Bible History of the Old Testament

No. 7

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After the Flood

     The human race had gotten so perverse that its destruction was necessary for preservation.  Death was needful for its new life.  The old world was buried in the flood, that a new order of things might rise from its grave.  

     Even after the earth was quite dry, Noah awaited the express command of God before leaving the ark.  His first act after that was to build an altar to Jehovah and there to offer burnt offerings of every clean beast and every fowl.  It was in spiritual worship that he commenced his new life to God.  In calling upon the Name of Jehovah he once again adopted the profession of the Sethites.  

     There was a difference between this sacrifice and the other ones he had been a part of.  Now, for the first time he built an altar himself to worship God.  While Paradise, or the Garden of Eden, was still on earth, men may have turned towards it as the place that God met with man.  But when its site was swept away in the flood, people started building altars out of stones as a way to worship God.  When Noah built the altar, God looked upon it as a sweet smelling sacrifice directed only to Him.  

     There were several points of difference between the former and the new state of things after the flood.  God announced that while the earth remained there would be seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night were not to cease; implying not only God's purpose to spare the earth, but also that man might rely on the fact that there would be a regular succession of seasons for him to depend on each year as he went about his daily work.  God seemed to be giving man the assurance that the earth would be the same year after year and that he could depend upon it to provide for his needs.  

     God renewed the blessing of fruitfulness in much the same way that He had originally spoken it to Adam, and once more gave him dominion over the lower creation.  This time, though, this dominion would be one of force.  This dominion over the animals would be very different from the one Adam had.  God now said to Noah and to his descendants, "The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth; ...into your hand are they delivered."

     Also, whatever the common practice may have been before the flood, now for the first time the use of animal food was permitted with the exception of the blood. It still held true that the 'life was in the blood'.  

     Another and really important change was marked by the prohibition of murder, with the addition that "whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."  Such crimes were no longer to be avenged directly by God Himself, but He delegated His authority to man.  In these words the civil magistracy was instituted, and the Divine right of bearing the sword of defense.  God set up laws so that vengeance could not be taken by one at his own will, but that this belonged to those on earth who represented the authority of God, or were his delegates.  

     Luther argued that if God conceded to man the power over life and death, then surely this would also carry with it authority over that which is less than life, such as goods, family, wife, children, servants, and land.  

     In confirmation of what God had spoken, he established His Covenant with Noah and his sons, and set his bow in the clouds.  Henceforth man was to know and be reminded of God's covenant every time he saw the rainbow that God would never again destroy the earth by a flood.  The symbol was both a sign and a seal of God's promise.  For hundreds of years  after the flood, the sign of the rainbow must have been very comforting to everyone who saw it.  

     When Noah and his family left the ark, he planted a vineyard, as Jewish legend has it, from a slip of the vine that had strayed out of Paradise.  It may be stated that, except for the forbidden fruit itself, none has brought more sin, ruin, and desolation upon our earth.  It must be thought that Noah was unaware of the intoxicating property of the vine, or either neglected to use it with proper moderation.  Either way he fell victim to drunkenness and exposed himself in that state to the vile conduct of his son Ham.  Martin Luther is quoted as saying that "Ham would not have mocked his father, when overcome with wine, if he had not long before cast from his soul that reverence which, according to God's command, children should cherish from their parents.  

    It was a good thing at least, that the other sons of Noah did not share in their brother Ham's sin.  They reverently defended their father by going in the tent backwards to cover him so they wouldn't see him while in that condition.  They each received their just reward.  A curse was pronounced upon Ham, while a blessing was given to Shem and Japheth.  The curse specifically came upon Canaan, the son of Ham.  In the later connection between Israel and the Canaanites, the spirit and the curse of Ham would be fully realized.  In Genesis 9: 18 & 22 Ham is mentioned as "the father of Canaan".  

     Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who were to repeople the earth, seem to have impressed their own characteristics on their descendants.  Their very names are symbolic and prophetic.  Shem means splendour or glory, Ham means burning heat, and Japheth enlargement.  Bearing this in mind, we listen to the words of the patriarch:  "Cursed be Canaan, A servant of servants shall he be to this brethren".  We know that this has been the fate of the children of Ham, or the races of Africa; while strangely, the name of Canaan has been interpreted as meaning "he who is subject." Again, "Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem, and Canaan shall be their slave."  This was a prophecy most signally fulfilled when Israel took possession of the land of Canaan; and lastly, God (Elohim) shall enlarge Japheth (enlargement); And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be their slave.  

     The last prophecy consists of three parts.  It promises from God  enlargement to Japheth which is the characteristic of his descendants, which are the European nations.  And it adds that Japheth shall dwell in the tents of Shem, referring to the blessing which was to flow to all nations through the Hebrew race.  Lastly, Canaan was to be the servant of Japheth, as seen in the subjection to Greece and Rome, of Tyre and Carthage, the ancient centers of wealth and merchandise, and of Egypt, the empire of might and of the oldest civilization.

     But the words spoken to Shem, the ancestor of the Hebrew race, deserve special notice.  This blessing begins with a thanksgiving to God.  The blessing of Shem is not outward, but spiritual; for Jehovah is to be the God of Shem.  Shem's portion in the widest sense is that to be hereafter assigned to the tribe of Levi, and Japheth is to dwell in his tents.  This means that Israel is to be the tribe of Levi to all nations.  More than that, whereas Elohim is to give enlargement to Japheth, Jehovah the covenant-God is to be the God of Shem.  

     Thus the primitive promise to Adam is now both further defined and enlarged.  The promised Deliverer is to come through Shem, as the ancestor of the chosen race, in the midst of whom Jehovah is to dwell; and through Shem.  Japheth is to share in the coming spiritual blessing.  Here, then, is clearly defined the separation of the Jews and the Gentiles, and the mission of each:  the one from Jehovah, the other from Elohim; and one in the Church, the other in the world.

     For more information from this book, go to my archives page at www.cathydeaton.com   There are also other articles of interest there, also.  

     This text taken from the book Bible History Old Testament written by Alfred Edersheim and is used by permission.