The narrative on the life and times of Noah comes closer to being literal than most other sections early in Genesis. None of the numbers are symbolic, which is the first clue. While much of the language is filled with ANE figures of speech, the story itself is rather simple.
The setting is some time long after Cain and Abel. How long is utterly immaterial, and unknowable, since the genealogies are rarely direct lineal descent, but more of a who's who in the tribal world where a man's name is all he has that matters. As we might expect, things had gone down hill. The Children of Light (Children of God) were subverted by the Children of Darkness (Children of Men). The lure was chiefly sexual in nature, and the narrative implies this baiting was intentional. Rather than Cain's direct physical attack, this was Satan working through his own to destroy the separation. It was very effective, as Satan used these foul unions to raise up very powerful men of war, men who lived to conquer and rule.
This situation was completely out of hand, and the whole of Creation was at risk of subversion to the point redemption was simply not possible. God's grace cannot allow mankind to be dragged off the Hell without some realistic chance to see God's glory. As God measured things, it was no longer reasonable. Were it not for a single man who managed to keep some measure of the truth of the Spiritual Realm, it would have been the end of the story. This fellow was to be the new starting point. All that mankind had accomplished, which was considerable, had to be wiped away. We are told by the Apostle Peter Noah had been preaching the whole 120 years it took him to build this huge ship.
In due time the Lord sent to Noah a breeding pair of enough creatures to re-populate the new face of the earth. It doesn't take much imagination to realize such a massive, deep and long-lasting flood would have shifted the entire topography of all land beneath it. Whatever it took for everyone to survive safe and sane was provided, and such obvious details are not cited. Again, this is preserved to explain things mankind cannot understand on his own. Whatever existed up to that time, with the various cities, technology, arts and culture, were lost completely except in the memories of Noah and his family.
Eventually the water receded and dry land reappeared. The boat was unloaded and eight adult humans found themselves alone on earth. Noah naturally rekindled the ancient worship practices, and God was pleased. We have already covered the Covenant of Noah, and it's easier to understand the necessity of leaving humanity with an ingrained instinct to civilize. Without that preservative habit, mankind would not be able to receive the revelation of God's redeeming grace. The horrific corruption of the pre-Flood days must not be allowed such free rein again. As a compromise over earlier curses, the Lord made growing crops somewhat more predictable, with distinct seasons and weather patterns. Apparently such did not exist before the Flood, nor did rainbows. This hints at a significant number of changes to the earth not detailed here.
The first major incident after this requires careful reading because of the euphemisms. Noah planted a vineyard, grew grapes, fermented wine and got drunk. This left him vulnerable, and his son Ham, remembering some of the "culture" before the Flood committed homosexual rape on his father, then bragged to his brothers. They refused to even look upon Noah's naked form, refused to be tempted. Once sober, Noah cursed his son, wholly legitimate in that setting. Since there were no overwhelming civil forces to exact justice, it relied on God. Given the nature of Ham's transgression, it's not likely he would rehabilitate. That the text makes so much of Ham's son Canaan is simply the portion of the story necessary to explain why God later commanded Joshua to ethnically cleanse the land during the Conquest. We can safely assume Canaan was at least as bad as his father, and what we know through secular historical sources of the Canaanites and their unspeakable sexual depravities backs this up.
The ancient Hebrews were unique in their condemnation of human sexual indulgences. While they were altogether matter-of-fact about human sexuality, they are among a few rare examples of cultures which condemned what was otherwise the universal male habit of poking any and every thing which appealed to him at the moment. No other culture in that part of the world gave it a second thought. It was taken for granted men would use whatever suited them, and those with more power would simply use a wider range of things to help mark their power. In many places it became a social obligation and even a religious ritual. This whole thing goes back literally to the first family on earth, now that of Noah starting over again. To doubt in the least God takes a dim view of sex outside the marriage bed is to ignore the obvious here. This is something written into the very nature of humanity, something which God takes quite seriously.
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By Ed Hurst
31 March 2009
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: People of honor need no copyright laws; they are only too happy to give credit where credit is due. Others will ignore copyright laws whenever they please. If you are of the latter, please note what Moses said about dishonorable behavior -- "be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23)