Re-Creation Floating Atop the Waters of De-Creation
A reflection on Genesis 7:16
In a corrupt, evil, and violent world, Noah remained a man of integrity and faithfulness to God across the many decades it took him (and probably his sons working with him) to complete the ark God had instructed him to build. God’s instructions became for Noah and those with him the “promises of life” (Brueggemann 1982, 80). In carrying them out, Noah exercised both faith—confidence in God’s integrity of character—and hope, hope that God indeed would fulfill the promises God had made.
—Genesis 7:13-16 (New Beacon Bible Commentary)
Yahweh shut them in; Noah and his family, both men and women, were shut in. And not only the humans but the creatures as well. They would survive, shut in as they were, because of God’s grace.
Noah, his family, and the animals are sealed in the ark by God's gracious command. God is about to push the reset button on the world.
This turn of events, however, is not by God’s design.
Back in the garden, Noah’s ancient ancestors had given in to the serpent’s deception, turning their backs on their loving Creator-Father. Cain followed, and all humanity did the same in the ensuing generations. Each and every human being on the planet turned their back to follow the serpent.
Except for Noah. He remained faithful, we are told.
God gives him instructions for building a ridiculously massive ark.
Noah obeys.
People mock and laugh.
Noah obeys.
Humanity is no longer functioning as God’s image-bearing people.
Noah is.
Humanity has gone bad.
Noah is good.
In time, the rains will begin to fall and will not stop until the deep, dark waters of chaos and de-creation once again cover the earth.
Let me explain.
In the beginning—Genesis 1:2—we are told that before God’s powerfully creative words that separate and order the world in which we live, the earth was formless, empty, and nothing. Darkness covered the deep waters of the abyss.
Creation is full of color and teeming with life.
Not-yet-created is dark and empty.
Creation is ordered.
Not-yet-created is chaos…symbolized in ancient text by deep waters.
Creation is good.
Not-yet-created is not.
As the rains fall and the water rises above the highest mountains, the created world will succumb to the chaotic, deep waters of darkness, formlessness, and emptiness.
All the world except for the comparatively tiny hand-crafted vessel built in accordance with the plan and purpose of the Almighty Creator.
In the face of overwhelming evil, God purposed to save what was good.
Over years, the plan took shape.
Then the rains began.
They entered the ark.
And God shut them in.
A remnant…a seed of the good creation, floating atop the violent waters of de-creation. Noah and all the other occupants had been shut away by the hand of divine love.
In time, they would again leave the ark and walk again upon dry land.
Vegetation would grow again.
Animals would repopulate the earth.
The human journey would continue.
God’s redemptive plan or re-creation would continue, but never again by the waters of chaos.
Noah, his family, and all the ark’s nonrational passengers would survive because Yahweh’s hand had shut them in. In the tragic sweep of the narrative, this is not a large detail, but even here the love and grace of God shines forth.
—Genesis 7:13-16(New Beacon Bible Commentary)
