For the week of October 25, 2025 / 3 Heshvan 5786
Noach
Torah: Bereshit/Genesis 6:9-11:32
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1 – 55:5
Originally posted the week of October 24, 2020 / 6 Heshvan 5781 (updated)
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” (Bereshit/Genesis 9:1)
I am the main computer person at home. It helps that for years I worked in high tech, including providing computer training and technical support. Through the years, most of the time, my family has no issues with their various technical devices, but every now and then, they would need my help: the screen is frozen, the mouse is stuck, the sound isn’t working, the web browser is too slow, a program won’t open, and so on. These things don’t happen as often as they once did, but when the solution isn’t obvious, I often suggest restarting. Restarting clears out any data that may be lodged in memory and resets the computer, tablet, or phone. There are times when this is not the answer. Depending on the device, loose cables may need tightening, programs may need to be reinstalled, a virus might be present, who knows? The solutions to many of these problems are often fairly simple, except for viruses. Restarting won’t repair physical damage, of course, but before taking more drastic measures, it’s always worth a try. But do remember to save your work before doing so when necessary. Otherwise, information may be lost forever.
Our planet is a very complex system within a larger complex system, the universe. This week’s Torah portion is about the time when the system of life on earth was so problematic that it needed to be restarted. After Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s directions, human existence went from bad to worse. Near the end of last week’s parsha (weekly Torah reading portion), we read: “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Bereshit/Genesis 6:5). Every intention of the heart was continually evil! That’s pretty bad! The passage goes on to say: “And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart” (Bereshit/Genesis 6:6). It is difficult for us to conceive how God could regret anything, but he did. Time to restart!
I imagine he could have completely destroyed the Earth instead, but he didn’t. Having found one man who was in right relationship with him, Noah, he restarted the human race through him and his family. He then blessed him to “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth,” the same words he had said to Adam and Eve (see Genesis/Bereshit 1:28).
By restarting the earth rather than replacing it altogether, God demonstrates his commitment to the system he created. The creation is essential to his grand plan. That might be hard for some people to understand or accept, for there is a tendency for spiritually minded people to view the material world as somewhat of a mistake. Associating evil with the creation itself is contrary to how the Bible regards life. Scripture views the material and the spiritual aspects of the creation as an integrated whole. We are called to love and serve God within the material world as integrated material/spiritual beings. The New Covenant Writings tell us that God’s motivation for sending the Messiah was that he “loved the world” (John 3:16). The Greek word for “world” here is “cosmos,” referring to the whole of creation, not just the people in it. Not only does God love the creation, but he continues to work out his plans and purposes within it, the culmination of which will be a new heavens and a new earth (see Isaiah 66:1-24; especially v. 22).
The new heavens and the new earth are not a restart, but a major upgrade. While there are aspects of the current system that will carry over to the new, there will be brand new features, some of which we have a taste of today through Yeshua the Messiah, including a right relationship with God, forgiveness, and healing. The new system will feature God’s personal presence on earth forever, along with the complete eradication of evil, sickness, and death.
You can experience the preliminary features of the upcoming upgrade right now, but only for a limited time! All you need to do is turn from self to God and trust in Yeshua’s death and resurrection. Your sins will be forgiven, you will have an intimate relationship with God, and you will live forever in his new creation. Act now before it’s too late!
Scriptures taken from the English Standard Version
