Question about what happened after the Flood to people's belief in God (CC)

[HappyGrace]

This is probably a really basic question, but I am a Christian that has not received good teaching so even though I've been a Christian awhile, I'm still learning and I'm trying to understand this point:

 

I've been reading about how salvation through Christ would come through the Jews, and then to the Gentiles. I understand that part. But what happened in between to other people groups besides the Israelites? In other words, after the Flood, did most other people groups besides the Jews move away from the God of the Old Testament?

 

Here is what I have: At first, ALL people knew about God. Then they backslid, thus the Flood. Then after the Flood, they started descending from Noah until Tower of Babel. Then at that point the Bible mostly talks about the Jews' history throughout the OT. I do know that the descendants of Ham mostly became the enemies of Israel.

 

Did any of the groups of people besides the Jewish people retain their knowledge of God throughout the OT? Thanks for the help!

[athena1277]

In Genesis 15:16 God tells Abraham that his descendants will not recieve the land of promise yet because "the iniquity of the Ammorites is not complete". The Ammorites were sinful, but they knew something of God and what they should do. God was giving them time to repent, which they chose not to do.

 

So yes, other peoples knew of God, however due to sin, many of them did not obey Him.

[HayesW]

The book of Jonah is a wonderful testament to the fact that God cares for even the most wicked of people! They repented and followed God.

[PeterPan]

Happy, I remember asking this at a certain point in my life too! In fact, what I wanted to know was what happened to the people who had been following the Law and sacrifices and didn't realize Jesus had died for them... Hehe, finally someone explained to me that they were ALL saved the same way! People before the crucifixion, after the crucifixion, before the Flood, after the Flood, it was all the SAME. They were all looking to Jesus. They were either looking to Him in anticipation, or they were looking to Him knowing what He had done, but all the way through it was the same thing. That's why all the way back in Gen. 3:15 you have the first Messianic promise, right after the fall, right with the curse. From the very beginning they were all looking to the savior, all along.

 

Now, as far as culture, that didn't matter. The Jews were chosen, given extra blessings, but there are numerous references in the Scriptures to those who come INTO the jewish fold and how to accomodate them. In other words, anyone could have come in. Rahab did, and she even became part of the line of Christ!

 

Clear as mud? Hard to grapple with? If you're really struggling with it, I could pull you some titles of books on OT prophecy and OT references to Christ so you could study it out for yourself. See the flipside is, if those people did sacrifices with goats and sheep and bulls and were trusting in the blood of those animals, they STILL perished. It was NEVER the blood of animals and always the looking to Christ that saved.

[HappyGrace]

No, OhE, I totally get that part! Totally! Including the part about people who saw the God of Israel as strong and joined in (some Egyptians that left too during Exodus, Rahab, etc.)

 

It's more what were the other people groups besides the Israelites/Jews doing during OT times after the Tower of Babel. In other words, they at one point had the knowledge of God from Noah (everyone's grandfather!) Then did any other people groups continue on with it or did they all just eventually lose that knowledge and not follow anymore, or mix godly worship in with heathen practices, etc. Does that make sense?

[Mary in VA]

Interesting question and probably someone can answer it better. But while I was pondering it, it came to me that we probably don't know. Because the Bible isn't the history of all the people, but the history of God's plan which was accomplished through his chosen people. So it focuses on the Jews and only touches on other people when the intersect with the Nation of Israel. So unless some other document tells us about them, we wouldn't know.

 

Mary

[PeterPan]

I think I've mentioned to you how interesting we're finding Guerber's Story of the Ancient World. She does an interesting job of noting that perversion of the truth with the descendants of Noah and tracking them as their lineage spread around, invaded, etc. Pretty interesting. If you're asking whether there were pockets outside the jewish tradition who held to the faith, my guess (not being is a historian), is you're grasping for straws. But you know, there are always surprises. Think about the Wise Men who came from the East. Wasn't there something to the idea that they too were philosophers and religious? And you find stories like that in the Bible, where someone will pop up from another country/culture. But that seems atypical. You do know of course the more typical thing they observe, where basically all cultures have a flood story and versions that seem very close to biblical narratives...

[DawnL]

:lurk5:

[tex-mex]

I think if you study any people (indigenous) group and look/read at their mythology -- you will see there is a great diety. Not all groups, however. I am amazed at how the flood story is a traditional tale in all cultures from their origins.

 

But if you look at it from an anthrolopological view, if we did descend from one group (i.e. Flood and Noah) then it would be very logical to deduce that the tale of the flood would be traditional to whatever people group came out of the lineage of Noah. Noah and his family were the sole survivors to continue the human race; consequently all humans on Earth are descendant from him, therefore all mankind is thereby related.

 

There are disputes about how many of the peoples of the Earth this story was intended to cover, and as to its accuracy. Many Jews, Christians, and Muslims retain the belief that the flood "fable" applies to the entire population of the earth, while others read it as a guide only to local ethnic groups. In the Biblical view, the listed children of Japheth, Shem and Ham correspond to various historic nations and peoples.

 

In the typical interpretation, these sons of Noah correspond to three races: European, Semitic, and African. Alternate divisions claim: Euro-asian Japhet, Semitic Shem, and African Ham. This is controversial to group races -- ironically, many scientists now think our Maternal DNA eventually goes back to Africa. But it is said that perhaps Eden was in Africa? (Old myth) Anyways... I ramble.

 

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To answer your question -- no, I do not think the descendents of Noah followed the one true God, Yahweh. They most likely knew of Him but worshipped other false gods. Looking at the Fertile Crescent culture, there were an pantheon of many gods before and during the time of Abraham. I think they credit Nimrod as being the ruler during the time of the Tower of Babel? Nimrod wanted to be worshipped as a god, for example.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopotamia

 

Mesopotamian religion was the first to be recorded in history. They had many gods and goddesses. Abraham was called "Abram". Abram's father created dieties out of clay. One legend or story reportedly had Abram as a child breaking one of the statues and questioning his father why do they believe in false idols?

 

Abram lived in a city named Ur, which was located in the country of Chaldea, known today as Iraq. This city was not far from where Nimrod tried to build the city of Babel with its tall tower. The people of the land worshiped idols. Like all of Adam's offspring, Abram was born in the darkness of sin. Abram's father did not know the true God and neither did Abram.

However the Scriptures tell us that one day the Lord God revealed Himself to Abram and spoke with him. You need to know that in early times, God occasionally spoke directly with people, because they did not yet have the Writings of the Prophets. Today God speaks to people through the Holy Scriptures. That is why (some people think) we no longer need words which resound from the sky, or visions, or angels in order to know God's way of righteousness. When we meditate upon the Holy Scriptures, we are listening to the voice of God. Other believers have the Holy Spirit to guide them with the Holy Scriptures.

 

Let us listen now to what God said to Abram. In chapter twelve, verse one, we read: "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.'" (Gen. 12:1) Did you hear what God commanded Abram? He told Abram to leave his father's house, bid farewell to his relatives, leave his country, and move to a country to which God would lead him. To man's way of thinking, what God asked Abram to do was extremely difficult, but God had plans to greatly bless him.

Keep in mind, it was very unusual for Abram to move his entire family and seek God. But this was the beginning of God moving through his "chosen people" -- the Jewish (Hebrew) people. The Jewish faith began with Abraham -- but other faiths use him as their point of origin too. (i.e. Islam)

Edited January 14, 2010 by tex-mex

[HappyGrace]

We've been really getting into this the past couple days. I had previously read all the info on the descendants of Noah and where they spread (the book "One Blood" is VERY interesting on this topic; read it a couple yrs ago; about to pull it out again) And I understand that after Babel things disintegrated as far as following God until God called Abram. I guess we don't really have info on the other people groups, as far as I am able to find. I am going to ask my pastor about this and see what he has to say. I will post back if I get good information.