Old Testament Summary Lesson 6: “Noah… Prepared An Ark To The Saving Of His House”

1. Jew’s View of a Law Preceding Moses: “Noachide Laws, seven laws which were supposed by the rabbis to have been binding on all mankind even before the revelation at Sinai . . . Exegetically derived from statements made by God to Adam and to Noah, six of them are negative: not to 1) worship idols; 2) blaspheme the name of God; 3) kill; 4) commit adultery; 5) rob; 6) eat flesh that had been cut from a living animal. One is positive: to establish courts of justice. These seven laws are binding on all non-Jews even today. Whoever observes them is considered to be among the “Righteous Gentiles.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
2. Repeated Lesson in Ark, Ship, and Boat Stories: In each account, those in the crafts were “saved” or “lifted up.” Noah: “. . . the flood was forty days . . . bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.” (Genesis 7:17) Jonah: “. . . cast him forth into the sea . . . Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly . . . belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:15-17) Jesus: “. . . there arose a great tempest in the sea . . . Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose . . . and there was a great calm.” (Matthew 8:23-26) Nephi: “. . . lest they should be drowned in the sea . . . I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land.” (1 Nephi 18:22)
3. The Beginning of Prideful Babbling: The name of the ‘Tower of Babel,’ the unfinished tower, was called Babel, because God mixed up (Hebrew balal) man’s language. They “babbled.” “. . . the tower was an example of man’s extreme pride in his own ability . . . when a builder fell off the tower to his death, the other builders paid no attention, but when a brick fell, they would cry: “When shall another (brick) come in its place?” According to this interpretation, every generation has its own Tower of Babel, when it begins to idolize its technology. The moral of the story is thus as applicable today as it was thousands of years ago.” (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
4. Making a Name for Yourself or God? The tower people wanted to ‘make a name’ for themselves rather than take the ‘name of God’ upon themselves. In Hebrew, the name of God, “Jehovah,” (English spelling) is unmentionable. It means “I AM.” That conjugation is not even used in modern Hebrew “. . . And God said unto Moses . . . Thus shalt thou say unto the children of, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:13-14)

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5. “Lehi Cave” Contains Spelling of Lord’s Name: To date, only twice has the ‘tetragrammation’ (spelling) of the name Jehovah been found. Both date to 600 B.C. and were found in the Jerusalem area. One was a cave, twenty-three miles south and west of Jerusalem in an area called “Lehi.” The inscription, according to Dr. Frank Moore Cross Jr., included “. . . I Jehovah, will redeem the cities of Judah and Jerusalem . . .”
6. 600 B.C. Metal Plates Found Containing Lord’s Name: The other ‘tetragrammation’, also dating to 600 B.C. was on a metal plate that had scripture verses on it and was found in a stone box in the Hinnom Valley. The verses include the word “Jehovah” but were translated with the word “Lord” “. . . And they shall put my name upon the children of; and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:24-27) This was a scroll-like metal plate that was worn as an ‘amulet’ around someone’s neck so that they could keep the Lord’s name upon them. Jews use “Tfillin” (Phylacteries – Greek for ‘amulet’), their “Tallith” (prayer shawl or garment) and “Mezuzah” to keep the name of God close to them at all times.

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