Page 19 - Pentateuch - Student Textbook

As the human race deteriorates, God shows “favor” to Noah who then walks “faithfully with God (6:8-9).
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We must not miss the order here or the meaning of “favor.” This is “sheer bounty” and completely
undeserved on the part of Noah. He is as sinful as everyone else. Yet when he accepts God’s gift, he
follows God in contrast to the society around him. We do not know how Noah hears about God’s favor,
perhaps word of the “seed” to come is still in the culture or he was taught by faithful parents. As he
constructs the ark, his actions warn his friends and neighbors. We would expect some interaction with
this “preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5). Eventually everyone rejects God’s offer of grace and
perishes.

The favor of God leads to the rescue of Noah and his family while
everyone else perishes in the flood. Sacrifices are offered by
Noah, pleasing to God (8:20-21a). Despite the continued
sinfulness of humans, “even though every inclination of the
human heart is evil from childhood,” God promises to never again
destroy all living creatures (8:21b-22). The rainbow becomes the
sign of God’s promise (9:13-16). This is sheer grace, undeserved
by humans.
Fig. 11: Noah’s Ark
The interaction of God with his creation is vivid in both judgment
and salvation. God does not create with disinterest these humans made in his image. When they turn
from him and discount his goodness, his reaction is not distant or unemotional. Instead we see a God
actively and personally involved in the ongoing affairs of mankind.

During the days before the flood, “the LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth
(Gen. 6:6).” How can this be? Didn’t God know what was going to happen? Was he in some way
surprised by the turn of events? Was his creation not good enough, lacking in some essential way and
having a flawed design?

The word “regretted” describes God’s emotional interaction with his creation. The root meaning of the
Hebrew word may be “to breathe pantingly,” bringing to mind the sight of a horse taking great gulps of
air. We understand such emotions. We have experienced them ourselves. While we understand that
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God does not have lungs, the imagery helps bridge the gap between our experience and God’s. When
someone we love is threatened, we get worked up. Our heart rate goes faster as does our breathing. So
too with God. He cares deeply about his creation. Already in Genesis, His love for humans involves the
possibility of divine suffering.
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Later in the history of Israel, the prophet Jonah is sent to the pagan city of Nineveh to warn them of
God’s wrath. When they eventually hear the message, they speculate about God’s character. “Who
knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish”
(Jonah 3:9). God has warned them. Why would he do so? Is mercy part of his nature? Does he “breathe
heavily” over the destruction he would cause?

19 Derek Kidner, Genesis (Downers Grove: Inter Varsity Press, 1967), p. 86.
20 Wilhelm Gesenius, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, tr. E. Robinson (Oxford:
Clarendon, 1975), p. 636.
21 Augustus Hopkins Strong, Systematic Theology (New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, 1970), p. 266.

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