Was Noah really righteous?: Lessons from the Flood for today (Genesis 6–7)

From chaos to Creation: How Genesis reveals the power of God’s creative will

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1

He created everything out of nothing, which no one else can do. While He was creating the earth, it was formless, void, and dark. But as His spirit moved over the universe, He began His creative work. Our Shabbat is a weekly memorial to God’s uniquely creative act. He created the earth and everything in it. He didn’t just create and leave; He is actively engaged in His creation.

The Flood we read about in Genesis 6–7 was not a small regional flood, as noted by “high mountains” being covered (Gen. 7:19-20) and the worldwide signs of massive amounts of rock and soil being moved by water. It also wasn’t just caused by rain from above, but it was also caused by water from the deeps flowing up. In Noah’s day, God was known primarily as אֵל שַׁדַּי El Shaddai.

The translation “Almighty” goes back to ancient times, at least as far back as the LXX, which translates שַׁדַּי as παντοκράτωρ “all powerful.” This is also reflected in the Vulgate, omnipotens. The rabbinic analysis of this word is that it is a compound word composed of the relative שֶׁ־ she, “who,” and the word דַּי day, “enough”: she-day, “the one who is (self-)sufficient” (Babylonian Talmud, Hagigah 12a).

In recent times these earlier suggestions have been all but rejected and new ones have been put in their place. We need to mention only some of the more tenable suggestions. One is that שַׁדַּי is to be connected with the Hebrew verb shadad “to destroy,” hence “my destroyer.” A second possibility, and this is the most widely accepted today, is that שַׁדַּי is to be connected with the Akkadian word, šadu “mountain.” Thus El Shaddai would translate into English something like “God/El of the mountain,” i.e. God’s abode.
Hamilton, Victor P. Harris, R. Laird, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke, eds. “שַׁדַּי.” Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Accordance electronic edition, version 2.8. Chicago: Moody Press, 1980.

The prophet Bilaam, was known in history to have had contact with multiple so-called “Shaddim.”

Balaam evidently was well known as a “cursing prophet,” for Balak specifically summoned Balaam for the purpose of cursing Israel (Nm 22:6). Much of the Deir ‘Alla text was given to curses uttered by the prophet. The term “shadday-gods” is used on two occasions in the text (lines 5–6).¹ Shadday is one of the names of God in the Old Testament, used mainly in the book of Job. Since the account of Job is set in Transjordan (Jb 1:1–3), it seems that shadday was a name used for deity in this region. Balaam used the name twice in his blessing speeches, where it is translated “Almighty” (Nm 24:4, 24:16).
Author: Bryant G. Wood, Ph.D., “Balaam, Son of Beor,” Associates for Biblical Research, 21 October 2023, accessed 23 November 2024.

The term shaddim (שַּׁדִּים) is sometimes translated as “demons” or “evil spirits.” In the biblical account of Bil’am (Balaam), particularly in Deuteronomy 32:17 and Psalm 106:37, the shaddim are associated with idolatry and the worship of false gods. These beings are portrayed as malevolent spirits that lead people astray by drawing them into practices that go against the worship of the true God.

Soon enough, Bil’am learned that the God of Israel was the true “El-Shaddai” — the One who destroyed the world on one hand and protected Noah and the future of mankind on the other. He was the God of Israel, and He was a God who could not be bribed by men. God did not want sacrifices but humble, contrite hearts (שָׁבַר shavar, “broken,” and דָּכָה dakhah, “crushed,” Psalm 51:17). Bil’am learned that the hard way.

The story of Noah is a testimony to the origin of Abraham, Isaac, Israel, various people groups, and languages. They are descended from the family of Shem, but all of mankind is descended from one of Noah’s sons, whether it’s Shem, Ham, or Japheth.

‘Out of Africa’ or from Eden through Noah?

Genetic research has revealed three primary female genetic groups worldwide and one main male chromosome line (with caveats). Recent advances in genetics have provided fresh insights into humanity’s ancestry. Scholars like Nathaniel Jeanson, Ph.D., argue that DNA evidence aligns with the historical account described in Genesis.

Moreover, we are discovering that the physical traits often seen as significant markers of difference, such as skin color or eye shape, are governed by only a small portion of our DNA, highlighting the fundamental unity of the human race.

Is the origin of all life best represented as a single tree or an orchard of distinct kinds? Genesis describes the creation of baramin—distinct kinds of creatures—each uniquely designed. Just as humans invest significant time and effort into designing machines and software with precision engineering, we observe similar intentionality in the biological world.

Creatures are equipped with built-in programming that allows them to adapt to changing environments. For example, the finches of the Galapagos Islands adjust their beak sizes based on the available food sources. This remarkable adaptability reflects principles of systems engineering, showcasing the intricate design within creation.

All of these scientific findings more closely correspond to we read in the Bible than about any other ancient culture’s so-called “origin story.”

We read in Genesis that a worldwide flood destroyed all people, land and many sea creatures.

Rock layers, like those seen in the Grand Canyon are direct evidence of this event. Those who teach that such grand geological features were created over million of years are in denial of what we can observe in the modern world. These geological layers of sediment cross over states and country boundaries, as well as over oceans and continents with little signs of erosion between the layers.

Lake Missoula was a massive glacial lake that formed several thousand years ago, after the Great Flood, in what is now Montana, United States. The massive geological changes associated with the Flood, including the rapid deposition of sediments and the retreat of floodwaters, created large, temporary lakes like Lake Missoula. Lake Missoula itself was created when a lobe of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet moved southward, blocking the Clark Fork River with a natural ice dam. This dam caused water from melting glaciers and rivers to pool behind it, creating a lake estimated to be as large as 3,000 square miles, holding more water than Lake Erie and Lake Ontario combined. The lake was so deep that its surface reached heights of over 4,000 feet above sea level in some areas.

The catastrophic draining of Lake Missoula, resulting in the Missoula Floods, was a rapid, high-energy event consistent with the aftermath of a global flood. The dramatic geological features left by the draining of Lake Missoula, such as the Channeled Scablands of eastern Washington and deep coulees, are evidence of large-scale hydrological activity that aligns with a young earth timeline and the effects of Noah’s Flood described in Genesis.

The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 created a dramatic and rapidly formed gorge known as the Step Canyon and other similar features in the region. These gorges were carved out in a matter of days to weeks due to the immense forces unleashed by the eruption. The initial blast, which removed the northern side of the volcano, was followed by a massive debris avalanche, pyroclastic flows, and subsequent mudflows (lahars) that scoured the surrounding landscape.

One notable gorge, the Loowit Canyon, was created by a combination of hot volcanic materials and subsequent water erosion. It spans hundreds of feet deep in some places and exposes layers of sedimentary deposits and volcanic material. This rapid erosion provides a striking example of how significant geological changes can occur in a short period under the right conditions. These gorges as evidence that catastrophic events can shape the landscape rapidly, challenging the assumption by neo-darwinists that all such features require millions of years to form.

Many fossils show remarkable preservation, with no signs of decomposition, because they were rapidly buried while in the act of running, eating, giving birth, or even digesting. In contrast, when animals die in water under normal circumstances, they do not immediately sink to the bottom and get buried. Instead, they typically float, often bloating and remaining on the surface. Even if efforts are made to sink them, such as by breaking the carcass apart, the pieces still tend to float.

For example, when a whale dies, its body floats on the surface, providing a feast for scavengers until it is almost completely consumed. This process reflects the natural cycle of decomposition observed in the real world. Such realities challenge the narrative often presented in neo-Darwinian interpretations, which suggest that fossilization happens gradually over long periods under ordinary conditions.

One of the things that many of us wrestle with is how can a loving God watch such evil occur, but we have to go back to the story of the two tress and how Adam and Eve chose the wrong tree.

Why was Noach deemed ‘righteous’ and ‘blameless’?

Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
Genesis 6:9 NASB 1995

Rashi makes an interesting point about this verse.

“Some of our Sages explain that this was said in praise of Noah. Even in his corrupt generation he was righteous. How much more righteous he would have been in a righteous age! Others think it is intended to disparage Noah. In his own generation Noah was the most righteous, but in Abraham’s generation Noah would have been considered a nothing.”

Was Noach was just the best of what God could work with, just a comparatively righteous man?

Why was Noach a righteous man? Because with Elohim, Noach himself indeed walked. Noach’s righteousness was not situational, he walked with God his entire life.

Rashi elaborates:

“The same special form of the verb is used with Abraham, but with a different preposition [לְפָנַי]. The Lord said to Abram, ‘Walk before Me’ (Gen 17:1), and he himself later said, ‘I have walked before’ the Lord (Gen 24:40). Noah walked with Him because he needed something to support him; Abraham, fortifying himself with his righteousness, was able to walk before Him, on his own.”

Why is Abraham a source of blessing to all the world? Because he walked before God in faith, trusting Him completely. Abraham’s righteousness was not limited to his own life but extended to future generations, establishing a legacy of faith. This theme is echoed in the book of Galatians and further clarified in Romans: Abraham was considered righteous because he believed God’s promise. When God declared that Abraham would become the father of many nations, he responded with a heartfelt “amen,” trusting God’s word despite the seemingly impossible circumstances. At that time, Abraham and Sarah had been married for many years without a child, yet God promised they would have a son together—even in Sarah’s old age. Abraham’s faith in this promise became a cornerstone of his righteousness.

This is why the Apostle Paul compares Sarah to the Jerusalem in Heaven and Hagar to the Jerusalem of the flesh. Abraham’s righteousness didn’t come from himself; it was a gift from God.

God declared both Noach and Abraham righteous, but Abraham’s job was a harder job than Noach’s. Noah’s job was to build an ark, gather the animals in it, get into the ark and leave the ark when the water was gone. Once the ark came to rest and everyone left the ark, Noah’s duty was largely done.

The job God gave to Abraham’s was much harder. God called him on a lifelong journey from his hometown to a new land. He had to keep saying “amen” to God throughout his entire life as he left Ur, then went to Canaan, then to Egypt, Philistia and back to Canaan. He had to trust God foot by foot and keep walking. He had to walk out his faith in God everyday, and we have to do the same.

Rapture?: ‘Days of Noach’ compared to the Day of the LORD

Yeshua (Jesus) the Mashiakh (Messiah) compared “that day” (“coming of the Son of Man,” i.e., Day of the LORD) to the time before the Flood.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.”
Matthew 24:36-41 NASB 1995

When Daniel examined the genealogies last week, he observed that Noah delayed having children much longer than previous the men of generations. While the family lines of everyone else were wiped out in the floodwaters, Noah’s lineage alone continued.

Who is “taken”? Those who didn’t “understand.” Noah was a ‘preacher of righteous’ to his generation (2Peter 2:5). He proclaimed righteousness to those around him but they were corrupt and violent. Why were they taken? Because they were preoccupied with the joys of life.They were willfully ignorant. They didn’t want to hear what Noah had to say. Noah didn’t set them up to fail, it was their own hardened hearts that caused them to fail to listen to Noah’s message. They didn’t want to come into the light because they didn’t want their deeds to be exposed (John 3:20).

They didn’t have a teachable spirit, like Noah had. Noach was open to God’s correction, when those around him were not. When God, who knows everything, audits us, His audit is far more difficult and extensive than the IRS can ever do to us. When we have a heart of repentance, when we humble ourselves, that is when we come closer to God. We can’t pretend that there’s nothing wrong, but we would only be fooling ourselves.

When we mess up our relationship with God, we need to repent and do the hard work of repairing the relationship. Noach was one who really wanted to walk with God even when it was hard. When God needed him, Noach stepped up and he got it done, at a very hard costs. They lost all their family relationships, all of the way of life that they knew before.

Yeshua featured this warning particularly in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:5–15; Matthew 13; Mark 4:2–20). He taught about the different types of people who hear the gospel message and they react in different ways:

Hard soil = Those the Adversary can easily divert from the Word.
Rocky soil = Those who turn away because of temptation.
Thorny soil = Those who do not contribute to the Kingdom because they are overcome by worry, wealth and pleasure.
Good soil = Those who aren’t easily distracted, broken by temptation or overcome by the world.

We have to be careful about our temptation to decide where the weeds are and getting out the spiritual roundup to just kill and pull over everything. Instead, we leave it up to God to clean up His house.

Are all the joys of life bad? No, in fact, “rejoice before the LORD” is required and healthy for the people of God (Lev. 23:40; Deut. 12:12, 18; 16:11; 27:7; Eccl. 3:12f; 5:18-20). For those called to the ascetic life, they pull away from the world and its distraction but for those of us who live in the world, have our own struggles in the world.

God gave us the feasts which, except for Yom Kippur, are feasts to express joy but we also have take to heart the instruction that it’s valuable to spend time in the house of mourning, which is what Yom Kippur reminds us to take the time to mourn for our sins.

It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 NASB 1995

However, if the joys of this world distract us from grasping the gravity of our situation, they become harmful.

Similarly, the offerings of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) bring one closer to God, but if we get preoccupied with the particulars and appearances of bringing the offerings, we miss the why of them. And that’s when God says He hates them (Psalm 51:16–19). The purpose of the offerings is to get us closer to God, but we also see that because of what happened in the garden, we can’t just walk into God’s presence at any time for any reason. We have to allow Heaven to cover over our sins, transgressions and iniquities, then Heaven will purposely forget them for our sakes. Heaven did this with the perfect offering of Yeshua.

The Flood was the ultimate calamity on the earth. Humanity started out very good but when we decided we wanted to know what was good and bad without God’s wisdom, we become better at being evil than at being good.

The story of the Flood serves as a sobering reminder of what happens when humanity turns away from God’s wisdom. Left to our own devices, we spiral into chaos, prioritizing selfish desires over righteousness. Yet, even in the midst of judgment, there is a glimmer of hope — a chance to reset and pursue what is good. This longing for restoration is echoed in our hearts today, as we yearn for a world free from violence and filled with peace. But until that time comes, how do we navigate a world still marred by strife?

We hope for a time of peace a time free from violence but when there’s violence around us, we have to create a wall of separation between ourselves and the strife around us in the culture.

This is in contrast to the Nephalim, or “fallen ones” (Gen. 6:4), and those who whose yetzerim (intentions) were saturated in wickedness (Gen. 6:5). Are we training ourselves to be completely righteous and to walk with God as Enoch, Noah and Abraham did?

As we delve further into the book of Genesis, we see that Abraham, like Enoch and Noah before him, had to depend fully on God. Abraham’s righteousness did not come from his own strength but was rooted in his trust and reliance on God.

Just as Abraham’s righteousness came through his dependence on God, our identity as His children is also rooted in His grace, not our own merit. This reliance transforms how we see ourselves—not as self-sufficient, but as deeply loved and chosen. It is through this relationship that we are adopted as sons and daughters, an honor that calls us to walk not in arrogance, but in humble confidence, knowing our worth is found in Him.

Summary: Tammy

Footnotes