4: His Bow in the Clouds

BEMA Episode Link: 4: His Bow in the Clouds
Episode Length: 34:00
Published Date: Thu, 06 Oct 2016 01:00:00 -0700
Session 1
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Elle Grover Fricks to talk about the story of Noah and the Flood and how we have a wide variety of buried treasure from the author.

BEMA 232: Introducing the Team — Jephthah’s Daughter w/ Elle Grover Fricks

Flood Myth — Wikipedia

The Lost World of the Flood by Tremper Longman III & John H. Walton

Amarna Letters — Wikipedia

Study Tools

Legacy Episode Content

Episode updated 27 January 2025
Original audio from 6 October 2016
Transcript for BEMA 4 of 6 October 2016

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 4: His Bow in the Clouds - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 4: His Bow in the Clouds (E4v24)
Hosts: Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, Elle Grover Fricks
Focus: An examination of the Noah and flood narrative in Genesis 6-9, exploring how it contrasts with ancient Near Eastern flood stories and reveals God’s unique character and covenant relationship with humanity.

Key Takeaways

The biblical flood narrative intentionally contrasts with and reframes ancient Near Eastern flood stories like the Epic of Gilgamesh
God’s motivation for the flood differs dramatically from pagan gods - He acts against violence and evil, not because humans are merely annoying
The story follows a chiastic structure centered on God “remembering” Noah (Genesis 8:1)
The flood narrative parallels the creation account, presenting a “re-creation” story
God’s covenant with Noah represents a radical departure from typical ancient suzerain-vassal relationships
The rainbow (Hebrew: keshet - meaning “bow”) symbolizes God’s weapon pointed away from earth toward heaven
God promises to “Sabbath from destroying” even though human nature remains unchanged

Main Concepts & Theories

Comparative Ancient Literature

The flood narrative exists within a rich tapestry of ancient Near Eastern flood stories. The Epic of Gilgamesh provides crucial context:

Motivation difference: In Gilgamesh, gods destroy humanity because people are noisy and disruptive to divine sleep
Divine character contrast: Pagan gods flee in terror from their own destructive flood, cowering “like curs”
Control dynamics: Biblical God remains sovereign throughout, while pagan gods lose control of their destruction

Chiastic Structure Analysis

The Noah narrative employs a sophisticated chiastic pattern:

Numerical framework: 7-7-40-150-150-40-7-7 (days and time periods)
Center verse: Genesis 8:1 - “But God remembered Noah…”
Bookends: The phrase about human evil inclinations (Genesis 6:5 and 8:21)
Literary purpose: Emphasizes God’s remembrance and faithfulness

Re-Creation Theology

The flood story deliberately echoes Genesis 1 creation elements:

Ruach (Spirit/wind) over waters: Parallels Genesis 1:2
Light through the ark window: Echoes “Let there be light”
Separation of waters above and below: Mirrors creation’s cosmic ordering
Expected climax: Should culminate in Sabbath, which it does - God’s Sabbath from destroying

Covenant Innovation

The rainbow covenant subverts typical ancient covenant patterns:

Traditional suzerain-vassal structure: Powerful ruler protects subjects in exchange for loyalty
God’s radical departure: Keeps the covenant sign (rainbow) for Himself rather than giving it to humans
Leverage abandonment: God voluntarily gives up His power to threaten destruction
Unconditional commitment: Promises faithfulness “even though” human nature remains corrupt

Examples & Applications

Historical Context - The Amarna Letters

The Amarna Letters provide real-world examples of suzerain-vassal relationships in the ancient Near East. City-states under Egyptian rule would write: “I have paid my tribute and taxes faithfully, yet bandits attack me. Remember our covenant and come rescue me.” This demonstrates the conditional nature of typical ancient covenants - protection depended on faithful tribute payment.

Theological Application - Divine Character

Unlike ancient gods who acted capriciously or for selfish reasons, the biblical God:

Acts against genuine moral evil (violence, corruption)
Maintains sovereign control throughout judgment
Immediately begins planning redemption even while executing judgment
Commits to ongoing relationship despite human failure

Literary Technique - Reframing Familiar Stories

The biblical authors took well-known cultural narratives and retold them to reveal different truths about God’s character. This technique appears throughout Scripture, showing how God’s people learned to understand their God as fundamentally different from surrounding religious concepts.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Comparative mythology: Study other ancient flood narratives (Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian) to understand the broader cultural conversation
Covenant theology: Examine how the Noahic covenant relates to later biblical covenants (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, New)
Hebrew language study: Investigate the theological significance of key Hebrew terms like ruach, berit, keshet, and zakhar (remember)
Chiastic analysis: Practice identifying chiastic structures in other biblical narratives
Ancient Near Eastern context: Research the social and political structures that shaped biblical covenant language
Ecological theology: Consider environmental implications of God’s covenant with “all living creatures”

Comprehension Questions

How does the biblical account of God’s motivation for the flood differ from the motivation attributed to gods in the Epic of Gilgamesh, and what does this reveal about the biblical understanding of God’s character?
Explain the chiastic structure of the Noah narrative and discuss why Genesis 8:1 (“But God remembered Noah”) serves as the pivotal center of the story.
What are the parallels between the flood narrative and the Genesis 1 creation account, and how do these parallels support the interpretation of the flood as a “re-creation” story?
Analyze the significance of God keeping the rainbow covenant sign for Himself rather than giving it to humanity. How does this differ from typical ancient covenant practices?
What does it mean that God promises to “Sabbath from destroying” even though “every inclination of the human heart” remains evil, and how does this demonstrate God’s commitment to redemption over judgment?

Brief Personalized Summary

The Noah narrative emerges not as a simple children’s story about animals and a boat, but as a sophisticated theological statement about God’s character and His relationship with creation. By contrasting with familiar ancient flood stories, the biblical account reveals a God who acts against genuine evil rather than petty annoyance, maintains sovereign control throughout judgment, and most remarkably, commits Himself unconditionally to creation’s redemption. The chiastic structure emphasizing God’s “remembering” and the revolutionary covenant arrangement where God keeps His own sign point to a divine character utterly unlike the capricious gods of surrounding cultures. This story teaches us that even in judgment, God’s heart remains oriented toward restoration, and His commitment to partnership with humanity transcends our failures and limitations.

BEMA Episode 4: His Bow in the Clouds - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 4: His Bow in the Clouds (E4v16)
Hosts: Brent Billings, Marty Solomon, with guest Kevin Luo
Focus: Genesis 6:1 - Genesis 9:17 (Noah and the Flood)

This episode explores the story of Noah and the flood through an Eastern lens, examining how the biblical account compares to ancient flood narratives like the Epic of Gilgamesh and Sumerian flood stories. The discussion reveals how the author of Genesis retells familiar cultural stories to reveal the true character of God as fundamentally different from the gods of surrounding cultures.

Key Takeaways

The flood narrative contains intentional “problems” that invite deeper exploration and understanding
Ancient flood stories were common across cultures (Babylonian, Mesopotamian, Sumerian, Egyptian), often predating Genesis
The Genesis account reframes familiar stories to reveal God’s true character as loving and covenant-keeping
The story follows a chiastic structure with specific numerical patterns (7-7-40-150-150-40-7-7)
The narrative parallels creation in Genesis 1, suggesting themes of recreation and renewal
God’s “bow in the clouds” represents a weapon turned away from earth, symbolizing divine restraint
The covenant emphasis (mentioned 7 times) shows God taking responsibility for remembering rather than placing burden on humanity
Unlike other flood stories where heroes outsmart angry gods, God partners with Noah to save creation

Main Concepts & Theories

Literary Structure and Chiasm

The flood narrative exhibits a sophisticated chiastic structure centered on Genesis 8:1: “But God remembered Noah.” The numerical pattern (7-7-40-150-150-40-7-7) creates symmetry that emphasizes the central theme of God’s remembrance and faithfulness.

Comparative Literature Analysis

The story must be understood against the backdrop of ancient Near Eastern flood narratives:

Epic of Gilgamesh: Features Utnapishtim who outsmarts angry gods to save creation
Sumerian flood stories: Contain identical character names (Noa, Japhet, Shem, Ham)
Mesopotamian traditions: Familiar to Abraham and his descendants from Ur of the Chaldeans

Recreation Themes

The flood narrative mirrors Genesis 1 creation sequence:

Spirit (ruach) hovering over waters
Light entering through the ark window (separation of light/darkness)
Waters above and below separated
Dry ground appearing
Birds in the sky
Animals on dry ground
Humans emerging last

Covenant Theology

The post-flood covenant demonstrates revolutionary covenant concepts:

Suzerain-Vassal covenant reversal: Typically, the vassal (weaker party) must remember and produce covenant signs
Divine responsibility: God takes on both roles, keeping the covenant sign in the clouds
Unconditional commitment: “Even though every inclination of the human heart is evil, I will not destroy the earth”

Symbolism of the Bow

The Hebrew word for rainbow is simply “bow” (weapon), pointing upward away from earth, symbolizing:

God’s weapon turned toward himself rather than creation
Divine self-restraint and commitment to preservation
Visual reminder of God’s covenant faithfulness

Examples & Applications

Cultural Context Applications

Understanding how the Genesis author reframes familiar stories helps modern readers:

Recognize when Scripture engages with contemporary cultural narratives
Apply similar hermeneutical approaches to modern cultural stories
Appreciate the subversive nature of biblical theology

Covenant Understanding

The flood covenant provides a template for understanding divine-human relationships:

God initiates and maintains relationship
Divine faithfulness doesn’t depend on human performance
Signs and reminders serve God’s remembrance, not human obligation

Problem-Solving Approach

The episode demonstrates productive engagement with biblical “problems”:

Apparent contradictions invite deeper study rather than dismissal
Cultural and historical context illuminates meaning
Literary structure reveals authorial intent

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Comparative Mythology Studies

Detailed analysis of ancient flood narratives and their theological implications
Investigation of other biblical stories that engage with ancient Near Eastern literature
Study of how various cultures preserved flood memories

Covenant Theology Development

Trace covenant concepts from Noah through Abraham, Moses, and David
Examine how New Testament writers understood Noahic covenant
Explore implications for contemporary Christian understanding of divine-human relationship

Creation and Recreation Themes

Connect flood narrative to other biblical recreation passages
Examine parallels between Noah and second Adam typology
Study ecological and environmental implications of the flood covenant

Literary Analysis Techniques

Master chiastic structure identification in other biblical narratives
Develop skills in recognizing numerical patterns and their significance
Practice comparative literature analysis with biblical texts

Historical and Archaeological Context

Research ancient flood evidence and cultural memory preservation
Study Mesopotamian literature and its relationship to biblical texts
Investigate the historical background of Abraham’s cultural context

Comprehension Questions

Literary Structure: How does the chiastic structure of the flood narrative with its center at “God remembered Noah” change your understanding of the story’s meaning? What does it suggest about God’s character that remembrance is central?
Comparative Analysis: In what ways does the Genesis flood account subvert expectations established by other ancient flood narratives like the Epic of Gilgamesh? What does this reveal about the author’s theological agenda?
Creation Parallels: Explain how the flood narrative mirrors the creation sequence in Genesis 1. What theological significance might the author intend by structuring the story as a “recreation” rather than mere destruction?
Covenant Innovation: How does God’s decision to keep the covenant sign (rainbow/bow) in the clouds rather than requiring Noah to maintain it represent a revolutionary approach to ancient covenant-making? What are the implications for divine-human relationships?
Problem Identification: The episode emphasizes learning to notice “problems” in biblical texts as gateways to deeper understanding. Identify one “problem” from the flood narrative not discussed in the episode and explain how it might lead to further insight.

Personal Summary

The flood narrative emerges as far more than a simple moral tale about divine judgment and human obedience. Instead, it represents a sophisticated theological treatise that engages with familiar cultural stories to reveal revolutionary truths about God’s character. The author of Genesis takes well-known flood traditions from Abraham’s Mesopotamian background and transforms them to show that the true God is not an angry, capricious deity requiring appeasement, but a covenant-keeping creator who partners with humanity for creation’s restoration.

The story’s chiastic structure, numerical patterns, and recreation themes all point toward a God who knows both when to stop creating and when to stop destroying - demonstrating divine wisdom and self-restraint. Most remarkably, this God reverses typical covenant expectations by taking responsibility for remembrance and sign-keeping, offering unconditional commitment even while acknowledging continued human moral failure.

This approach to reading Scripture - embracing problems as invitations to deeper understanding and utilizing historical-cultural context for interpretation - provides a model for engaging biblical texts that honors both their ancient context and contemporary relevance. The flood story ultimately reveals a God who is fundamentally “for” creation and humanity, committed to restoration rather than destruction, partnership rather than domination.

Original Notes

Genesis 6-9
When we read this story, we notice problems.
- Brent: Every inclination of the people were evil all of the time… except Noah. There has to be someone out there doing something right.
- Kevin: The earth is corrupt, not just people.
  - Marty: Evil started with people but has begun to spread to the earth and everything around it.
- Kevin: Why would G-d detroy the world?
  - Marty: Many people point out the G-d’s goodness ends here.
    - Flood stories were not unique to the Bible and many of these predate the writing of the Bible.
    - When so many differing groups tell similar stories, it leads historians to ask the question, did something actually happen?
    - The characters in the Samarian story are the exact same as those in the Bible: Noah, Shem, Ham, Jepheth.
    - The epic of Gilgamesh is also relevant. The hero Gilgamesh is on a journey where he meets all of these gods of the land. As he meets each of these gods, they get angry and try to destroy the world with a great flood. However, there is one man, Utnapishtum from Mesopatamia (of Caldea), who builds a boat and loads it with pairs of animals to outsmart the gods and save humanity. This place is where Abraham will be from (i.e. from Ur of the Chaldeans) whose decendants will receive the book of Genesis. It makes sense that the writers of Genesis would retell this story that they were used to by painting their G-d in a different light showing who he really is. Kevin asks, why would G-d destroy humanity? All of the gods tried to destroy humanity, our job is to determine what is different about the G-d of the Bible from the gods these other flood naratives.
The chiasm is the story is identified by the numbers:
- The Numbes
  - 7
  - 7
  - 40
  - 150
  - Center: 8:1 God remembers Noah
    - Ruah: Wind/Spirit/Breath. From Gen 1
  - 150
  - 40
  - 7
  - 7
- Summary
  - This story mirrors the creation story.
  - After the wind, Noah opens a window and LETS IN THE LIGHT
  - Rain stops, a vault is created.
  - Dry ground then appears.
  - Noah sends out a raven–birds are in the air.
  - Day 4 is tricky finding the moon and the stars. There is midrash about this.
  - Next there is a dove, that comes back with an olive branch. Then does not come back.
  - Then the animals leave the ark
  - Then man leaves the ark.
  - Then we should have a sabbath.
  - INSTEAD… Verse 8-17:
    - Lots of repetition in this section. Covenant, never again will there be a flood, …
      - Covenant 7
      - Earth 7
      - Clouds 5 (in hebrew)
      - Rainbow 3
      - All of these numbers are odd and odd numbers have a center.
      - A mini chiasm in a larger chiasm
      - All of the center occurances of these words create an entire sentance.
        
        Verse 14-15: “14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant…”
      - The Hebrew refers to a “bow” rather than a rainbow.
        
        Bows are weapons and they face toward the target.
        
        This bow is pointed toward G-d.
        
        This entire paragraph is about a god who knows what to stop destroying in the same way that the Sabbath was about a god who knows when to stop creating.
        
        Cancer is so bad because it never stops creating.
      - Covenants: Suzerain Vasel covenants
        
        The Suzerain is the more powerful participant and the Vasel is the less powerful participant. If the covenant is broken, the Vasel becomes the servant of the Suzerain. It’s also the responsibility of the Vasel to produce the sign of the covenant. If the Vasel cannot produce the sigh, the Suzerain can do whatever they want.
        
        In this scenario, the Suzerain is the powerful, He keeps the sign in the clouds, it will be a bow that points toward me, and I will remember the covenant.
        
        In the ancient world, the Vasel had to remember but G-d wants us to remember. Even when the people forget, G-d will remember. Compared to the gods in the epic of Gilgamesh. Utnapashtum has to trick the gods to save creation but in THIS story, G-d comes to Noah and says, I want to partner with you to save creation.
        
        G-d IS NOT ANGRY. The god that is trying to destroy creation is simultaneously trying to save it.
        
        At the beginning of the story, God says he regrets making humanity because “every inclination of the human heart is evil.” At the end of the story, God says, “even though every inclination of the heart of man is evil, I WILL NOT DESTROY THE EARTH.”

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