Laurence Chan, Genesis 6-9

This was my second time reading Genesis. I don't remember my initial impressions but I was surprised at how God had seemingly "human" characteristics: anger and resentment. His want to rid the world of all humans was never put into action, but because of Noah's goodness, the story of Noah's Ark was created. This is an interesting point. Noah was spared and encouraged to have many children to ideally spread goodness. Therefore, man's way of thinking was filtered while we are still encouraged to have free will.

Looking at this book as strictly as a book of origins, I stop to think about the choice of a flood to "cleanse" the earth. Water, while capable of great destruction, is more known as a symbol of life. This huge flood could have been seen as a renewal of good, much like baptism involves water. I guess you can say it was the world's first and only world-wide baptism.