Genesis 1-11

Genesis 1-11

My mind began to fill with questions and thoughts as I read the first eleven chapters of the Bible (see list of questions after my paper please). It never ceases to amaze me that I can repeatedly read chapters of the Bible and learn or notice something fresh each study session. A number of unique things occurred to me this time through.

The fact that the Tigris and Euphrates have actually been on earth since Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:14) amazed me. To think that I, with the appropriate finances, could go and see part of the Garden of Eden is astounding. The list of the descendents of Adam (Genesis 5) allowed me to grasp that Noah was only nine generations removed from Adam. I found in one of my reference books that Noah's father, Lamech, was only fifty-six years old at the time of Adam's death. However, at the same time, this information was a little disappointing. Did the whole earth really fill with corruption and violence in just nine generations? This served as a definite reminder of the kind of world we are born into. Even so, God sends hope into these Bible passages with Noah's presence.

Noah himself gave me hope. I came to realize as I read that Noah was the first example of a genuinely righteous man in the Bible. With unbending confidence in God's word, Noah began to build the Arc. Noah could nearly even be considered an in advance example of what Jesus would be like. For approximately 120 years, Noah preached God's judgement, mercy, and the coming flood. However, people turned their heads at Noah and continued in their evil ways. Another interesting event was the first time rain fell from the heavens (Genesis 7:12). Before the great flood, water came up from the ground (Genesis 2:6).

After the flood, Noah's family was the only one on earth. With this data, we can assume that everyone is a descendent of Shem,