Book Review: The Lost World of the Flood by Longman & Walton

The Lost World of the Flood, by Tremper Longman III & John H. Walton, follows the paradigm of Walton’s earlier books on Genesis 1 and Adam & Eve. The core of his ansatz is that we can best understand Scripture by taking account of the culture of the people to and through whom God revealed His word, as He communicated to them (the original recipients) in language they would understand. This is not just words and figures of speech, but includes their cultural view of existence based on beliefs, history, and mythology. Professor Walton has access to a large body of archaeological ancient texts from ancient Mesopotamia. This approach confronts the literalist approach to interpreting Scripture, in that metaphors and hyperbole are taken as meaning how people of that time understood them, and not as we of the 21st century would understand them. “The whole earth,” for example, to people of ancient Mesopotamia could have meant the world they knew about or perhaps, for rhetorical purposes, to emphasize how great destruction was.

The important point of the flood narrative in Genesis is not the scientific description of a destructive flood, but the divine imperatives that God is communicating to His people. As humankind filled the earth, they had been directed to bring order out of chaos, and given other specific directives by God. As the generations passed, ignorance and rejection of divine imperatives led to a chaotic, wicked state ... but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. The authors go into considerable detail about how God’s direction and intervention in the flood differed from the interpretations of other extant flood legends which invoked pagan deities. 

Part of the book considers the arguments for and against a literal worldwide flood as we would understand it today. This is probably the weakest part of the book. Geological evidence is strong but not compelling, as it may well in the future be interpreted differently. The authors’ rebuttal to the argument that the existence of flood legends around the world point to a worldwide flood is weak, amounting to mere assertion. Fortunately, this is not the primary focus of the book. The point is to understand how the flood account fits into the Biblical narrative of sin, judgment, and redemption from Adam to Abraham. God’s plan for mankind was stymied by humanity, but maintained a continuity of faith, until He was able to initiate the plan of  salvation with the call to Abraham.

The Reality of Transcendent Prayer

Jesus’ Transcendent Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13 records Jesus’ response to the disciples’ request (Luke 11:1) to teach them to pray.  He taught them to plead with God to empower them to transcend.

Verse 9 Hallelu YHWH Ab: Eternal Father, Your Name is worthy to be praised. You are perfectly holy and perfectly loving, a perfect Father, who never approves of sin and yet always loves Your children. We cannot reconcile these except through the cross of Christ (which was yet future when Jesus taught). 

Verses 10 & 13 speak of overcoming the world, the flesh, and Satan (1 John 2:14-16) and thus package the realities of daily life (vs 11-12).

Verse 10 While we may eagerly anticipate Jesus’ second coming, His kingdom is established here and now in our daily life when we do His will. There seems to be ambiguity in the passive voice as to who is to do His will ... but as C. S. Lewis wrote, “I fully agree that ‘Thy will be done’ should principally be taken in the sense ‘God’s will has blank well got to be done even if I have to go and do it myself.’” (Letter to Valerie Pitt, May 17, 1956) The world is thus transcended with our participation in building His kingdom, before His parousia.

Verse 11 Throughout human history, probably most of mankind had to rely on God’s provision to avoid starvation. Practice of daily faith and relationship with Him thereby brings daily experience of His supernatural intervention. Talk to the homeless. That is their reality. To those of us with enough physical provision, He said “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:48-51) Manna in the wilderness, the bread of the Passover, the Lord’s supper all picture for us this spiritual reality. Our spiritual life depends on daily partaking of Him as bread for our spirit. Without His daily spiritual provision our spirit will starve to death.

Verse 12 This simple principle is terrifying in implication, transforming in application. If we do not forgive others, He will not forgive us. Eternal judgment awaits our sin unless....  But when we follow His example (Luke 23:34), we experience not only His forgiveness, but the amazing redemption of our relationships with others. He supernaturally works to bring conviction, repentance, and redemption to those who annoy us, even to those we deem evil beyond hope of salvation. 

Verse 13 The flesh is weak, and Satan seeks to destroy us. God does not tempt - that is the devil’s tool (Genesis 3:1-5). To be led away from the vicinity of temptation is to be in the proximity of the Lord. Jesus overcame both sin and evil on the cross; we need to receive His provision. He tells us to ask for it. 

And all these petitions bring us into His eternal kingdom right now: His power manifest in our life; His glory revealed; a foretaste of eternity with Him. So be it!