The Days of Noah – Oct. 25

Yeshua taught that His coming at the end of the age would be just like the days of Noah (Matt. 24:37).  Yeshua was indicating that His own coming would occur suddenly and with great judgment.  There is, however, another aspect of the days of Noah that I believe is equally important, the state of humankind at that time.

This week’s Torah Portion is called Noah and focuses on the life of Noah and the events that surrounded his days (Gen. 6:9 – Gen. 11:32).  In the last few verses of last week’s Torah Portion we read about the state of mankind during the days of Noah.

“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent (desire) of the thoughts (מחשבות) of his heart was only evil continually (כל היום).  God was sorry (נחם) that He had made man on the earth and He was (עצב) grieved in His heart.  And the LORD said that He will blot out man whom He has created from the face of the earth; from man to animals to that which creeps on the earth to the birds of the sky because the LORD was grieved that He made them.  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Gen. 6:5-8)

What was this “wickedness of man” which the LORD saw? 

How was the intent of the thoughts of man evil continually?

The wickedness of man appears to have been his continual lust for women, in a manner which God did not prescribe.  We read about this in the first few verses of Genesis chapter six:

“Man was multiplying on the earth and daughters were born to them.  The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were “good” to them and they took women for themselves, whomever they wanted.  God said, “My spirit will not strive with man forever because he is flesh, his days shall be 120 years.” (Gen. 6:1-3)

The wickedness and evil of man in the days of Noah was connected to the manner in which men took women for themselves in a way that was not pleasing in the sight of God.  The desire and intent of the thoughts of man were only evil continually, literally “all day long.”

Yeshua warns us that the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah (Matt. 24:37).  The days of Noah were evil.  The thoughts and actions of men were only evil continually.  Men took and used women as they wished.

The exploit of women today has reached a level that seems to parallel the days of Noah.  Many men use pornography daily believing that if they fill their minds with the images of naked women then they will satisfy the desires of their hearts, but they are never satisfied.  Many men become addicted to pornography and pay whatever the price to keep this sinful habit going.  The price is not only financial but also emotional and spiritual as they learn to lie, cheat, and steal to get what they want.

An even more graphic and disgusting example of this “wickedness” that is spoken of in the days of Noah is what we are seeing happen in our very days in Iraq through the Islamic State (IS).  The news reports coming out of this region are informing us that IS is taking women along the war path and using them as they wish.  Whenever they see a girl or a woman who looks good to them, they take her for their own use.

To make matters even worse, the IS is not only taking women and using them as they wish but also justifying their acts according to their religion, Islam.  This is a quote from the IS’s own media source:

“Enslaving the families of the kuffār [non-believers] and taking their women as concubines is a firmly established aspect of the Sharia that if one were to deny or mock, he would be denying or mocking the verses of the Qur’an… and thereby apostatizing from Islam.” (To read the full article of this quote, click this link: Islamic State)

As we are repulsed by the thoughts and actions of “mankind” today, we can begin to understand the words and heart of God when He is so grieved that He ever created man (Gen. 6:5-7).

Noah saw a great judgment upon the earth in his days as God judged the wickedness of this world and all who were in it.  God then started a new generation through Noah and His family along with the animals on the ark.  After the flood, when Noah and his family came out of the ark, Noah offered sacrifices to God and God was pleased with Noah.  God promised that He would never again destroy the whole earth in the same way and He gave Noah a sign, the rainbow (Gen. 9:8-17).

The days we live in appear to be very similar to the days of Noah.  We know that judgement will come upon this earth followed by a restoration of all things by the Messiah (Zech. 14; Matt. 24:21-22).  As we anticipate and long for the coming of the Messiah, may we be like Noah and live a life of faith characterized by obedience to every word of God (Gen. 6:22; Hebrews 11:7)

Shabbat Shalom!

Torah Portion: Gen. 6:9 – Gen. 11:32

Hafatara: Isaiah 54:1 – Isaiah 55:5

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