The Flood Story Revisited

When comparing, and contrasting the Great Flood stories, I find a plethora of similarities, and also a number of pivotal differences. The general plot line of each story is rather similar, a person, or god like figure is contacted by the divine, and instructed to prepare for the great flood. Now the three main differences so far as I can tell were why man was going to be destroyed by the flood, how the Enlightened few chosen to survive were to prepare for the flood, and whether or not God would flood the Earth again. There are other minor differences such as the duration of time it took to prepare for the flood, how many people were chosen to survive the flood, and the construction of the vessel in which the chosen would ride out the storm on.

What I'd first like to address is the reasons as to why man was to be wiped out. In the Bible it is vividly depicted as God being angry with man for our sinful nature, and so he intended to wipe man out with a flood, and start over with Noah's family being, "fruitful, and multiplying." However in the epic of Gilgamesh there is a rather metaphorical description as to why Man shall perish, however it seems to be the same general principal, mans sinful nature. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, and the Epic of Creation it seems to be more of a fictional depiction of Gods getting angry that they are not loved, respected, and worshipped by man. Where as in the Bible it seems very black, and white, and it just goes as follows, "man screwed up, now man shall die. Gods little do-over, the end.". The great flood inevitably happens, Noah, his family, and his massive heard of animals rides out the storm, and they all survive, geee what a surprise right?

I also find it odd that Noah is personally contacted by God, as is Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, where as in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim just has a dream about The Flood, and wakes up knowing exactly what to do. To me it makes more sense that if something that chaotic was indeed going to happen, and man was doomed, wouldn't the Divine just contact Utnapishtim directly? I suppose that leads me the reader, and the judge of these texts to believe the Bibles depiction of the flood to be more truthful, and accurate simply due to the fact that it says that God straight up told Noah what's up. I put little faith in dreams, and despite Utnapishtim's dream inevitably coming true, I think it's absolutely more of a fictional depiction. I also find it more believable that one flood is enough, and that God promising not to flood the Earth again was an accurate portrayal of God. In the epic of Gilgamesh there is no such promise made to man, basically leaving the reader on a massive cliff hanger. The Bibles portrayal basically suggests that once is enough, and man has indeed paid for our sinful nature. Where as in the epic of Giligamesh we are lead to believe, or assume that if we screw up again, with our sinful ways, that another Great Flood is inevitable. I think today I'll take option A, and agree with the Bible's story of the great flood. I am in no way saying that everything that happend in the Flood story is entirly true, or accurate, I am simply suggesting it to be a more logical, factual description of what happend.


Until Next time...this is Tyler Abbott, signing off.


Good Afternoon