When Violence Fills the Earth – Noah – Oct. 17

As many of you know, I live in an apartment in the center of Jerusalem.  As I have been studying and preparing for this week’s Torah Portion, sirens have been continually filling the air, echoing reminders of the violence of man in his vain attempt to murder in the name of Islam and world domination.  The violence and wickedness of man is great on the earth.

Noah lived in a day and age when the wickedness of man had reached a height so great that God could no longer endure it: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5).  As a result of the wickedness of mankind, God decided to destroy man and all the living creatures, however, there was one exception: “… Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” (Gen. 6:8).

Noah shone like a lone candle in a dark room.  He was like a beacon of hope in the midst of hopelessness.  The depravity of man had reached an all time low as the Bible depicts the heart of man: “every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5).  Noah somehow escaped the path of evil and chose to follow hard after God.

The Generations of Noah

This week’s Torah Portion begins with the history of the generations of Noah: “These are the records of the generations of Noah” (Gen. 6:9) and in Hebrew; “אלה תולדת נח” – “elleh toldot Noach.”  Generally, when we are introduced to the generations of a certain person, we are simply given a list of their descendants.  We see a clear example of this in Genesis 10 with virtually identical wording in the first few words of the text: “ואלה תולדת בני נח”  – “ve’elleh toldot bene Noach” – “And these are the records of the generations of Noah’s sons…” The first couple of verses of this chapter read as follows: 

Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood. The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras. – (Gen. 10:1-2)

Immediately following the introduction of the generations of the sons of Noah are the detailed genealogies of Noah’s three sons; Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Gen. 10:2-32).  However, this is not what we read when we are first introduced to Noah. Instead of immediately learning about Noah’s descendants in Genesis 6, we read about Noah’s character and his relationship with God: “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.” (Gen. 6:9).  It is only after this introduction of the man Noah that we read of Noah’s sons: “Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth” (Gen. 6:9).

Noah was different from everyone else on the face of the earth in his day and the Bible emphasizes the unique spiritual state of Noah, who was literally used to alter the generations of man on the earth.  Noah was a man who made his mark in his generation and his life was characterized as being in alignment with God.

What Made Noah Different?

As we begin to read about the generations of Noah we are introduced to Noah as a “righteous man” or in Hebrew “איש צדיק” – “ish tzadik.”

To Be Righteous

Noah was a righteous man, meaning that he was a man who believed in God and had faith in the Word that God revealed to Him.  It was not that Noah was born righteous.  Noah came into the world like every other person and he had a sin nature, however, Noah was different from the wicked generation around him in that he believed in God:

By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. – Heb. 11:7

Noah had obtained righteousness through faith in God. It is interesting to note that the Scriptures could have stopped after stating the phrase, “Noah was a righteous man.”  But they don’t stop here.  The Scriptures go on to more fully characterize this man of God: “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God” (Gen. 6:9).

To Be Blameless

This second phrase, which identifies Noah, states that he was “blameless in his time.”  This phrase in Hebrew is “תמים היה בדרתיו” – “tamim hayah be’dorotav,” which is literally translated as “blameless in his generations.”  The Hebrew word “תמים” – “tamim” can mean blameless, pure, innocent, or perfect. Noah remained separate from the world of wickedness around him and chose to trust God. Noah remained pure and innocent as he led a blameless life.

As stated above, the literal translation of this phrase is that Noah was “blameless in his generations.”  The plural use of the word “generation” in this context could refer to a couple of different things. Since Noah is 500 years old at this time (Gen. 5:32), it could refer to the totality of the years of his life up to that time, having already lived through several generations.  The use of the word “generations” could also refer to Noah and his descendants, meaning that both he and his descendants were blameless.  Or it could mean that Noah was blameless throughout his life, even during the life of his descendants (while he was still alive).  Any of these renderings of the word “generations” clearly teach us that Noah’s life was marked by innocence compared to the world of wickedness around him.

This characteristic of being blameless, pure, and innocent is a trait that we as believers in the God of the Bible should always seek to emulate and to teach to our children.  The lie of Satan in the Garden of Eden was that knowing evil would set them free, however as we know, it only brought death.  Although evil exists around us today, wherever we may live, we can and should choose to avoid evil and to remain innocent, blameless, and pure.  This is the calling of those who believe in God and in His Son, Yeshua the Messiah.

Noah Walked with God

The third characteristic of the life of Noah is that, “Noah walked with God” or in Hebrew, “את האלהים התהלך נח” – “et ha’elohim heethalech Noach.”  What does it mean that Noah walked with God?

From the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden, we read that Adam and Eve heard the sound of God walking in the garden (Gen. 3:8).  How did God walk in the garden?  Whatever this looked like in reality is difficult to discern, however, we can clearly conclude that there was some aspect of relationship between God and man from the very beginning (Gen. 3:8-10).  God desired to walk in fellowship with man, the chief of His creation, and that man in return would walk in agreement with Him.

Another example of someone who walked with God is Enoch, Noah’s great grandfather: “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24).  We can only assume that this picture of Enoch walking with God meant the he knew God intimately and walked in the ways of God.  We read of the testimony of Enoch’s life in the New Testament:

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. – Heb. 11:5

We learn from the life of Enoch that to walk with God is to live a life that pleases God. Through the life of Abraham (who was formerly called Abram) we also read about what it means to walk with God:

Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless…’ – Gen. 17:1

When God commanded Abram to “walk before Me and be blameless,” He used the Hebrew phrase: “התהלך לפני והיה תמים” – “heethalech lefanav veheyeh tamim.”  This is the same basic wording as we read in Genesis 6 concerning Noah, that he walked with God and was blameless.  God desired an intimate relationship with Abraham and this required a constant and steady walking in holiness and intimacy with God.

Intimacy with God

As we read about men like Noah, Enoch, and Abraham, we can understand that the phrase to “walk with God” was a favorable trait that implied an intimate relationship with God.  To walk with God is to live a life that pleases God and to seek Him with a whole heart.  It is to live in a constant state of awareness of the presence of God. Noah was a man who knew God like none other in his generation.  Noah was a righteous and blameless man who walked with God all of his life.  Noah knew the presence of God and kept himself pure from the world around him.  Noah was a model of a man after God’s own heart in a generation that only thought evil continually.

A World Filled with Violence

In contrast to the righteous and blameless life of Noah was a society that rejected God and only sought evil: “Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Gen. 6:11).  It is too easy to read the words of this verse and to continue on reading about the destruction of the world through the flood, however, I’d like to take a minute and consider the state of the earth at that time of Noah in comparison to the world that we live in today. The state of the world in Noah’s day was marked by corruption and the earth itself is said to be “filled with violence.”  What does an earth filled with violence look like?  Our current world seems to be characterized by violence more and more.  I will list several incidents of violence in the world from this week along.

When Violence Fills the Earth

Violence in the Middle East, from Egypt to Iraq, seems to never end.  Much of the violence in this region is committed by ISIS against innocent men, women, and children.  The violence at the hands of ISIS is so wicked that it is almost unspeakable.

On Saturday, October 10, 2015 a “peace rally” was organized in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, to help bring calm to a country that has been marked by acts of violence between the Turkish and Kurdish peoples.  This particular peace rally was suddenly interrupted by two explosions that killed approximately one hundred people while injuring hundreds of others.  Efforts to bring peace were marred by more violence against innocent life.

In recent weeks we have also seen an uprising of violence in the nation of Israel by Muslim terrorists.  Almost daily attacks by Muslim terrorists against Jewish men, women, and children have become common place.  These Muslim terrorists don’t care who they kill as long as they believe that they are killing a Jew.

This current wave of violence in Israel is mostly fueled by the Islamic desire to keep all “infidels,” Christians and Jews, off of the Temple Mount area, the place of the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque.  To read more about the Muslim agenda regarding the Temple Mount area I recommend reading this article: The Day of Rage

There is also open preaching and teaching in mosques encouraging Muslims in Israel to rise up and kill Jews with the knife.  One particular Muslim cleric told Muslims in the West Bank to form gangs and carry our violence in numbers to be more affective.  He then stated plainly that the world will call them terrorists and this is ok.  To read more about this particular Muslim cleric, click this link: Gaza cleric Calls on Palestinians  In these days it seems that the earth is full of violence once again.

Hamas = Violence

The word for “violence” used in Genesis 6:11 is the Hebrew word “חמס” – “chamas” or “hamas.”  I spell the word “chamas” phonetically with a “ch” in the beginning of the word to reflect a hard, guttural “h” sound.  The word “hamas” is the Hebrew word for violence and it is also the name used by the Islamic terrorist organization that is currently ruling in the Gaza Strip, Hamas.

Hamas, as an Islamic organization, is set on the destruction of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.  Over the course of the past couple of weeks, as violence has been spinning out of control, Hamas has incited the Arab Muslim population in Israel to rise up in violence against the Jewish people.  To read more about Hamas and its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, click this link: Arab Israel Conflict

An Israeli Keneset member by the name of Haneen Zoabi, who is an Arab Muslim woman, has also called upon the Arab Muslim population to rise up in violence and increase the intifada against Israel.  To read more about Zoabi’s recent provocative remarks, click this link: Israeli Politics

The Result of Violence

As I personally witness the violence at the hands of Arab Muslims in the city of Jerusalem, I see the result of fear and anxiety amongst innocent civilians.  Violence affects every part of society, even though only a fraction of society are the actual targets.  Those who commit acts of violence and shed innocent blood seek to destroy God’s creation and thereby bring judgement upon themselves.  God’s Word specifically addresses those who shed innocent blood:

Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man’s brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man. – Gen. 9:5-6

Shedding the blood of an innocent man is an act of violence against God Himself and He will avenge.

God’s Perspective on Violence

God is the ultimate judge of the earth and He sees the deeds of man. Let there be no doubt that God hates violence and He will bring destruction upon those who pursue violence:

Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth” (Gen. 6:13).

Just as God destroyed those who committed violence in the days of Noah, we can be certain that God will again bring justice to this world and destroy the wicked and violent who do not repent and believe in God and in His Messiah (Luke 17:26-30 & 2 Peter 2:4-10).

God seeks to vindicate His people and to keep them from oppression and terror.  As we read in this week’s reading from the prophets (the “haftara”), which is connected to the Torah Portion, God will establish the righteous and cause those who pursue violence to fall and to be destroyed:

“In righteousness you will be established;

You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear;

And from terror, for it will not come near you.

If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me.

Whoever assails you will fall because of you.

Behold, I Myself have created the smith who blows the fire of coals

And brings out a weapon for its work;

And I have created the destroyer to ruin.

No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;

And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,

And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. – Isaiah 54:14-17

Those who pursue terror will fall and be destroyed, however, God will establish His people in righteousness. Violence has surely covered the earth in our day and age.  I pray that God will continue to use governments and security forces in the nations of this world to bring those who commit violence to swift justice.  Our ultimate hope, however, is not in man but in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to transform the hearts of sinners and to bring His perfect judgment on this earth at the return of the Messiah.

Our Response to Violence

Noah lived in a world that was filled with violence but he set himself apart as a man who walked with God.  Noah believed in God and kept himself from the violence and wickedness of this world.  Noah was a righteous man.  This is what God calls us to be as well, a righteous people who are blameless and innocent in regard to the wickedness that surrounds us:

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life… – Philippians 2:14-16

We are called to be a people like Noah.  Noah saw the wickedness and violence that filled the earth in his time but he did not give up or lose hope.  He kept his faith in God and continually walked with God.

Noah was only one man with a wife, three sons, and three daughters-in-law but God used him and his family to restore righteousness to the earth.  Let us seek to be blameless and innocent, children of God and above reproach in the midst of the violence that has filled our earth.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Torah Portion: Gen. 6:9 – Gen. 11:32

Hafatara: Isaiah 54:1 – Isaiah 55:5

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