OLD SHEM, THE STORYTELLER..... By J. Ben Avraham
Old Shem, the son of Noah, Son of Methuselah, slowly made his way up the grassy hill which overlooked the wide expanse of the plains of Shinar. He would make this trip every day, after all, he had a lot to tell the youths.
At the top, he would make his way over to the Tamarisk trees and sit down on a large rock that rested in the cool shade of the trees. This was the ideal place for his school for the young men of the area. Some would even come from faraway cities and towns, just to hear the wisdom of this old man, a survivor of the great flood that wiped away humanity from the face of the earth.
The hilltop offered a refreshing place to sit down and hear the stories of old, a place where the cool breeze blew, contrasting the dry, hot air of the plain. At times, Shem would offer water to weary travelers as they passed by his tents, as the hot air brought on so much thirst and weariness.
Shem, like his father Noah, was still strong and full of life, even after so many years since the flood. He had seen a lot in his days: the destruction of the world by water, the repopulation of the same, the construction of the Tower of Babel, and the continued violence and hatred of mankind. The flood waters had taught man nothing.
Shem often prayed that the Holy God of all the earth would permit him to live 600 years and still have the strength his father had at that age. It was still a long way off, but he would live day by day, continuing to be faithful to his calling.
Shem finally reached the top of the rise; the cool breeze blew through his gray beard. His skin was burnt brown by the hot sun, and a bit wrinkled from the years of living on this earth. He continued to work the vineyards which his father Noah had planted so many years ago, taking care not to give himself over to the strong drink of the vine, which had been his father's folly.
Shem made his way over to the large rock. Placing his staff next to the rock, he sat down under the shade of the trees and waited. It was still morning, so the air all around was still cool from the previous night. The sun was peaking over the eastern horizon when the youths started to arrive.
They made their way to the top of the hill. Sometimes there would be just 10 or 12, other times there would be as many as 50 young men who would come to and sit at the feet of old Shem and listen to his stories.
He would teach them the lessons from the past: the sin of Adam and Eve and being cast out of the Garden of Eden; the rebellion of the murderous Cain, who slew his brother Abel. He would tell them of the righteous Enoch who loved the God of creation so much that, one day, while walking, God just “took” him. He simply disappeared, and he was never seen again.
Today, he would tell them of the great flood, of the building of the Ark, and how God destroyed mankind from off the face of the earth, save himself and his family. He would tell the young men about the folly of Nimrod, grandson of his brother Ham, and how arrogance and pride caused him to enslave men’s souls and bodies to build a large edifice. With this tower, the foolish men worshiped the stars, and had not the God of all creation divided their language, they would have continued in their foolishness.
At noon, when the sun would reach its zenith, they would eat lunch consisting of small barley loaves, with goat cheese and fresh water. The young men would be dismissed to go home and tend to their family chores, working in the fields, tending flocks, or other family businesses.
The lessons that Shem taught from the events of the past drew many to his school on the hill. The word spread, and many came from all over, some from so far away that he would invite them home to stay with his family until the next session of teaching.
There were many today, about 40 in number. The young men had all arrived. They were sitting in the still, moist grass, wet with the morning dew. Shem got off the rock and walked up to the youthful gathering. The young men all got up in honor of the aged Shem. He motioned to them with his hand to sit back down, and the teaching began.
“It was in the 600th year of my father's life when God spoke to him. He told him about the imminent destruction of mankind because of so much evil. A vessel would be built, an ark, it would float on water, since the destruction of mankind would come as a flood of waters upon the whole earth. “This ark,” Shem continued, “would save our family and representatives of the animal kingdom; it would also offer salvation to whosoever would place trust in the God of creation and take heed of his warning.”
Shem continued to tell the young men about the ark, the dimensions, and the animals that came in by twos and by sevens. Shem walked back and forth, gesturing with his hands while speaking. Sometimes he would raise his voice, and at times it was solemn. The young men listened with awe, at times whispering between themselves.
“The day came,” continued Shem, “when God shut the great door of the ark. For our family of 8, salvation was sealed and assured since we were inside. For those outside, fate was also sealed, a fate of death and utter destruction.” Shem paused for a few minutes, and the youths were still listening, wondering what would come next. Shem continued.
“The LORD God waited 7 days after shutting the door, then the rains began. Higher and higher the waters rose, for 40 days and nights did the rains continue,” cried out Shem with all enthusiasm. “The waters washed away the human chaff until man was no more upon the earth. Only the 8 of us survived because we were inside the ark of salvation.” The young men listened with awe; no one talked, and Shem continued to tell the tale of judgment.
“The LORD did not forget us. After a year riding the waters, he brought us to rest on a mountain range north of here,” pointing his finger to the north. “After letting the animals loose, we moved south to this same area, however,” continued Shem, “man learned nothing from the flood and continued his worship of false deities. Man continued to be arrogant, filled with self-pride.”
Old Shem, the son of Noah, Son of Methuselah, slowly made his way up the grassy hill which overlooked the wide expanse of the plains of Shinar. He would make this trip every day, after all, he had a lot to tell the youths.
At the top, he would make his way over to the Tamarisk trees and sit down on a large rock that rested in the cool shade of the trees. This was the ideal place for his school for the young men of the area. Some would even come from faraway cities and towns, just to hear the wisdom of this old man, a survivor of the great flood that wiped away humanity from the face of the earth.
The hilltop offered a refreshing place to sit down and hear the stories of old, a place where the cool breeze blew, contrasting the dry, hot air of the plain. At times, Shem would offer water to weary travelers as they passed by his tents, as the hot air brought on so much thirst and weariness.
Shem, like his father Noah, was still strong and full of life, even after so many years since the flood. He had seen a lot in his days: the destruction of the world by water, the repopulation of the same, the construction of the Tower of Babel, and the continued violence and hatred of mankind. The flood waters had taught man nothing.
Shem often prayed that the Holy God of all the earth would permit him to live 600 years and still have the strength his father had at that age. It was still a long way off, but he would live day by day, continuing to be faithful to his calling.
Shem finally reached the top of the rise; the cool breeze blew through his gray beard. His skin was burnt brown by the hot sun, and a bit wrinkled from the years of living on this earth. He continued to work the vineyards which his father Noah had planted so many years ago, taking care not to give himself over to the strong drink of the vine, which had been his father's folly.
Shem made his way over to the large rock. Placing his staff next to the rock, he sat down under the shade of the trees and waited. It was still morning, so the air all around was still cool from the previous night. The sun was peaking over the eastern horizon when the youths started to arrive.
They made their way to the top of the hill. Sometimes there would be just 10 or 12, other times there would be as many as 50 young men who would come to and sit at the feet of old Shem and listen to his stories.
He would teach them the lessons from the past: the sin of Adam and Eve and being cast out of the Garden of Eden; the rebellion of the murderous Cain, who slew his brother Abel. He would tell them of the righteous Enoch who loved the God of creation so much that, one day, while walking, God just “took” him. He simply disappeared, and he was never seen again.
Today, he would tell them of the great flood, of the building of the Ark, and how God destroyed mankind from off the face of the earth, save himself and his family. He would tell the young men about the folly of Nimrod, grandson of his brother Ham, and how arrogance and pride caused him to enslave men’s souls and bodies to build a large edifice. With this tower, the foolish men worshiped the stars, and had not the God of all creation divided their language, they would have continued in their foolishness.
At noon, when the sun would reach its zenith, they would eat lunch consisting of small barley loaves, with goat cheese and fresh water. The young men would be dismissed to go home and tend to their family chores, working in the fields, tending flocks, or other family businesses.
The lessons that Shem taught from the events of the past drew many to his school on the hill. The word spread, and many came from all over, some from so far away that he would invite them home to stay with his family until the next session of teaching.
There were many today, about 40 in number. The young men had all arrived. They were sitting in the still, moist grass, wet with the morning dew. Shem got off the rock and walked up to the youthful gathering. The young men all got up in honor of the aged Shem. He motioned to them with his hand to sit back down, and the teaching began.
“It was in the 600th year of my father's life when God spoke to him. He told him about the imminent destruction of mankind because of so much evil. A vessel would be built, an ark, it would float on water, since the destruction of mankind would come as a flood of waters upon the whole earth. “This ark,” Shem continued, “would save our family and representatives of the animal kingdom; it would also offer salvation to whosoever would place trust in the God of creation and take heed of his warning.”
Shem continued to tell the young men about the ark, the dimensions, and the animals that came in by twos and by sevens. Shem walked back and forth, gesturing with his hands while speaking. Sometimes he would raise his voice, and at times it was solemn. The young men listened with awe, at times whispering between themselves.
“The day came,” continued Shem, “when God shut the great door of the ark. For our family of 8, salvation was sealed and assured since we were inside. For those outside, fate was also sealed, a fate of death and utter destruction.” Shem paused for a few minutes, and the youths were still listening, wondering what would come next. Shem continued.
“The LORD God waited 7 days after shutting the door, then the rains began. Higher and higher the waters rose, for 40 days and nights did the rains continue,” cried out Shem with all enthusiasm. “The waters washed away the human chaff until man was no more upon the earth. Only the 8 of us survived because we were inside the ark of salvation.” The young men listened with awe; no one talked, and Shem continued to tell the tale of judgment.
“The LORD did not forget us. After a year riding the waters, he brought us to rest on a mountain range north of here,” pointing his finger to the north. “After letting the animals loose, we moved south to this same area, however,” continued Shem, “man learned nothing from the flood and continued his worship of false deities. Man continued to be arrogant, filled with self-pride.”