Page 17 - Pentateuch

The new generations descended from Noah are no different from those of Adam. They spread out on earth
and built cities, generation after generation (Ch. 10). Nothing is wrong with these activities in themselves.
Death is expressed in the motivation. They want to make a name for themselves, not unlike their first
parents’ desire to take God’s place (11:1-4). God’s punishment is the confusion of their languages. Going
from a common language to a lack of understanding brings division and further scattering of people from
one another (11:5-9). The great building project has stopped.

From the very beginning of all this death, God speaks and acts to save mankind. His initiative can be seen in
his words to Satan. “I will put enmity between you
and the woman, and between your offspring and
hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his
heel” (3:15). The words are simple, so simple that
we might miss their significance. Satan will be
defeated. His head will be crushed. He will be
defeated by one offspring of the woman. “He will
crush your head. You will strike his heel.” The
victory will not be painless. Satan will strike the
victor’s heel. These words are more arresting in the
original Hebrew. “Offspring” is actually the word
“seed,” never used in any other place with a
feminine pronoun, “her seed.”

God speaks these words of salvation, but he also demonstrates something of what he means. He makes
garments of skin (3:21) to replace the flimsy leaves Adam and Eve had made to cover their nakedness. An
animal had to die to provide for their cover. Along with garments, God removes another temptation from
their reach. He expels them from the Garden of Eden, not wanting them to live forever in a dead society
(3:22-23). Adam and Eve are just beginning to understand the cost of their eventual salvation. Rebels must
bring something to give to God, a sacrifice, if they would approach Him (4:3, 4). Cain receives a mark from
God to prevent someone from killing him for killing his brother (4:15).

As the human race deteriorates, God shows “favor” to Noah, who then walks “faithfully with God (6:8-9).
We must not miss the order here or the meaning of “favor.” This is “sheer bounty” and completely
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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 heard about God’s favor; perhaps a
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 never again to 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.

19 Derek Kidner, Genesis (Downers Grove: Inter Varsity Press, 1967), p. 86.
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