God (Heb. Elohim) told Noah to save his family, and “two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you” (Genesis 6:19). The story, as an archetype, didn’t cover details like how to feed carnivores (e.g. lions or snakes), or keep the food fresh. Instead, the story focused on God’s compassion for all of creation, including the animals. It presented Noah and his ark as a model pointing to the human role in caring for creation.

• Genesis said God created all living things, and called the whole creation good (cf. Genesis 1:31). He gave humans what scholars call the “original mandate” to “fill the earth and master it” (Genesis 1:28). In other words, God created people to oversee and care for all creation, including animals. How did the archetypal Flood story stress that God saw all parts of creation as worth saving? How did the tale of Noah saving the animals by bringing them onto the ark mirror the original Genesis 1 mandate?
•  In Isaiah 11:6-9 and Hosea 2:18, the prophets painted a powerful picture of God’s intended creation. “The wolf with live with the lamb… the calf and the young lion will feed together… They won’t harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain… I will do away with the bow, the sword, and war from the land; I will make you lie down in safety.” How did the story of God saving the animals and having them all live together on the ark foreshadow the prophetic picture of God’s eternal kingdom?