The whole of the bible takes us from creation to new creation. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the creation has been corrupted and humanity has been expelled from Eden. The promise that God gave Adam and Eve that the Seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent has always been the hope that there would be a new Adam to restore humanity and right the wrongs of human sin. Through a new Adam we hope for a new creation.
The flood narrative shows us that hope in vivid, historic reality. The New Testament authors use the history of the flood to also point us to the reality of the coming day of judgment in the future (2 Peter 3:1-8, Matthew 24:37-42). As we read the flood narrative, we should not be surprised to see Noah being portrayed like a new Adam with a new hope for a new creation.
Consider some of the similarities we can find between the creation and the flood narrative.
- In Genesis 8:1, the wind (same word in Hebrew for 'Spirit') was blowing over the earth as the waters subsided. This reminds us of the Spirit hovering over the waters on the first day of creation (Gen 1:2).
- In Genesis 8:2, the windows of heaven were closed (it stopped raining). This reminds us that on the second day of creation God formed the sky (the expanse).
- In Genesis 8:3-5 we are told how the waters receded from the earth for the land to become visible. On day three of creation God brought forth the land from the waters and covered it with vegetation.
- The birds and animals being sent forth from the ark remind us of day five and six of creation.
- In Genesis 9, Noah is given the same instructions that God gave to Adam. "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth."
- Also in Genesis 9, God makes much of the value of human life as he repeats from Genesis 1:26 that mankind is made in the image of God.
As Noah comes out of the judgment, he appears to be a new Adam in a new creation with a fresh start to fill the earth and multiply and spread the glory of God as an image bearer of God. As we consider the flood narrative, it shows us that God is committed to his creation. There will be a new Adam who will bring rest. Noah's name in the Hebrew language means rest. Rest will come through judgment and salvation.
While Noah will prove that he is not the new Adam that we are looking for, he does give us an amazing picture of God's plan in the world. God is one day going to judge sin comprehensively and finally. Those who are his by faith will be left through the judgment and live in the new creation. Those who remain in sin and unbelief will suffer the final and forever judgment of God. The last and final Adam will come, and he will be the hope for humanity and for a groaning creation. He will save his people and restore the creation.
Romans 5:12-15 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned-- 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.
1 Corinthians 15:45-49 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Romans 8:19-23 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.