“And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.” (Ge 5:29 AV)
The comfort that Lamech sought is somewhat of a conjecture. One writer believes the comfort Noah would bring to his parents is relief from the toils of life by inventing instruments and methods of farming and by taking over the responsibilities of the farm to care for his parents. This may have been the case because God did not call Noah to build the ark until after the death of his father. If this commentator is correct, then the words of Lamech went only as far as they would apply to the immediate and temporal existence in which they lived. However, sometimes words are uttered with one meaning in mind while the truest sense of the words are prophetical in nature. The speaker is often unaware of the implications of what he just said. This might be the case with Lamech. We read in Genesis chapter eight, “And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart [is] evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.” (Ge 8:21 AV) This suggests God exponentially cursed the ground for Adam’s sin’s sake yet when the flood came, God ceased to add to the curse that had already been inflicted. Secondly, we read in Genesis chapter nine, “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.” (Ge 9:3 AV) Man’s diet was no longer limited to what he could till from the ground. Now, he could live off that which roamed the earth and that which he could domesticate. Life got a bit easier. I mention all this because life could be far more difficult than it is.
Just imagine! This world in which we live could be a whole lot harsher. If one does not count animal-borne diseases fatal to humans, the percentage of animals fatal to humans compared to how many species actually exist is almost statistically negligible. Think about it this way. If we were to list all the species of snakes that carry deadly venom to human beings, would could fit them on a small piece of paper. Yet there are literally tens of thousands of species of snakes. Of all the felines in the world that could kill man, there are only a few. Of all marine life that could kill man, they are less than a fraction of those creatures who swim the seas. When we think of all the invasive weeds or plants on the face of the earth that have no benefit to man, they are a very small fraction of all the plant life that exists. The fact we can clear a field, plant crops, and maintain that field for future cultivation speaks volumes of how habitable this planet is. It is the combined number of hazardous animal and plant life that often leads us to think the earth is not a place friendly to human beings. But think about this. Because of Noah’s obedience and faith, the flood came. Because the flood came, the second law of thermodynamics slowed quite a bit. The curse which God placed on the earth came to a halt. It was suspended and has remained this way for thousands of years. If it wasn’t for Noah, our world would be far less forgiving of the existence of mankind.
When we see our beautiful world, we can thank Noah for his faith and integrity. When we see what God has created and wonder as His handiwork, we can thank Noah. When we enjoy a long life and the blessing of family, we can thank Noah. When we sit on a blanket and enjoy a cool summer breeze as we snack from a picnic basket, we can thank Noah. If we think life is hard now, it would have been immeasurably worse if Noah had not trusted the LORD and built that ark.
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