Yeshua haMashiakh (Jesus) and His apostle Shimon Kefa (Simon Peter) pointed to “the days of Noah” as important for believers to fully understand to be prepared for life now and for the “coming of the Son of Man.” This week’s Torah section, נֹחַ Noach (Genesis 6:9-11:32), helps us catch the meaning of the enigmatic phrase “one taken and the other left” (Matt. 24:40-41; Luke 17:34-35).
Though separated by roughly 4,000 years, the “preacher of righteousness” who led his family to “rest” through the Flood foreshadowed the Righteous One Who would bring rest to the world. Here are several reasons why the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
The Flood recorded in the book of Genesis is one of the most pivotal events in the Bible. But did it happen, or is it just an allegory to teach a spiritual truth? This discussion of the Torah reading נֹחַ Noach/Noakh (“Noah,” Genesis 6:9-11:32), illustrates how the account is real history as well as real revelation of spiritual truth.
Modern DNA studies supports the Bible’s record of a literal Noakh, his literal sons and daughters-in-law and a literal worldwide Flood. Even though Noach was “righteous in his generation,” he was not perfect. He wasn’t saved because he was perfect. He was saved because he had faith in God — faith put into action.
Noakh’s clinged to God’s words, but his generation refused to follow him into the Ark and to receive salvation. That’s why Yeshua talked about the “days of Noah” being just like His second coming (Luke 17:25–27; Matthew 24:37–38; Isaiah 54:8–10).
Though his generation had forgotten, Noach (Noah) remembered the Creator was in charge, followed His instructions and didn’t have the malice of the world around him. In the Torah section Noach (Genesis 6-11), we learn that the relationship between God and Noach was a two-way street, and it is because of this one man’s trust in God that all of creation was saved.
At first, it’s puzzling why Noach cursed Cana’an for something his father, Ham, did. Is this a generational curse, with the sins of the father being meted out to future generations? Is something else going on here? The answer seems to be in the meaning of the Hebrew words for curse and Cana’an.