Scripture Prompt

Re-creation Floating Atop the Violent Waters of De-creation

A symbolic reflection on the story of Noah

A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord closed the door behind them (Genesis 7:16, NLT)

Yahweh shut them in, Noah and his family, men and women both; they 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 because God is about to push the reset button on the world.

Back in the garden, Noah's ancestors had given in to the serpent's deception, turning their backs on their loving Creator-Father. Cain followed, and in the ensuing generations, all of humanity did the same. Each and every one of them turned their backs to follow the serpent.

Except for Noah. He remained faithful.

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 not stop until the deep, dark waters of chaos and de-creation once again cover the earth.

Let me explain.

Way back in the beginning — Genesis 1:2 — we are told that prior to 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 again succumb to the chaotic, deep waters of darkness, formlessness, and emptiness. All, that is, 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 many years, the plan took shape.

Then the rains began.

They entered the ark.

And God shut them in—a gracious gift of divine love.

A remnant…a seed of the good creation…re-creation floating atop the violent waters of de-creation. In time, they would 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.