Moses and Noah: A Comparison of Old Testament Characters - Essay Sample

Introduction

Moses and Noah are two prominent characters in the Old Testament. The story of Noah is found in Genesis chapter 5-9 (New International Version, Genesis. 5-6). On the other hand, the story of Moses is found in the book of Exodus. The two characters have some similarities and differences that are of great significance to many religious faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and other Abrahamic religions.

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The main similarity between Moses and Noah is their role in the story of the salvation of human beings. In Noah’s story, God used him to save humanity from destruction. Noah flood is the most famous narratives in the bible. In Genesis 6:9-5, Noah is depicted as a righteous man who walked faithfully with God. During his time, the world was full of violence, corruption, and misdeeds that God intended to punish. As a result, God chooses Noah as an individual who will help save people from destruction. God instructed Noah to build a massive ark to accommodate people during destruction (New International Version, Genesis. 6:3). In the case of Moses, God chooses him to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. Similarly to how God used Noah, Moses was given instructions on the people of Israel will be protected from the plaque of the death of firstborn male children. In another similarity between the two characters is the role of the ark in their lives. While Noah was saved from destruction at a later stage in his life, Moses was saved while he was an infant using a basket that acted as an Ark. Later on, during the Exodus, God punished the sinful Israelites in the wilderness by killing them while sparing the righteous. The two stories show that Moses and Noah were God-fearing people who were ready to listen and implement God's instructions.

The main difference between the two characters is the time and space of their existence. Noah's flood story's settings have no cultural or historical markers that place them in any known historical place. Contrastingly, the setting of the story of Exodus is Egypt, at a fairly specific time in history. Besides, the characteristics of the passage of time are relatively different, as well. During Noah’s time, people could live for many years, while the Moses story, the passage of time, is relatively similar to the current timing system. For example, according to Deuteronomy 34:7, Moses at the age of 120, while in Genesis 6:32, Noah became a father when he was over 500 years old. Besides, it is not possible to pinpoint the exact geographical location where flooding occurred during Noah time, unlike the Red Sea and Egypt in the story of Moses.

The primary significance of the similarities and differences between Moses and Noah is the fact that it helps depict the nature of God. The two stories show that God expects obedience from his subjects. For example, both characters heed to God’s instructions and punish those who disobey him. God preserves those who obey him by protecting them from destruction associated with his divine punishment. As a result, the stories of Noah and Moses provide essential life lessons to members of Abrahamic religions. These religions derive the significance of obeying God’s commandments for them to be saved from destruction because of their sins.

From the story of Moses and Noah in the Old Testament, it is evident that the two characters have some similarities and differences. Their similarities include the fact that God used them to save human beings from God’s destruction meant to punish people for their sins. The difference between them, however, include time and space that these characters lived.

Works Cited

New International Version. Biblica, 2018, https://www.biblica.com/bible/niv/genesis/2/. Accessed 19 May 2020.