I read this a long time ago, but as I recall it was Rabbinical commentary on the story of Noah. Basic points: We have a story told/written in hindsight. Here is what can be gleaned from this.
Thank you for taking the time to share that. There's some substance there on which I can comment.
The people looked back and regretted what they had become; they had become corrupt. Note that they did not blame God for the flood, they blamed themselves.
I only note that the story teller has put the regretting and the flood in reverse order. But too I can say that the people displayed enough regret to accept death as punishment, when that would be very much out of character for 'those' people.
Something major had to happen to restore justice to the land.
History tells us that would be true in some cases.
What, exactly, had the people been doing that was so horrible. Noah was said to have been righteous. You wonder...what was so different about Noah? Read the story.
History can't tell us of a people who accepted death and destruction, but it gives us the Roman empire as an example as perhaps an example of why an empire would fall.
Throughout the building of the ark, and the duration of the flood, Noah didn't say anything.
We can't refer to the building of the ark, because it's not literally true.
History can't tell us of a people who accepted death and destruction, but it gives us the Roman empire as an example as perhaps an example of why an empire would fall.
Back in that history and culture, everyone saw words as powerful, that words could cause things to happen. Finally Noah speaks. And what was that speech. Answer: He calls a curse down upon a member of his family. And as the Biblical story continues, we see the trouble this brings to New Beginnings and where that trouble leads.
Curses were certainly believed to be real and powerful in times such as that imagined.
Trouble coming out of the pronouncing of a curse, but not as a result of the curse.
Reflection: What harm have words started in our families, our neighborhoods, our community, our workplace. What could we have left unsaid?
Yes, mere words. Nothing was left unsaid, of which the storyteller is referring. Sometimes thing should be left unsaid and other times it's better that something was said.
Throughout Biblical stories, the people fail to consider, or perhaps even see, the weight of sin. Let's bring in science which shows that for every action there is a reaction. In the same way, think how every action of sin creates a reaction from justice. Actions were corrupt and reaction from justice came upon them in the form of a flood.
I can only say that there was no global flood, but perhaps the story is told with huge exaggerations on a local flood?
We can't get into talking about literally true stories here. However, every action of sin can sometimes create a reaction from justice. But most often not.
I pay very little attention to "End Times". Even so, that's not to say that even though I doubt it will be End Times just yet, I can see justice (in some way) swinging back towards us. We've set too much corruption in motion.
Corruption has resulted in wars and sometimes that's brought success and sometimes it's brought total destruction and a new beginning. Is there any other end point possible as a result of corruption? Reform?
Have I missed any important point in the story? A very corrupt people were punished but only after having suffered punishment? There was no possibility of reform offered or received. Save perhaps Noah's family.
But the end result is that the story depends on literal truth for the ark and not an allegorical message.
My request from you was asking you to explain the allegorical message that you have learned from your current studies.
