Week 2 Reading Diary - Noah and the Ark

This week I choose to read the story Noah and the Ark by Louis Ginzberg Here are some key themes/things that stood out to me while reading the first part of this story. 

(Noah's Arc picture form Un-Textbook - Nuremberg Chronicle)

The idea of age: Noah is 600years old when this story starts. That is crazy! I can't imagine living that long and all the life experience you would have gone through. I like this idea and think a story just about the life of someone who lives 600+ years would be so interesting.

Fresh start: The story of Noah's Ark is really about giving mankind a fresh start on the earth. It is something God had to go through in order to bring balance back onto the earth for millions of years to come. It symbolizes that sometimes you have to go trough/ do hard things in order to get the best outcome in the end. Later on in the story we learn that there was famine on earth and overgrown plants. Earth was out of balance. By the time that Noah dies there is no more famine and all the plant grew normally. 

Forgiveness: God forgives all the living things on earth once the flood is over. He promises to never cause a flood again and will not cause harm to anyone. 

Some symbols that stood out to me:

The dove – that Noah lets go from the ark to see if it can find any land, or if the                   earth was still covered by water. 

Bow to the clouds- that God shoots to symbolize his covenant with Noah

Noah’s Prophesy – Noah will grow up to be a consoler