#2 — Parshat Noach
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From Judgment to Blessing
How do we move from G-d’s judgment to G-d’s blessing?
Curse and blessing is a major theme in Torah. Obedience to G-d leads to blessing; disobedience leads to His curse. But when we have been disobedient, is there still hope beyond the curse of judgment? Parshat Noah shows us there is.
The story of Noah is one of terrible judgment: the earth is cursed back into watery chaos because of human rebellion against G-d. But the flood is not only a story of global judgment, it is also the record of G-d’s redemption. The story moves from judgment to blessing after a pivotal action of Noah.
Reset Button
The L-RD is a G-d of absolute goodness. He is a light in which is no darkness.
But what if humanity gets thoroughly corrupted? What should G-d, who desires a relationship with us, do? G-d saw that “every intention of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)
The earth was filled with violence. Genesis tells us that what had become of His creation grieved Him to His heart. So G-d hit the “reset button” with a flood to destroy mankind.
Great Expectations
But “…Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation….” (Genesis 6:9) “In his generation….” Is that only a “backhanded compliment” as some rabbis suggested? Was Noah only “okay” compared to his wicked generation, or was he really a hero of the Torah?
Regardless, there were great expectations of him from his birth. His father calls him “Noach” (“rest, comfort”) saying, “This one will give us relief from our work, from the painful toil of our hands from the ground which the L-RD has cursed.” (Genesis 5:29)
The obedient and faithful Noah indeed breaks through to a new world. At G-d’s instruction, Noah builds the ark – that seaworthy life capsule – and he and all who belong to him are saved.
Noah’s pivotal action
Adam’s sin brought a curse on the ground. Cain murdered his brother and the ground was even further cursed. Now creation seems to be almost completely undone as the earth is covered with water to the tops of the mountains.
But the floodwaters subside, and Noah, as a new righteous head of humanity, brings burnt offerings on an altar he built.
We read: “When the L-RD smelled the pleasing aroma, the L-RD said in His heart: “I will never again curse the ground because of man, because the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.” (Genesis 8:21)
Post-flood, and immediately after Noah’s sacrifice, for the first time since Adam’s sin, Genesis tells us explicitly that the L-RD is blessing mankind again.
Ultimate Relief
Noah does not bring the ultimate relief from the curse. Evil still resides in the hearts of mankind. Our parsha tells us of Noah’s own weakness. But Parshat Noach shows how the vicious cycle of disobedience and curse, sin and judgment, can be broken. His life is a foreshadowing sign of the ultimate relief G-d will provide.
In the haftarah reading from Isaiah we learn about this ultimate relief, when the curse is broken forever:
“This is like the days of Noah to me: As I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you.
For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you.
And my covenant of peace shall not be removed says the L-RD, who has compassion on you.”(Isaiah 54:9-10)
The Sacrifice of the Righteous one of all Generations
Blessing was given after Noah’s sacrifice. This promise of blessing in the haftarah also comes after a description of a sacrifice in Isaiah 53, the prophecy about G-d’s righteous servant.
He is the most righteous of all generations! He is the Messiah who gives Himself as a blameless lamb. He brings the ultimate relief that Noah could not. The Messiah brings His people into a totally new world when they recognize Him.
Curse for disobedience and blessing for obedience is what the Torah teaches. But how can we move from deserved curse to being completely blessed? Only through the sacrifice of Messiah. By faith in His atoning sacrifice, we are saved from judgment as Noah’s family was saved in the ark.
Do you know the identity of this Messiah?
We long for the day when what G-d promised will be completely true for His people: “‘My covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the L-RD, who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:10)
In Messiah there is no condemnation; every possible curse is lifted. May that peace be upon Israel.
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