Archetype of Righteousness: Genesis 8:20-22
The result of a single righteous person can outweigh the result of a multitude of evil. We see this often in life. Ever have a horrible day until a single person comes alongside you and does something to make you smile? Ever feel the world close upon you until a single person helps you see a way out of your trouble? When the world is against us, all we need is one person to be in the thick of it with us.
God promises to never destroy the earth again. Traditionally, this part of the story is considered the most significant part. It is nice to live under the protection of God’s covenant to never destroy the earth in this manner again.
There is a deeper point to this story. God destroyed the earth because of the selfish, violent, and generally evil attitude of the population. Yet, the sacrifice of a single righteous individual moves God’s heart to make an incredible eternal promise. This is the power of a righteous person.
In Noah, we see an archetype in the Bible. The next big character we’ll meet is Abraham. Because a single person, Abraham, is faithful, God makes him into a nation which God will use to tell the story of redemption. Abraham is faithful, God is moved.
After Abraham, we have Joseph. Despite being sold by his brothers into slavery, Joseph remains faithful. God uses Joseph to save the Hebrew people from a great famine and allow the redemption story to continue.
Almost all the stories in the book of Judges follow this pattern. The Hebrew people forget God. One nation or another rises against them and threatens decimation. God raises a righteous person, called a judge, to deliver His people.
This archetype continues into the kingdom period. The greatest example is Hezekiah, who repented in the 11th hour as the Assyrian King Sennacherib surrounded Jerusalem. Because of Hezekiah’s prayer, God sent a plague among the Assyrians and saved the Hebrew people.
This archetype finds its greatest example in Jesus. Jesus comes to earth and is persecuted by those who reject Him. He is beaten by people who ignore God’s ways. He is crucified and becomes the greatest sacrifice.
In Jesus’ sacrifice, God’s heart is appeased. The righteousness of Jesus brings salvation to all who receive it. God allows the door to eternal life to be thrust open because of the righteousness of a single individual existing in the middle of a faithless generation.
In Noah, we do get the promise that God won’t destroy the earth again. We also see the archetype God spoke about when He spoke with Eve after the fall. In Noah, we see the kind of exchange God is willing to accept. In Noah, we see the effect of a single person remaining righteous in the time of great evil. The result of a single righteous person can outweigh the result of a multitude of evil.
