Our Tragic Flaws ... Noah

Walking...& Stumbling...with God

Genesis 7:1-11:32

October 27 (Week 5 of 13)
The Flood and Its Aftermath
Read Dr. Spina’s commentary at www.spu.edu/lectio

Summary

There’s no doubt that Noah is a major figure in the history of God’s salvation.  In the context of the floodwaters of judgment on a world full of evil, Noah stood alone in nonconformity and righteousness.  God’s plan of salvation rested on Noah’s faithfulness.  And faithful he was…or was he?

 

Walking with God
Noah and the LORD enjoyed a close relationship, a pleasing relationship.

• 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD
• 6:9 Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God
• 6:22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him
• 7:5 And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him
• 8:3 But God remembered Noah
• 8:20-21 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD…and the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma
• 9:1 Then God blessed Noah
• 9:8-9 Then God said to Noah…”I now establish my covenant with you”

Stumbling – the Tragic Flaw (Hamartia)

Self-indulgence: A love for wine, a tendency toward getting drunk

He should have known better...after all, if age equals wisdom, he had 600 years to learn his lesson.  But perhaps Noah's tragic flaw is one that doesn't automatically resolve with age (might the struggle intensify?).  At the end of the Noah story in Genesis 9, there’s an episode usually dropped from the child storybooks.  That’s because it’s R-rated due to alcohol, drunkenness, and nudity.  From the text we learn that Noah was a man of the soil who planted a vineyard (was Noah’s the first winery?).  Noah drank some of the wine, became drunk, and lay “uncovered” inside his tent.  His son Ham evidently entered the tent and saw Noah’s nakedness.  When he told his two brothers, they evidently responded correctly, walking into the tent and covering up their father without viewing his naked body.  Noah then curses Ham’s son Canaan into slavery to Ham’s two brothers.

This is a tough story to interpret.  Ham seems to get a raw deal: could he really have avoided this predicament? What responsibility does Noah have for his drunken exposure?  At the very least, the full biblical teaching on alcohol tends to look down on drunkenness.  In Hebrew wisdom, the love for alcohol is a character flaw…not necessarily a sin in and of itself, but certainly a risky behavior that may lead to ruin.

 

Personal Identification Questions

• Where might this tragic flaw show up in your story?

• How has your desire to indulge in alcohol or other pleasures made you vulnerable to sinful behavior or negative consequences?  Have you see this in family members, friends, or notable public figures?

• What practices help hold you accountable in the realm of seeking pleasure?  If you like drinking wine, what measures do you take to ensure that you don’t become drunk…and inflict embarrassment or danger upon others?

Restored Reputation
The main focus of this story is how Ham’s behavior leads to judgment on his son Canaan, who represents the people living in the Promised Land who are not God’s chosen.  In the text, Noah is not held accountable.  But that doesn’t mean that every reader of this passage through history hasn't winced when reading it – it’s safe to say this is not a flattering portrayal!  But Noah continues in the biblical record as the face of God’s generous covenant with humanity.  He’s at the top of a long list of people who walked with God – imperfectly – and yet are included securely in God’s gracious covenant love.  Long down the list you’ll find your name, as I also find mine.

Prayer of Confession

LORD, why does self-indulgence figure so prominently in my story, or the story of those in my generation upon the earth?  I’m sorry…

• For seeking pleasure more than I seek after you and your kingdom
• For the pain I have caused others while in a state of drunkenness or self-absorption
• For taking for granted the gifts of your Spirit meant to relieve stress and promote well-being

Lead me not into temptation, and deliver me from evil.  Amen.

Encouragement

Matthew 11:19
(Jesus said) “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

Ephesians 5:15-18

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit...

Proverbs 23:19-21

Listen, my son, and be wise,
    and set your heart on the right path:
Do not join those who drink too much wine
    or gorge themselves on meat,
for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags. 

Our Tragic Flaws - Cain

Walking...& Stumbling...with God

Genesis 4:1-6:22

Ending it All and Starting Over

Cain

Dr. Frank Spina's commentary:
www.spu.edu/lectio

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Summary

The story of Cain and Abel is a difficult one to interpret.  At first glance, it looks like the story of the first murder and the consequences.  But it goes much deeper.  The murder comes in the middle of a conversation between the Lord and a discontented Cain.  Cain's question to the Lord "Am I my brother's keeper?" - to which the implied answer is YES - continues to reverberate to this day. It speaks to the truth that our relationship with God is impacted by the way we treat others.  We can't fool ourselves into thinking that God doesn't care when we abuse or hurt or kill another of his precious human beings.

Walking with God

The story begins by portraying Cain and his brother Abel as walking with God through the practice of sacrificial worship.  Abel works with and brings an offering from livestock; Cain works the soil and brings grain offerings. 

But the walk with God hits some rough territory.  For some reason, the Lord accepts Abel’s offering and refuses Cain’s.  It’s important not to try to resolve this through study and speculation too soon (could it be God is on a diet that has him choosing meat over carbs?).  In the story itself, it’s left open-ended, and that turns out to be a big part of the problem.

Cain wonders what the deal is and gets mad at the Lord. Is this his tragic flaw?  It's tempting to settle here, but I think we’re not quite to the heart of the matter.  You see, the Lord responds to Cain without anxiety or indignation, seeming to be genuinely interested in helping Cain deal with the situation. God gives Cain a warning to watch out for the temptation to take things into his own hands (righting a perceived wrong). Cain is strangely silent at this point in the conversation.  Not staying in communion with God, he’s a sitting duck for the temptation to do evil.  When the opportunity presents itself Cain takes care of the problem as he sees it.  He assassinates his rival.

Stumbling with God

The Tragic Flaw - Hamartia

Ignoring divine warning and wise counsel, we take justice into our own hands.

Remember, the tragic flaw may or may not actually be sin.  For Cain, as for us, it can set us up for a fall.  Our tragic flaw can be an attitude or a way of thinking/feeling that makes us vulnerable to the temptation to sin.  A sense of unjust treatment fueled Cain’s anger, and it clouded his judgment.  His anger kept him from seeing

1. The facts - The tragedy is that Cain’s problem was not with Abel, but with the Lord! 
2. The warning signs – Seems like Cain didn't hear God clearly say “watch out!”

Personal Identification Questions

• Where might this tragic flaw show up in your story?

• How has your sense of being unjustly treated by others, society, or even God made you vulnerable to the sin of mistreating others?

• What helps you see the facts and the warning signs?  What keeps you from seeing them?

Even having fallen, God still walks with us

Yes, Cain is punished into a wandering existence.  But even in that state he is not without God’s protective presence.  In my view the most shocking and scandalous element of the story of Cain is the mark the Lord places on Cain.  It seems like the mark should be to warn people about this offender in their midst, or even to encourage people to target him with their own version of vengeance.  But no, the mark of Cain is to protect him from others’ violent reprisals.  Even though Cain failed miserably to be his brother’s keeper, the Lord continues to be a keeper of Cain even after his stumble.

Prayer of Confession

Lord, I don't always understand you. Sometimes I feel like the deck is stacked against me, and I wonder if you're responsible. Help me not to allow my beef with you to flow into negative treatment of others.  Give me a humble heart willing to hear your words of warning and to cling to you when temptation rises up strong.

I’m sorry for

• Remaining too long in a place of self-pity
• Judging myself in comparison to others
• Planning or wishing harm on another
• Holding on to bitterness
• Not taking to heart your merciful words of warning

Lead me not into temptation and deliver me from evil.

Amen.

Encouragement

1 Peter 5:6-11 (NIV)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11 NIV)

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NIV)

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

------

Even in your stumbling, allow God to grip you and pull you up by his grace, and walk on together.  Amen.

Our Tragic Flaws - Adam & Eve

Walking...& Stumbling...with God

Eve & Adam
a.k.a.
The Woman & the Man

Lectio Weekly Reading

Genesis 2:4-3:24

"Eden and East of Eden"
Read Dr. Frank Spina's commentary at www.spu.edu/lectio

 

God plants a garden, and there he places the man he created.  God provides abundantly (river water) for the garden, and assigns the man the duty of working in and caring for the garden.  God sets the stage for the scene to come with trees - lots of them, pleasing to the eyes and good for food.  Two particular trees in the middle of the garden get special mention: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

What does God say to the man?

God's first word is generous, positive, and permissive: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden!”

God's second word contains a word of warning about one of the trees: “But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

It’s not until this point of the story that God introduces another character – the woman.  Not long after, a crafty creature (serpent) finds the woman alone in the garden and asks her a question: “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” Mind you, the woman wasn’t around when the warning was given, so her understanding of what God said might have been second hand, dependent on how accurately the man passed on the info.

The woman responds: “You must not eat from the tree in the middle of the garden, and must not touch it, or you will surely die.”  Partly right: original = “not eat;” Add-on to the original = “not touch.” Remember, we don’t know if this free-styling is the woman’s or the man’s doing.

The serpent casts doubt on God’s statement of consequences: “Surely you won’t die, but your eyes will be opened and you’ll be like God, knowing good and evil.”  Once again, perhaps partly right. The dying part…it will probably happen (perhaps in a different way than anticipated).  But the serpent may be right about eyes being opened and being like God, yet that status comes with a heavy burden or curse.

The woman eats fruit from that one tree, then shares it with her husband.  They experience shame. They cover their nakedness.  They hide from God.

 

The Tragic Flaw – Hamartia

Discontentment: Focusing on what they don’t have, rather than on what they do have.

It’s a gross understatement to say that volumes have been written about the tragic flaws of the first two human being in the garden in Genesis 2-3.  This is the root story of the human tragedy as described by the Judeo-Christian tradition!  At the risk of oversimplification, here’s a possible tragic flaw of the first man and woman: they are obsessed with the forbidden…in an orchard full of free fruit!

Have you ever heard the saying “The grass is always greener on the other side?”  If so, does it make sense of something you’ve observed in yourself or others?  Where do we see the tragic flaw of obsession with the forbidden in the midst of abundant provision?

• You’re out to lunch and the salad bar is overflowing with fresh vegetables and fruit.  You notice the rich desserts at the end of the bar and you take a step in that direction, foregoing the bounty in front of you…and the obsession begins.
• You enjoy using a particular electronic gadget – phone, tablet, etc. But then a television commercial tells you that the new version is on store shelves…and the obsession begins.
• You enjoy your job because it provides an adequate salary along with plenty of time with family.  But then that new position opens up – more money, less time with family…and the obsession begins.
• You enjoy a great “life of intimacy” with your spouse.  But then you notice that person and something gets ahold of you…and the obsession begins.

Does this tragic flaw show up in your story?

 

 

 

Where does it show up?

 

 

 

How do you deal with it?

 

 

Prayer of Confession

God, why do I so easily overlook what you provide in my life while obsessing about what I don’t have?  I’m sorry for ...

• Taking for granted the gifts that you give
• Not being grateful for the people you’ve placed in my life
• Focusing on what I don’t have rather than on what I do have

Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.

Amen.

 

Character-building Practice
Develop Contentment through Thanksgiving

Thank God for as much as you can.  What God provides, enjoy to the fullest.  In Adam & Eve language, “Eat your fill of free fruit.” Keep track of how often “taken-for-granted” moments happen.  Document each blessing in a list or a journal (or on Facebook?). Take a photo. Form a collage. Write a poem of appreciation. Make a running list with two columns, one for “What I don’t have that I want” and one for “What I have that I don’t appreciate.”  Focus on the second column.

Encouragement from God's Word 

Philippians 4:11-13

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

 _____

 

Possible Additional Tragic Flaws?

Creatively Retelling of God’s Rules

Did you notice how often God’s rules are mentioned, and how often they are retold wrongly?  Little changes end up making a big difference.  How do we stay close to the original word?

Responding to Shame by Hiding

The result of the fall involves falling from grace farther than God likely had in mind.  Shame enters into the picture and gets us thinking that God’s judgment is harsher than it may actually be.  When we fail, we bail on the relationship with God instead of letting ourselves be loved back into wholeness.

 

Special Feature: "Us in Our Image" - What does this mean?

Walking...& Stumbling...with God

Week 2 - Genesis 1:1-2:3

A confusing phrase: the "us in our image" of Genesis 1:26

Year ago as a college student I was confronted by friends who challenged my Christian beliefs.  They asked me how I could believe there was only one God even though the Bible itself said there was more than one who created humankind.  They pointed to Genesis 1:26 to shake my confident faith.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

The phrase “Let us make man in our image according to our likeness” has intrigued and confounded many people through the years.  As commentator Gordon J. Wenham notices, it all boils down to two questions:

1. Why does God speak in the plural (us/our)?
2. Why did he not say, “Let me make man in my image?”

Bible scholars like Wenham point to two likely answers/explanations, and two that are less likely.  It’s important to remember that the original text was Hebrew scripture, from a religious community that was uncompromising in its monotheism (believing in one god).

 

Two Likely Possible Original Meanings

God’s Heavenly Court

“Us” = God & angels in heaven

Jewish commentators (originating with Philo) have generally held that the plural is used because God is addressing his heavenly court, which would include heavenly beings such as angels (see Isaiah 6 for such a scene of heaven).

 

Linguistic Exception

“Us” = God alone

Many scholars prefer the view that what is at work here is a particular manner of speaking, in which the singular speaker uses the plural “we.”  This is known as the plural of self-deliberation or self-encouragement; think about times you may have thought to yourself in words such as “What do we have here?” or “Let’s do this.”  On a similar note, some have suggested that this is an example of the plural of majesty, similar to the royal “we” used by British monarchs.

Regardless of which of these likely explanations you are drawn to, you'll notice that the immediate context of verse 26 is clearly monotheistic.  In verse 27, the actions following God’s words of self-deliberation are summarized as God (singular) creating man in his own image.  And in the summary verse of Genesis chapter one, verse 31 simply states: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”

 

Here are the Two Less-Likely Original Meanings

Reference to the Trinity

“Us” = Father, Son, Holy Spirit

Many Christians have seen this as a reference to the Trinity: Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit present with Creator God.  It has also been suggested that God may be addressing his Spirit who was present and active at the beginning of creation (Gen 1:2).  It’s a legitimate Christian view to see Christ as present and active in creation, but it isn’t likely that the original Hebrew authors had this in mind.

Leftover from Ancient Creation Myth

“Us” = God, who is (accidentally?) attributed with saying what the gods of another story said.

Some scholars of modern Biblical criticism suggest that this plural might be left over from an original polytheistic account of creation on which the Hebrew account was based.   However, they also believe that the purpose of the Hebrew writer is to debunk other ancient Near Eastern views of creation and present a monotheistic alternative.

For more detailed information, take a look at Gordon J. Wenham’s Genesis, Volume 1 in the Word Biblical Commentary series (1987).

 

Next week we take a look at our first characters and their tragic flaws and their unique relationship with God: Eve & Adam.

 

Joyfully in Christ,

 

Kurt