Gen. 5:30-32
Here, we see that Noah waited a long time to have his sons that the Bible records – and these are likely the only children he had, since everyone else in the line from Adam to Noah is recorded to have had “sons and daughters.”
He may have been too busy serving the Lord to have children. This is possible since he would have heard of Enoch and how he walked with God. A great testimony of faith should inspire others to action. Enoch was a fabulous role model. Yes , Lamech was Noah's father and should have been the primary one, but we do a terrible injustice when we fail to recognize the good others have done and could do if they let God use them. God gives His word at times to allow us to see Godly examples, after all. We need to follow His example first, after all. As the Bible says, we ought to obey God rather than man when the two conflict.(Acts 5:29)
Whether he was like Martha, Mary’s sister, whom Jesus remaindered was too encumbered with serving and missing the most important thing, though.(Luke 11) Noah was “perfect in his generations”(Gen. 6:9), which will be looked at later, but suffice it to say that his righteousness is compared to that of the great Job and Daniel in Ezekiel 20. This is not equal to God’s righteousness, of course – all our righteousness is as filthy rags compared to the Lor’s.(Is.64:6) However, he clearly followed the Lord closely enough that he easily went out and began building that ark despite the fact it would have no purpose that mankind could see, he only had God’s promise that He would flood the whle world. And, Noah stayed close to God despite the fact that so many must have scoffed at him, for only he, his wife, his sons,a nd their wives went intot he ark. (Although, of course, some who died before the Flood may have believed him.)
Those sons, of course, may have been born so late (when Noah was 500 years old) because of God’s perfect timing being relied on by Noah. Whereas the others have sons and daughters mentioned but not referred to by name, he does not. Hence, it’s very likely that these were the only three children he had.
Who their wives were – or his wife – we can’t say, though there is some speculation his wife was of the line of Cain, a woman named Naamah. This Naamah may have been the daughter of Lamech of the Cainites with Zillah. This is according to early Jewish tradition. Medieval Jewish tradition, however, lists a different Naamah, a daughter of Enoch, as Noah’s wife, though there is some problem with the age there so it doesn’t seem as likely, since Enoch was “translated” at only 365 years of age, only 300 years after begetting Methusaleh. (Methusaleh was 969 when he died and the Flood began, and Enoch was translated when he was 300 so his youngest sister would have been at least 669 years old, while Noah was 600 when the Flood began. Would Noah have married someone at least 69 years older than him? Maybe, but since the bible mentions other miraculous births when people are past childbearing age, one would suspect that if his wife had been past childbearing age God would have mentioned it. Then again, we don’t know what childbearing age was before the Flood. Speculating by just figuring today’s childbearing age times 10 is just that, speculation. But, while she could have had Shem, ham,a nd Japheth at age 569 or greater, it’s more likely that it’s another Naamah.)
John Gill, a theologian of the 1700s with a large commentary, says Naamah was the name of the wife of Ham, in which he is clearly referring to the Naamah of the line of Cain, where not as many generations are listed but where several of the parents could easily have had the children listed when they were a few hundred years old.
All of this speculation should not be taken as canon, but should merely be taken to show this point. There were probably not a lot of women available. While it’s possible Noah and his wife married early and then waited because of the evil coming uponthe earth till God’s appointed time, it still adds to a later verse stating that things were very wicked. People were imagining such eveil, despicable things, and only the family of Noah seems to have been above it all.
In this day and age, when so many seem to be focused on evil, we need to remember that same warning, that we must stand out as different. Our morality must not be a selfish morality where we say we are superior, though – that would not have made Noah “perfect in his generations,” rather it must be a Christ-honoring one where we share with others the hope that is within us, that certainty that God is there for us and will be for them.
It doesn’t always seem like it, but we do have a lot to offer the people of this world. The people of this world need to see that there is a difference, but whle we must not be of the world’s system that forgets God, we are called to be in the world. To stand out like a beacon. To be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We must let our lights shine so that people can see our good works, but for them to glorify our Father which is in heaven(Mat. 5:16) we must share why it is we are so kind, gentle, compassionate, good to others, respectful, tenderhearted, forgiving, and all the other good things God calls us to be. It is not so we can work our way to heaven, but because Jesus Chrsit has saved us. And, it is our reasonable service because of that.(Rom.12:1)
