Genesis
We are
hearing about the Great Flood, and Noah, the ark, his family, and all the
animals he kept safe in the ark.
Fitting
all those animals in the ark has always been a bit of a conumdrum. But, how
about changing the things (animals and humans) into thoughts, ideas. There is
unlimited space for ideas. They take up less space than all the information on
the Internet – and just think how wide-ranging that is.
We read
that “Traditions of a great primeval deluge, similar to the one here recorded,
exist in the annuls of many nations besides the Hebrews” (Dummelow's
Commentary of the Bible).
And it
is interesting to get the orthodox church's teaching about Noah's experience.
Dummelow says: “This narrative records the judgment of God upon the sinful
forefathers of mankind, and His preservation of a righteous family, in whom the
divine purposes for men might be carried out. The spiritual teaching of Noah's
deliverance has always been recognised by Christians, who see in the ark a
symbol of the Church into which they are admitted by baptism, God thereby
graciously providing for their deliverance from the wrath and destruction due
to sin.”
A
Christian Scientist will naturally ask, What does Mrs. Eddy say about the flood
and Noah? Not a lot. Most of the “flood” references are to Revelation 12:15,
16, the ones in Pulpit and Press echoing those in the chapter Genesis
in Science and Health. However, the Glossary to Science
and Health gives definitions of Noah, and his sons, Shem, Japhet, and Ham. These
are very telling – sensuality forming part of both the Ham and Shem
definitions – Ham being negative and Shem positive, this being a reference to
the story of Noah's drunkenness and the sons' compassionate response. See Gen.
9:20-27 which includes Noah's prophesy of their futures.
Joyce Voysey
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