We know that Noah and his family were spared, a fresh start for humanity. But, well, it didn't take long for things to go sideways again, did it?
According to Ginzberg’s retelling in Legends of the Jews, corruption spread like wildfire amongst the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They appointed princes to rule over them: Nimrod over Ham’s line, Joktan over Shem’s, and Phenech over Japheth’s. Just ten years before Noah died, these princes already controlled millions.
And what were these millions up to? They gathered in Babylonia with a disturbing plan. "The time is coming," they said, "when neighbor will fight neighbor, brother will fight brother! Let’s build a city, a tower that reaches heaven itself! Let’s make a great name for ourselves!" They even planned to write their names on the bricks they made, ensuring their legacy.
Think about that for a moment. A tower reaching heaven? Making a name for themselves? This wasn't about honoring God; it was about usurping Him.
But not everyone was on board. Twelve pious men, including a very important figure named Abraham, refused to participate. They were arrested and brought before the three princes. "We will not make bricks," they declared, "nor remain with you, for we know but one God, and Him we serve! Even if you burn us in the fire, we will not walk in your ways."
Nimrod and Phenech were furious, ready to throw them into the fire immediately. But Joktan, who was described as a God-fearing man and kin to the prisoners, intervened. He proposed a seven-day reprieve, and his colleagues, respecting his position, agreed.
Joktan secretly had fifty of his attendants take the twelve prisoners to the mountains on mules, providing them with a month's worth of food. He hoped that in the meantime, either the people would change their minds, or God would intervene.
Eleven of the prisoners gratefully accepted this escape plan. But Abraham refused. Can you imagine? Everyone else is running for their lives, and he says no? "If we flee to the mountains," he argued, "and wild beasts devour us, or we die of famine, we will be seen as fleeing from the people and dying in our sins. I will not depart from this place. If I am to die, I will die by the will of God."
Joktan pleaded with him, but Abraham remained steadfast. He stayed in the prison, alone, while the others escaped. Talk about conviction!
When the seven days were up, the people demanded the death of the twelve captives. Joktan could only produce Abraham, claiming the others had escaped. The people were ready to throw Abraham into a lime kiln.
But then, something incredible happened! An earthquake shook the ground, fire erupted from the furnace, and eighty-four thousand people standing nearby were consumed, while Abraham remained unharmed.
Think about that image: the fiery destruction, the unwavering faith of Abraham, the sheer power of the divine.
Afterward, Abraham went to his eleven friends in the mountains and told them of the miracle. They all returned with him, and, untouched by the people, they praised and thanked God.
So, what does this story tell us? It’s more than just a tale of corruption and punishment. It’s about the power of unwavering faith, the importance of standing up for what you believe in, even when everyone else is going the other way. And perhaps, it’s a reminder that even in the darkest times, miracles can happen.