house, through which He condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Noach obediently built the tebah and must have been capable of carrying multitudes of people. However, by the rejection of Noach’s preaching both verbally and by his actions, the rest of Mankind condemned itself.
1 Peter 3:20, 21 – “which were formerly disobedient in the days of Noah when the longsuffering of `Elohim commanded an ark to be made, in the hope of their repentance; and eight souls only entered into it and were kept alive in the waters. And you also, by a like figure, are made alive by immersion (not when you wash your bodies from filth, but when you confess `Elohim with a pure conscience) and by the resurrection of Y’shua the Mashiyach (AENT). This does not mean that a person is saved by immersion (baptism) but by the obedience of faith in Yahuah and the power behind the resurrection of His Son, HaMashiyach.
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2 Peter 2:5, 9 – “And (if `Elohim) did not spare the former world but preserved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness when he brought a flood on the world of the wicked…Master YHWH knows how to rescue from afflictions those who fear him, and he will reserve the wicked for the day of judgement to be tormented,” (AENT). As with Noach, all those who reverently fear Yahuah and put their complete trust in Him will be saved from the coming Day of Judgement and subsequent eternal punishment
Summary of types in the Noach account
Noach/Messiah – righteous and without spot or blemish; head of the saved family, prophet, priest and king, saviour.
Tebah/Kingdom of Yahuah – that into which Yahuah calls us for salvation, contains only one family.
Wooden Frame/Cross – that which separates the righteous from the wicked.
Pitch/Blood – that which covers and seals from the effects of the judgement and wrath of Yahuah and atones for sin.
Skylight/Heaven – from where blessings and refreshing come.
Door/Messiah – the only way through which to gain entrance into the Kingdom of Yahuah.
Waters/Wrath – that which destroys sinners.
Door shutting/Crucifixion – the finished work of salvation.
Ark floating – crucifixion.
Ark grounding – curse reversed.
Door shutting – the death of the Believer.
Days within the tebah – sleep/hibernation
Door opening – resurrection of the Believer.
Dove/Spirit – hovers over the surface of the waters.
Blood/Life – so precious it must only be used for an offering.
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Table 3
| Event | Genesis | Date
BCE/Judaism |
Noach’s
Age |
Comments | |
| Noach Born | 5:30 | 2948/821 | 0 | All dates are taken from Archbishop James Ussher’s dating of the Flood (answersingenesis). BCE refers to Before the Common Era. Even if Ussher’s actual dates are incorrect, the time scale would remain the same as it is taken from Scripture. | |
| Ark Started | 5:32 | 2448/1321 | 500 | This verse is generally taken that Noach’s eldest son was born but the reading would mean that Noach had triplets which is contrary to Scripture. All the pre-Flood Patriarchs in Gen. 5:1-31 are stated as having lived and died: v32 simply states that Noach was 500 years old and that he had three sons. It is my belief that this verse indicates the commencement of the ark and Noach’s preaching. | |
| Shem Born | 11:10 | 2445/1323 | 503 | Dated from the Flood’s end. | |
| Yefet Born | 10:21 | 2443/1325 | 505 | Shem was the older brother of Yefet. This date is an estimation. | |
| Ham Born | 9:24 | 2440/1330 | 508 | Ham was Noach’s youngest son. This date is an estimation. | |
| Flood Started | 7:11 | 2348/1421 | 600 | Ussher’s date. Shem was approx. 98 years old. | |
| Flood Ended | 8:13 | 2347/1422 | 601 | All dates that are mentioned after the Flood have been taken from the departure from the ark. | |
| Peleg Born | 11:10-16 | 2246/1523 | 702 | Dated from Shem’s birth. | |
| Bavel Started | 11:4 | 2242/1527 | 706 | Ussher’s date. | |
| Bavel Halted | 10:25 | 2241/1528 | 707 | There is no Scriptural evidence that this refers to any geophysical event. אֶרֶץ #H776 ‘erets can mean land, earth or nations. It would, therefore more likely mean when the nations were confused and dispersed. | |
| Peleg Died | 11:18 | 2007/1761 | 940 | Peleg would have been a witness of Bavel, the dispersion and contemporary of Nimrod. | |
| Noach Died | 9:28 | 1997/1811 | 950 | Noach would have been a witness of Bavel, the dispersion and contemporary of Nimrod. | |
| Arpakhshad
Died |
11:13 | 1907/1901 | —– | Arpakhshad would have been a witness of Bavel, the dispersion and contemporary of Nimrod. | |
| Shelach Died | 11:15 | 1877/1931 | —– | Shelach would have been a witness of Bavel, the dispersion and contemporary of Nimrod. | |
| Shem Died | 11:11 | 1845/1963 | —– | Shem would have been a witness of Bavel, the dispersion and contemporary of Nimrod. | |
| Ever Died | 11:17 | 1816/1992 | —– | Ever would have been a witness of Bavel, the dispersion and contemporary of Nimrod. | |
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Table 4
| Gen. | Secular Date | Biblical Date | Event |
| 7:7 | Y600: M2: D10 | Y600: M8: D10 | Noach enters ark. |
| 7:11 | Y600: M2: D17 | Y600: M8: D17 | Flood begins |
| 7:12 | Y600: M3: D26 | Y600: M10: D26 | Rains stop |
| 8:4 | Y600: M7: D17 | Y600: M1: D17 | Ark grounds |
| 8:5 | Y600: M10: D1 | Y600: M4: D1 | First land appears |
| 8:6 | Y600: M11: D11 | Y600: M5: D11 | Raven first sent out |
| 8:13 | Y601: M1: D1 | Y600: M7: D1 | No surface water; dove first sent out |
| 8:11 | Y601: M1: D8 | Y600: M7: D8 | Dove returns with leaf |
| 8:12 | Y601: M1: D15 | Y600: M7: D15 | Dove does not return |
| 8:14 | Y601: M2: D27 | Y600: M7: D27 | Land dry; Noach leaves ark |
References and Credits
In using these references, it is in no way agreeing to or condoning the theological viewpoint of the authors. However, the historical, cultural, linguistic and academic scholarship of the authors is universally considered to be of the highest order.
Benner J.A. (2005) Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible, Virtualbookworm.com Pub. Inc., College Station, TX, USA. (Denoted by ~).
Danieli Y.R. (2020) Moses Wrote About Me – Genesis, Tour Your Roots Pub. Galilee, Israel.
FFOZ Vol.1 Torah Treasures, FFOZ, Littleton, Colorado, USA.
Harris R.L., Archer Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Moody, Chicago,
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AENT “Scripture taken from the Aramaic English New Testament Copyright 2008. Used by permission of Netzari Press.”
HNV The Hebrew Names Version is based off the World English Bible, an update of the
American Standard Version of 1901. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.
King James Version (KJV) Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown. This Bible is printed and published by Cambridge University Press, the Queen’s royal printer, under royal letters patent. The text commonly available now is actually that of the 1769 revision, not that of 1611. The text used by BLB is the current 1769 edition.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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