The creation story detailed in Genesis 1-3 continues on, plaguing the human race, continuing into Noah’s story of the ark. When Eve deliberately defies God, humans lose the inherent sense of innocence that God created them with. A fissure between God and the human race begins to widen with the story of Cain and Abel. Cain embodies evil with his action- acting alone just as Eve did. Eve broke the communion between her and Adam while Cain broke the relationship between him and his kinship. Therefore, as Cain’s offspring begin to populate God’s world, the evil he bred does as well.
The story of Noah, however, more closely parallels the creation story of Genesis 1. Where the world was born out of water, God is cleansing the world in a flood. God’s creation- the birds and animals- are there cohabitating the world alongside humans. With the two of each animal, they are preserved beside Noah and his kin. Noah additionally embodies the pureness of Adam- before his corruption from eating from the Tree of Knowledge. He is described as a “righteous man” who “walked faithfully with God.” As Kass mentions in The Beginning of Wisdom, God specifically chose Noah instead of creating another race from scratch. Noah possessed the knowledge of death that Adam and his offspring did not- a knowledge that contributed to violence among men.
The main difference between the new world order and the one of creation is Noah remains mortal. Noah is God’s servant on Earth, designated to carry on his commandments through his offspring. He does not seek to overcome God’s will- merely to live by it. The story of Noah offers optimism that mankind can now live under God’s rule while simultaneously demonstrating his omnipotence to punish those who defy him.
Kathleen's Theology Blog 