The deluge

November 13, 2023

Despite many skeptics’ willful unbelief, the account in Genesis of the global flood was a true historical event that changed the earth entirely. What lessons can we obtain from this event for our fallen world today?

The days of Noah
From the beginning of the earth to the days of Noah, the world closely resembled the perfect world that God had made. The earth was lush with plants and trees, and there was an abundance of fruit and vegetables for man and animals to consume (Genesis 1:29). There was also an abundance of precious metals that could be seen on the face of the ground (Genesis 2:11-12). There were no jagged mountains, and there were no vast oceans. There was no rain nor thunderstorms; all of the vegetation on the earth was watered from a mist that arose from the ground (Genesis 2:5-6). There were no harsh seasons, and there were no natural disasters either. All of God's creation was perfect and “very good” (Genesis 1:31).
After the fall, the iniquity and sins of mankind were increasing in each new generation. Many heathens used the abundance of precious metals to create idols, jewelry, and pagan temples. They were too busy glorifying themselves and the creation that the Creator became a distant memory. They slayed the animals on the earth for their consumption when it was never permitted (Isaiah 66:15-17). There was also violence in various places (Genesis 6:11). God saw that the thoughts of mankind were only evil and wicked continually (Genesis 6:5). The sins of the people in the days of Noah were so great and conventional that God’s moral law was no longer authoritative to them. Many who professed to be God’s people concluded that they no longer needed to keep the commandments and that God could be honored in any manner that was acceptable in their own minds (Matthew 7:21-23). God then proclaimed the judgment hour, which would begin 120 years before the flood (Genesis 6:3).

The Ark
Noah was a man who was perfect in his days (Genesis 6:9). Noah saw grace in God and desired to do His will (Genesis 6:8). After the announcement of the 120-year judgment hour, God commanded Noah to construct the Ark that was 300x50x30 cubits in size (Genesis 6:15). God was the designer, and Noah built it. The wicked watched Noah as he and others constructed the Ark. Noah was mocked and scoffed at throughout the construction (2 Peter 3:3-6). Despite the persecution, Noah endured and continued to preach the coming destruction of the earth until the end of the judgment hour period (Matthew 24:13). Once the construction finished, the beasts of the earth were directed into the Ark by God (Genesis 7:14-15). The wicked watched as every beast of the earth went into the Ark, the unclean in pairs and the clean in sevens (Genesis 7:2-3).
Noah then gave his final plead to enter the door for mercy, begging the lost to board the Ark and enter God's covenant (Genesis 6:17-18). The wicked laughed and continued to ridicule Noah. They were too proud to change their minds and let go of their sins that they blinded themselves from the truth of the judgment soon to come (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). God then commanded Noah, his wife, his sons, and his sons’ wives to board the Ark (Genesis 7:7), totaling only eight souls who would be saved from judgment. Noah built the door of the Ark so large, knowing he couldn’t close it on his own. Therefore, God shut Noah and his family in the Ark (Genesis 7:16). At this time, the saved were saved and the lost were lost, and probation had closed for the entire world (Revelation 22:11).
The wicked continued in their lives as if nothing ever happened (Matthew 24:38-39), even though their case had been decided firmly. Noah waited faithfully for seven days before water began to fall from the sky (Genesis 7:10).

The judgment by water
The land broke apart as geysers of water blasted out of the ground (Genesis 7:11). It rained at an uncontrollable and unimaginable rate. The wicked and the beasts of the earth remaining would go to high points and on the top of hills as the waters continued to rise. Some attempted to board the Ark to safety, but all efforts failed (Matthew 25:10-13).
The rain would continue for 40 days until all living things on the earth perished (Genesis 7:12). After 150 days, the waters began to decrease (Genesis 8:3). After ten months, the tops of mountains could be seen (Genesis 8:5). Noah sent a dove out to find land. It returned with a plucked olive leaf in its mouth (Genesis 8:11). Fourteen months after the start of the flood, the land dried (Genesis 8:14), and everyone onboard went out of the Ark (Genesis 8:18-19).

The "new" world
The world environment that Noah and his family saw after the flood was similar to the environment that we live in today. The lush and abundant vegetation was washed away and would later turn into large coal deposits that we extract for energy today. The remaining water still residing would freeze from cool temperatures and contribute to the Ice Age, which affected many parts of the earth. Areas such as Antarctica, which used to be tropical and covered with plants, would become desolate and uninhabitable for most living things. The rushing waters that were decreasing would create big cavities in the earth, as seen in the Grand Canyon. The world would later divide into the continents we see today (Genesis 10:25).
God then revealed a rainbow in the sky to Noah (Genesis 9:13). The rainbow is a sign between God and man, reminding us today of His mercy and promise that He will never destroy the entire earth by water ever again (Genesis 9:15).