Flood

May 13, 2019

Just like Noah (Lk 17:26-17:26)

“Just as it was

In the days

Of Noah,

So too

It will be

In the days

Of the Son of Man.”

 

καὶ καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Νῶε, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου

 

Next Luke indicated that Jesus said that just as it was in the days of Noah (καὶ καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Νῶε), so too it would be (οὕτως ἔσται) in the days (καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις) of the Son of Man (τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου).  There is something similar, almost word for word, in Matthew, chapter 24:37, but nothing about Noah in Mark, thus indicating a Q source.  Jesus said via Matthew that the days of Noah in Genesis, chapters 6-11, (ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ Νῶε) were considered to be the days of sinfulness.  The Parousia or second coming of the Son of Man (οὕτως ἔσται ἡ παρουσία τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) would be similar to the end of the sinning days with the flood (ὡς γὰρ ἦσαν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ταῖς πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ).  Luke, unlike Matthew, did not use the word Parousia (ἡ παρουσία τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου), just the days of the Son of Man (ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου).  However, they both had the comparison with the time of Noah.  What influence does Noah have in your life?

February 5, 2019

Build well!

“That one

Who heard his word

And acted on it is

Like a man

Building a house.

He dug deeply.

He laid the foundation

On a rock.

When a flood came,

The river burst

Against that house.

However,

It could not shake it,

Because it had been

Well built.”

 

ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδομοῦντι οἰκίαν, ὃς ἔσκαψεν καὶ ἐβάθυνεν καὶ ἔθηκεν θεμέλιον ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν· πλημμύρης δὲ γενομένης προσέρηξεν ὁ ποταμὸς τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν σαλεῦσαι αὐτὴν διὰ τὸ καλῶς οἰκοδομῆσθαι αὐτήν.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said the one who had heard his word and acted on it was like a man building a house (ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδομοῦντι οἰκίαν).  He dug deeply (ὃς ἔσκαψεν καὶ ἐβάθυνεν).  He laid the foundation on a rock (καὶ ἔθηκεν θεμέλιον ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν).  When a flood came (πλημμύρης δὲ γενομένης), the streams of the river burst against that house (ροσέρηξεν ὁ ποταμὸς τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ).  However, they could not shake it (καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν σαλεῦσαι αὐτὴν), because it had been well built (διὰ τὸ καλῶς οἰκοδομῆσθαι αὐτήν).  This is just like Matthew, chapter 7:24-25, which might indicate a Q source.  Jesus said there that these wise people built a house on a rock foundation or solid rocky ground.  The rains fell and the floods came.  The winds would blow and beat against this house, but it did not fall, because it was built on a strong foundation.  This rock foundation was the words of Jesus carried out in daily life.  The fairy tale story of the 3 pigs with the brick, straw, and grass houses is similar to this saying about the stone foundation that could not be destroyed.  How have you built your house?

November 18, 2017

Jonah’s proclamation (Jon 3:4-3:4)

“Jonah began

To go into the city,

Going a day’s walk.

He cried out.

‘Forty days more,

Then Nineveh

Shall be overthrown!’”

The text does not say how long it took Jonah to get there, but he was certainly in the city.  He walked one day into the center of the city and began to cry out that Nineveh would be overthrown in 40 days.  Forty days was a common biblical number, since Noah’s trip during the flood was 40 days, while the Israelites spent 40 years in the desert.

May 16, 2016

The wise ones (Sir 21:11-21:13)

“Whoever keeps the law

Controls his thoughts.

Wisdom is the fulfillment

Of the fear of the Lord.

The one who is not clever

Cannot be taught.

But there is cleverness

That increases bitterness.

The knowledge of the wise

Will increase like a flood.

Their counsel is

Like a life-giving spring.”

If you keep the law, you will control your thoughts. Wisdom completes those who fear the Lord. If you are not clever, you cannot be taught. Yet there is cleverness that increases bitterness. The knowledge of the wise people increases like a flood. Their counsel is like a refreshing spring of water that saves lives.

March 20, 2016

The power of love (Song 8:5-8:7)

Male lover

“Under the apple tree I awakened you.

There your mother was in labor with you.

There she who bore you was in labor.

Set me as a seal upon your heart.

Set me as a seal upon your arm.

Love is as strong as death.

Passion is as fierce as the grave.

Its flashes are flashes of fire.

It is a raging flame.

Many waters cannot quench love.

Neither can floods drown it.

If one offered for love

All the wealth of one’s house,

It would be utterly scorned.”

The male lover woke his lover up under the apple tree. He maintains that it was there that she was born from the labor of her mother. Now he wants his lover to bear his seal on her heart and on her arm. The seal was a sense of ownership. Then he went on to talk about the power of love. Love is just as strong as death. Passion is just as fierce as the grave. The love flashes of fire become a raging flame that no water can quench. Not even a flood can drown out love. If someone offers all the wealth they had, the lover would scorn it for his true love.

November 18, 2015

Majestic Yahweh (Ps 93:3-93:4)

“The floods have lifted up!

Yahweh!

The floods have lifted up their voice.

The floods have lifted up their roaring.

More majestic

Than the thunders of many waters,

More majestic

Than the waves of the sea,

Majestic on high is Yahweh!”

The chaotic flood waters have lifted up their roaring voice. However, more majestic than the thundering waters and the waves of the sea is the majesty of Yahweh.

September 6, 2015

Yahweh rules (Ps 29:10-29:11)

“Yahweh sits enthroned over the flood.

Yahweh sits enthroned as king forever.

May Yahweh give strength to his people!

May Yahweh bless his people with peace!”

This psalm ends by proclaiming that Yahweh is the ruler of the storm or flood. He sits forever as king of the world and its climate. May he give strength to the people at the time of a disaster. May he bless his people with peace at the end of the storm.

July 4, 2015

Job is not happy with his companions (Job 6:14-6:20)

“Those who withhold kindness from a friend

Reject the fear of the Almighty Shaddai.

My companions are as treacherous as a flood.

My companions are like streams of water that pass away.

They are like dark spots on ice.

They are like murky spots on melting snow.

In time of heat they disappear.

When it is hot,

They vanish from their place.

The caravans turn aside from their course.

They go up into the waste.

They perish.

The caravans of Tema look.

The travelers of Sheba hope.

They are disappointed

Because they were confident.

They come there

But they are confused.”

Job then turned on his 3 companions. He said that they were not so friendly. However, they did come to spend some time with him. He, however, called them treacherous. He compared them to a flood of water, an uncontrolled stream of water. He also compared them to a flash flood. In other words, they were like quick and destructive flows of water. He also compared them to dark ice and murky snow in that when it got hot, they would disappear. Then he compared them to caravans from Tema, an Arab tribe descendent from Ishmael, and Sheba that got lost in the desert. Both these caravans in ancient times were very confident but in the end they were confused. Job was comparing his 3 friends to these lost confusing caravans. They were not helping him with their torrent of confusing words.

December 18, 2013

Outline of the Book of Genesis

Genesis General Structure (per Jerusalem Bible)   

I.    The origins of the world

a.    The creation and the fall

The first story of creation (Gen 1:1-2:4)

The second story of creation: paradise (Gen 2:4b-2:25)

The fall (Gen 3:1-3:24)

Cain and Abel (Gen 4:1-4:16)

The descendants of Cain (Gen 4:17-4:24)

Seth and his descendants (Gen 4:25-26)

The patriarchs before the flood (Gen 5:1-5:32)

 Sons of God and daughters of men (Gen 6:1- 6:4)

b.  The flood

The corruption of humanity before the flood (Gen 6:5-6:12)

Preparations for the flood (Gen 6:13-7:9)

The flood (Gen 7:10-7:24)

The decrease of the water (Gen 8:1-8:14)

The exit from the ark (Gen 8:15-8:22)

The new world order (Gen 9:1-9:17)

c.  From the flood to Abraham

Noah and his sons (Gen 9:18-9:29)

How the earth was peopled (Gen 10:1-10:32)

The tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-11:9)

The patriarchs after the flood (Gen 11:10-11:26)

The descendants of Terah (Gen 11:27-11:32)

II.      The story of Abraham

The call of Abraham (Gen 12:1-12:9)

Abraham goes to Egypt (Gen 12:10-12:20)

The separation of Abraham and Lot (Gen 13:1-13:18)

The battle of the four great kings (Gen 14:1-14:16)

Melchizedek (Gen 14:17-14:24)

The promise of a divine alliance (Gen 15:1-15:21)

The birth of Ishmael (Gen 16:1-16:16)

The covenant and circumcision (Gen 17:1–17:27)

The apparition at Mamre (Gen 18:1-18:15)

The intercession of Abraham (Gen 18:16-18:33)

The destruction of Sodom (Gen 19:1-19:29)

The origins of the Ammonites and Moabites (Gen 19:30-19:38)

Abraham at Gerar (Gen 20:1-20:20:18)

The birth of Isaac (Gen 21:1-21:7)

The dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael (Gen 21:8-21:21)

Abraham and Abimelech at Beer-sheba (Gen 21:22-21:34)

The sacrifice of Isaac (Gen 22:1-22:19)

The descendants of Nahor (Gen 22:20-22:24)

The tomb of the patriarchs (Gen 23:1-23:20)

Marriage of Isaac (Gen 24:1-24:67)

The descendants of Keturah (Gen 25:1-25:6)

The death of Abraham (Gen 25:7-25:11)

The descendants of Ishmael (Gen 25:12-25:18)

III.      The story of Isaac and Jacob

The birth of Esau and Jacob (Gen 25:19-25:28)

Esau gives up his birthright (Gen 25:29-25:34)

Isaac goes to Gerar (Gen 26:1-26:14)

The wells at Gerar and Beer-sheba (Gen 26:15-26:25)

The alliance with Abimelech (Gen 26:26-26:30)

The Hittite wives of Esau (Gen 26:34-26:35)

Jacob cheats Esau out of the blessing of Isaac (Gen 27:1-27:45)

Isaac sends Jacob to Laban (Gen 27:46-28:5)

Esau’s other marriage (Gen 28:6-28:9)

Jacob’s dream (Gen 28:10-28:22)

Jacob arrives at Haran (Gen 29:1-29:14)

The two marriages of Jacob (Gen 29:15-Gen 29:30)

The children of Jacob (Gen 29:31-30:24)

How Jacob got rich (Gen 30:25-30:43)

The flight of Jacob (Gen 31:1-31:21)

Laban pursues Jacob (Gen 31:22-Gen 31:42)

The treaty between Jacob and Laban (Gen 31:43-32:2)

Jacob prepares to meet Esau (Gen 32:3-32:21)

The struggle with God (Gen 32:22-32:32)

The meeting with Esau (Gen 33:1-33:11)

Jacob separates from Esau (Gen 33:12-33:17)

Jacob arrives at Shechem (Gen 33:18-33:20)

The violence against Dinah (Gen34:1-34:5)

The marriage pact with Hamor and Shechem (Gen 34:6-34:24)

The vengeance of Simeon and Levi (Gen 34:25-34:31)

Jacob at Bethel (Gen 35:1-35:15)

The birth of Benjamin and the death of Rachel (Gen 35:16-35:21)

The incest of Rueben (Gen 35:22-Gen 35:22)

The twelve sons of Jacob (Gen 35:23-35:26)

The death of Isaac (Gen 35:27-35:29)

IV.     The story of Joseph

Joseph and his brothers (Gen 37:1-Gen 37:11)

Joseph is sold by his brothers (Gen 37:12-37:36)

The story of Judah and Tamar (Gen 38:1-38:30)

Joseph in Egypt (Gen 39:1-39:6)

Joseph and the seducer (Gen 39:7-Gen 39:20)

Joseph in prison (Gen 39:21-Gen39:23)

Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh’s household (Gen 40:1-40:23)

Pharaoh’s dreams (Gen 41:1-41:36)

The elevation of Joseph (Gen 41:37-41:49)

The sons of Joseph (Gen 41:50-41:57)

The first meeting of Joseph and his brothers (Gen 42:1-42:24)

The return of the sons of Jacob to Canaan (Gen 42:25-42:38)

The sons of Jacob return with Benjamin (Gen 43:1-43:14)

The meeting with Joseph (Gen 43:15-43:34)

The cup of Joseph in Benjamin’s sack (Gen 44:1-44:17)

The intervention of Judah (Gen 44:18-44:34)

Joseph reveals himself (Gen 45:1-45:15)

Pharaoh’s invitation (Gen 45:16-45:20)

The return to Canaan (Gen 45:21-45:28)

The departure of Jacob for Egypt (Gen 46:1-46:7)

The family of Jacob (Gen 46:8-46:27)

The welcome of Joseph (Gen 46:28-46:34)

The audience with Pharaoh (Gen 47:1-47:6)

The establishment in Egypt (Gen 47:7-47:12)

The agricultural politics of Joseph (Gen 47:13-47:26)

The last wishes of Jacob (Gen 47:27-47:31)

Jacob adopts and blesses the two sons of Joseph (Gen 48:1-48:22)

The blessings of Jacob (Gen 49:1-49:28)

The last moments and death of Jacob (Gen 49:29-49:33)

The funeral of Jacob (Gen 50:1-50:14)

The death of Joseph (Gen 50:15-50:26)

 

My understanding of Genesis