2948 BC
Noah (Hebrew: Noach, meaning 'rest' or 'comfort') was born to Lamech, the son of Methushelah, in a world that had become increasingly corrupt. Genesis 6:5 records God's assessment: 'The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.' Yet Genesis 6:9 declares that 'Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord' and was 'a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.' In a world gone astray, Noah stood firm in faith and obedience, and God chose him to be the instrument of salvation for a remnant.
Noah's righteousness in a corrupt world makes him a type of Christ and of all the saints who remain faithful amidst widespread sin. The contrast between Noah and his generation foreshadows the contrast between Christ and the world, and between the Church and the culture in which she lives. Jesus Himself would refer to the days of Noah as a pattern for the end times: 'As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man' (Matthew 24:37).
Noah's birth marks the beginning of God's plan to judge the wickedness that had filled the earth while preserving a righteous remnant. Through Noah and his family, the line of humanityβand the line of salvationβwould continue. Key Scripture: Genesis 5:28-32; 6:9-10; Matthew 24:37-39; CCC 600