Communication of Pre-Flood Accounts
These are notes for an incomplete "Concept" page.
- Information is being added as the Bible Pages are added. In the end, everything will be compiled, further information added (as necessary), broken links connected, etc.
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- In the early centuries of human existence, there was a large overlap between generations (due to the great longevity of humans at that time - see Genesis 5). This would have guaranteed the accuracy of verbally-transmitted historical records. Unlike today, there would never be an instance in which the wealth of past information would be at the mercy of one or two people who were becoming forgetful in their old age.
- The creation account found in Genesis 1:1 - 2:3 was witnessed only by God, and would have been communicated by him, either to Adam (and then passed-on to other generations as described above), or to Moses (and written down immediately).
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When human lifespans began to shorten, and the confusion of languages occurred at Babel, there became a need for developing other ways of storing and transmitting information, in order to prevent the inclusion of accidental errors. It was at this time that written symbols were developed for communicating concepts and preserving information. This was many years before Abraham was born; so all these accounts could have been put into written form by then.
When put into written form, these accounts could be written using words and terminology that were understood at the time they were written down - and it could be done without losing the accuracy of the message. This would be no different than a situation that occurred many centuries later, when a certain city's name ("Laish" or "Leshem") was changed in the text (to "Dan"), even though the need for the change didn't occur until centuries after the event being described had been written down - Genesis 14:14.
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For a look at the general concept of communicating information: Communication of Information.
Existing Records from Prior to the Flood
We have a very limited number of records from this time period. But what we have is what we need. These few records are packed with foundational information that is given for the purpose of influencing our perspective in all things. (This is why the devil often starts his attack on the Bible by first attacking the first few chapters of Genesis. Once the foundation is destroyed, it's a lot easier to destroy everything else.)
The following pre-flood accounts are found in Genesis. The names given here are descriptions of what they contain (not necessarily the way they are introduced in the Bible).
- The account of the creation of all things - Genesis 1:1 - 2:3
- Though about pre-Flood events, we don't know if the account itself is pre-Flood. It had to be communicated by God (since humans didn't exist for most of the time covered by it), and could have been given to either Adam or Moses, by God. (We aren't told.)
- The account of the first humans and their offspring - Genesis 2:4 - 4:26
- This account is about Adam and Eve (and events that occurred in their lives), and their first two offspring, Cain and Abel. Included are the account of how sin entered the world, and the murder of Abel. Cain's offspring are mentioned, but since Abel was dead, he had none to list. (A comment is made about Seth being born to take Abel's place, but information about his offspring are in a separate account.
- The account of Adam's offspring through his son Seth - Genesis 5:1 - 6:8
- This account has a different emphasis, focusing on the ages of the people named (unlike the account that includes Cain's offspring). It ends with a description of conditions during Noah's life.
- The account of Noah's life - Genesis 6:9-9:29
- This is actually a "transition account," including information from before, during and immediately after the Flood.
Various early accounts after the Flood would be communicated in a similar way; but there would be minimal time between them and Abraham. And even before Abraham was born, people were developing the means of recording information in a written form.
- The genealogy of Noah's sons (and the confusion of languages) - Genesis 10:1 - 11:9 (Some genealogical information given in the next account is omitted here.)
- The genealogy of Shem (more details) - Genesis 11:10-26
- The genealogy of Terah (Abraham's father), including the life of Abraham, etc. - beginning in Genesis 11:27
Another interesting fact about these early post-flood accounts: Almost every forefather of Abraham, all the way back to Shem (Noah's son), was still alive when Abraham was born!
Scripture Passages that Link to Here
- (A general reference to this topic.)
- There would also be a great overlap between generations; and this fact has many implications about the ability to communicate verbal information accurately down through the centuries. If there are no breaks (omitted names) in the genealogy, Lamech (Noah's father) would have been 56 years old when Adam died!
Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.
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