primeval times were taller and stronger than the men of later ages. They lived a simple, temperate life, and therefore reached a great age. This long life of the patriarchs was ordained by God to serve several ends. The first was that they might have a great many children, and that the human race might multiply and spread itself. Another was that the patriarchs might be able to transmit the divine revelation of the history of creation, of the original state and fall of man, the promise of the Saviour, the story of Cain and Abel &c., to later generations, pure and unfalsified. Adam himself was able to teach these truths to his descendants down to the time of Lamech, who at the time of Adam’s death was fifty years old. Lamech was the father of Noe, and died a few years before the Deluge. He instructed Noe (who lived 950 years) and Sem, the son of Noe. Sem (who lived 600 years) was able to instruct his descendants down to the time of Jacob. Jacob transmitted the divine revelation to his descendants, one of whom was Moses, who wrote the first five books of Holy Scripture, containing the revelation of God from the Creation onwards. There was no Holy Scripture between the time of Adam and that of Moses; the faith being preserved and spread by means of oral tradition and living witnesses.
The Forbearance of God. Although all men, with the exception of Noe and his family, had become impious and vicious, God gave them a hundred and twenty years in which to repent, before He let loose His wrath upon them. We call God long-suffering, because He waits such a long time before He will punish a sinner. Good men often complain thus: Why does God put up so long with impiety ? Why does He not punish the sinner who defies Him? Almighty God is patient, because He is eternal. He waits for the sinner to repent; but if he will not repent, the punishment falls upon him at last, if not in this world, then in the world to come.
God's Holiness and Justice shine forth most clearly in this story. The sins of men are powerless to hurt the Lord God, or disturb His infinite peace and happiness. Why then did He repent of having made man? Because He is holy, and, sin being opposed to His very essence, He could no longer endure the wickedness of man. He also wished, by this destruction of sinful man, to reveal His detestation of sin to all future generations, and thereby to keep them from sinning. Because God is holy, He is also just, as is shown by His reward of the righteous Noe, and His punishment of the wicked.
The Mercy of God. God reveals to us His mercy as well as His justice in this story of the Deluge. He did not allow the Flood to come suddenly, but by degrees. When the rain began to fall, it is probable that many believed in Noe’s warnings of the coming judgment and began to pray and repent of their sins, and cried to God for pardon. Such as did this were saved, and were not cast into hell, but sent to Limbo (1 Pet. 3, 19).
