a solution?  

The last couple parts of Genesis I read were about the descent of mankind into corruption and violence. One explained that despite the sweet deal God set up for man and woman, they chose the Knowledge of Good and Evil over following God and have since faced all kinds of painful consequences, most notably death and murder. The other showed that while God created man in His image, throughout the generations man eventually spiraled down into absolute evil. God is deeply troubled that he made man and decides to get a fresh start on earth, destroying mankind. However, "Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord."

Synopsis

So what is there to say about the story of Noah? One thing to note is that it's not like Evan Almighty or that movie with Tony Danza; there's no doubt about what God is saying; God is still talking to humans like any other human would, out loud, and there is no question about that.

Noah is righteous, while the rest of earth is corrupt. So God explains his plan to Noah and tells him to build his ark and take his family and a ton of animals inside while God floods earth, killing everything. Noah obeys, and it all goes down just like God says, with ark dimensions and time periods being very specific.

Noah comes out and offers a burnt offering to God. God smells the aroma (!) and decides he will never destroy the earth like this again by speaking in verse. The existence of rainbows is explained as a sign of this promise. God then has a few things to say:

Once again, increase on the earth. Seriously, fill up earth with humans. Keep being in charge of the animals, even eating them. Remember, you're made in my image, so STOP MURDERING EACH OTHER.

Then there is a story explaining why Canaan would be cursed (?) and eventually Noah dies.

Analysis

I think it is notable to say, as most people know, that there is an absolute ton of global flood stories out there. I say this not to vouch for the historical accuracy of this account, but to note that this story is different from the others in a lot of ways. For one thing, mankind is destroyed to eradicate evil, not on a whim or something. Second, mankind is saved because of God's provision for Noah and his family, not against God's will or without God's knowledge. Third, Noah is kept safe and eventually put back on land because of God's care for him, not because God is starving and needs a sacrifice to eat. And fourth, Noah makes an alter to God out of praise and thankfulness instead of being afraid.

So, as opposed to some message about the grand canyon or fossil records, here is the message I'm getting from this story:

Mankind was totally evil and the earth was better off without humans.
God cannot bring himself to totally destroy humans and saves a good one.
God uses great care to protect animals and Noah's family and sparks off a new creation at the end of the story, warning them about murder creeping back in.
God is still as much in control as he's ever been, despite the evil of humans.

Overall, the story is a success. Mankind is saved, and corruption is cut off. However, the original problem is not solved. Man is still cut off from the tree of life and is at odds with God on some level, not ruling earth the intended way. This should be interesting.

Response

So what kind of personal response can I offer at this point? I think the main challenge at the beginning of Genesis is two-fold: What is my perspective on my own nature, and what is my view of God's character?

My own nature, according to the Bible, is in the image of God and a ruler on earth in God's kingdom. Yet my nature is also at odds with God and causing every major problem on earth. It's a compelling tragedy, with no easy solution in sight, even with God on the case. I think anyone confronting true faith in God must wrestle with this idea for a long time.

A lot of my culture would like to deny this idea and argue that mankind is beautiful right now and exactly what it's supposed to be. Genesis does sense an original intent for goodness and beauty in our species but then again we are totally filled with corruption. I think when I am most keenly aware of the true world around me, I agree with Genesis.

As far as who God is, he is all-powerful, he is all-knowing, and he cannot stand evil. Even so, he talks personally with humans, he walks, hears, and smells, and he demonstrates care for humans despite responding to their evil as well. This is hard to grasp because living in a somewhat Christian-oriented culture, we think we're all on the same page with God, but in a lot of ways God responding to my own evil by making provisions for me is radical.

I'll blog about part 5 and 6 of Genesis later today, which features man building a tower and Noah's family line.