PRIMEVAL PERIOD Catechesis Final

PRIMEVAL PERIOD
The Bible begins with figurative (also called symbolic or

mythic) accounts about how God created everything that
exists. These are sometimes called “primeval” stories,
meaning they are stories of things that happened before
recorded history.
The Creation accounts reveal that God’s creation was
good, ordered, and harmonious, without sin or human
death.
The story of Adam and Eve’s disobedience teaches us
that the sin of our first parents injured their relationship
with God and with each other. This Original Sin is passed
on to all human beings and makes it difficult for us to
choose the good and to choose God. The stories of Cain
and Abel, Noah and the Flood, and the Tower of Babel
teach us that sin spreads and that without God’s help, sin
leads to death and destruction. But despite the death and
destruction, God has mercy on his creatures and begins a
process of intervention to save us
What Is the Meaning of Noah?
The name Noah means “rest.” It derives from the Hebrew ( ‫נוח‬nuah), to
rest. The name could also mean "comfort." It may seem ironic because
the story of Noah involves neither of these things. After all, God floods
the earth, and that doesn't seem like a whole lot of rest or comfort for its
inhabitants. But perhaps this name can remind us of the feeling that
Noah's family likely felt when at last the Flood waters receded and that
God comforted them with a rainbow, reminding them that he would never
flood the entire earth again.
What Is the Story of Noah?
When God saw how wicked and corrupt man had become, He regretted
creating them and decided to destroy all of mankind (Genesis 6:7).
However, God gave Noah favor because he saw that he was righteous
(Genesis 6:8). God commanded Noah to build an ark to house and
preserve his family, as well as every male and female species of land
animal, from His punishment of a flood on the earth (Genesis 6:14-21).
NOAH AND THE FLOOD The rain fell and the floodwaters rose around the ark for 40 days,
however, Noah and the other inhabitants remained safe (Genesis 7:17-
18).
Noah was an obedient servant of God amidst a sinful world. After a dove that Noah had sent out returned with an olive leaf
He is most well-known for building an ark that preserved (Genesis 8:11), these sole survivors of the flood disembarked where
himself and his family, as well as representatives of every land God blessed Noah and his children, encouraging them to be fruitful
animal, from a great flood that God unleashed in judgment and multiply (Genesis 9:1). He also commanded them to not eat
upon the earth. flesh which still has blood in it (Genesis 9:4), nor to spill the lifeblood
of their fellow man (Genesis 9:5-6).
What Else Does the Bible Say about Noah?
Noah is first mentioned in the Bible when his father Lamech predicted the
upcoming destruction of the earth and Noah’s role in restoring mankind: “He
will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground
the LORD has cursed.” (Genesis 5:29).
Noah had unwavering faith and godly fear to build an ark when God warned
him about a flood he had not yet seen:
“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an
ark to save his family. By his faith, he condemned the world and became heir
of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
Noah is numbered as being amongst three of the most righteous men in the
book of Ezekiel, alongside Job, and Daniel:
“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel, and
Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only
themselves by their righteousness” (Ezekiel 14:20).
Bible Symbols from the Story of Noah
The raven (Genesis 8:7); The dove (Genesis 8:8-12) - A dove often
represents peace in Scripture. Ravens, later in the Bible, provided a prophet
with food. Both of these birds in this passage likely represent peace and rest
to come and God's provision.
The ark (Genesis 6:14-16): The ark serves as a house and fortress for God's people as God
floods the earth. We see similar word usage in Moses' story when his mother places him in a
basket of reeds on the Nile. Because the Nile was home to vicious predators such as hippos, the
"ark" kept Moses safe until he reached harbor, at the feet of Pharaoh's daughter.
The mountain (Genesis 8:4) - We can see mountains symbolized throughout Scripture, tending to mean different
things. Places of worship, peaks in life, where Jesus transfigures, etc. In the case of this passage, it shows that
God has not abandoned Noah. A mountain could represent hope that the flood waters would eventually recede.
The number 40 (Genesis 7:17) - The number 40 throughout Scripture tends to represent completeness or wholeness. We
see this when Jesus fasts for 40 days and nights in the desert. The people of Israel also wander the wilderness for 40
years after their disobedience to God, before they can enter the Promised Land. 40
The rainbow (Genesis 9:13-17) - The passage describes this as God setting his "bow" in the sky. If you've ever looked at a
rainbow, it looks like a sideways bow. Now although the meaning of rainbow has changed in our modern culture, in the Bible,
symbolizes God's promise to never flood the earth again. Because the earth had never experienced rain before the Flood, this
would've been the first time people saw a rainbow.

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PRIMEVAL PERIOD

The Bible begins with figurative (also called symbolic or

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