I'm a literalist. I confess it. As I read these chapters detailing the DELUGE, the details are the driving force for me. I've read some of the "other" flood stories of ancient literature, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh;but they read like fairy tales, where Genesis reads like a "captain's log," numbering the days and providing special landmarks for several of the days along the way.
For my money, there was an actual world-wide flood whose history was preserved, with God's help, in Genesis. The many other "flood stories" exist, because there really was a flood. They do not agree, because those stories did not have God's assistance!
I love God's covenant and the sign God provides in Genesis 9; we must never take "rainbows" for granted. But isn't it depressing that after the Flood, God still must say, "The intention of the human heart is evil from youth." (Genesis 8:21) This reminds us that the Flood was only a temporary "fix."
NOTE: If you are interested in my best guess for what in goodness is being described in Genesis 6:1-4, read 2 Peter 2:4-5 and Jude 6-7. If you're still flummoxed, then let's talk.
What an amazing book God has given us!
Pastor Gary
No comments:
Post a Comment