The Worldwide Flood

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AStudying God’s Word

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Studying God’s Word

Introduction

In the last lesson we looked at a record of the events of Noah’s flood. We decided that it clearly presents a detailed account of how God flooded the entire earth, killing every land-dwelling, air-breathing animal not on the ark.

• • Write on the board, “Why do most cultures around the world have a legend of a major flood?”
  What survived the flood aboard the ark? All of the animals that God brought to Noah and the eight people onboard survived.
• What led us to conclude that the account we read was not simply a myth or a fairy tale? The level of detail in the account separates it from the typical mythical account.

  We also talked about how the events surrounding the ark and its salvation were similar to the salvation that is found in Christ. We call those connections from the text types. The ark can be seen as a type of Christ.

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  What were some of the similarities we saw between the ark and Christ? For example: the ark had one door and Jesus referred to himself as the door that leads to salvation (John 10:9); all who were not in the ark perished just as all who are not in Christ will perish; the judgment of the flood was decreed by God just as the final judgment of mankind is decreed by God; Noah preached righteousness and one way to be saved just as Christ preached righteousness and one way to be saved (John 14:6); God provided the plans for the ark just as he provided the plan for salvation through Christ (1 Peter 1:17–21).
  • Don’t forget! Review the Optional Supplements and determine where you can use them.
  In this lesson, we are going to look at the extent of the flood from another angle. Last week we saw that every air-breathing land animal not on the ark perished in the flood—that was very clear from the text. Don’t forget to refer to the Flood Timeline that we talked about last week to keep the order of events in perspective. Have some additional handouts available for those who may have been absent last week.
• If every air-breathing land animal on the face of the earth died, how much of the land must have been covered with water? The entire surface must have been covered.

A Global Deluge

We are going to look back at a few selected verses from the passage we read last week to help us understand how extensive the flood was. Did the flood really cover the entire surface of the earth, or was it a local event? Many people, including prominent Christians, reject the global nature of the flood. Let’s see what the text has to say on this issue.

Let’s read the following passages together. As I give the reference, someone please read the verses: Genesis 6:7, 6:11–13, 6:17, 7:4, 7:11–12, 7:17–24, 8:1–2. Have someone read each of the verses or passages, one at a time.

• What words were repeated in these verses? All, every, whole.
• What common idea was repeated in the verses we read? The whole earth was covered. All flesh on the earth died.
• Are there any figures of speech in the text? All the high mountains under the whole heaven, face of the ground, windows of the heavens, and fountains of the great deep are figures of speech that will need to be interpreted.
• What was the source of the water for the flood? Verse 7:11 references the fountains of the great deep and the windows of the heavens.
• What is the main point of the passage? God destroyed the earth and everything on the land with a flood.

Discover the Truth

Now that we have asked questions about the text, the observation phase of our inductive study method, let’s interpret some of the ideas that were presented.

• What phrases from the text seem to make an irrefutable point about the global extent of the flood? The repeated use of all and every; the water covered the mountains 15 cubits deep (Genesis 7:20).

  A cubit is a measurement that the Bible uses frequently. It is the distance from the elbow to the tips of the fingers. It is roughly 18–20 inches by our measurements, so this means the highest hills were covered by at least 20 feet of water.

  Imagine a valley surrounded by high hills with the ark sitting in the middle. The waters begin to rise, and so does the ark. Finally, the water reaches the tops of the hills.

• What happens to the water? Is it possible for water to cover a hill by over 20 feet and be contained by the valley? The water would overflow the mountains, spilling into the next valley. Use a drawing to demonstrate this. The Local Flood Image (PDF) will be used in the Discover the Truth section.
• Based on this text alone, in its entire context, is there any doubt that the author intended to communicate a flood that covered the entire earth? No.
• The text referred to the “fountains of the great deep” and “the windows of the heavens.” What do these figures of speech refer to? The fountains of the great deep are springs of water under the ocean, probably within the crust of the earth; and the windows of the heavens is a reference to the source of rain. It is possible that the hot water from the fountains caused the rain clouds to form.
• Is causing a flood to cover the entire earth beyond the ability of God? No, God is omnipotent. Refer to Attributes of God Poster.

  Another of our interpretive principles is to interpret Scripture with Scripture. Let’s look at two other passages that address the flood to see if they agree with this conclusion.

Will someone please read 2 Peter 2:5?

• Does this verse support or deny our conclusion, and how? Since only eight people survived the flood, it must have covered the entire earth, unless all people lived in only one valley at the time of the flood.

  Some say that the Genesis flood was a local flood, but “universal” in that it killed everyone alive on earth except those on the ark. This is common among old-earth creationists, especially in a view known as progressive creation. They teach that “the world of the ungodly” was a small geographic region since people had not spread broadly at this time. One of the common locations they suggest for this local flood is the Mesopotamian valley, often referred to as the “cradle of civilization.”

• How many years after creation did the flood occur? 1,656 years; refer to the Seven C’s Timeline.
• Given that much time, and the long lives of the pre-flood people, does it make sense that nobody had moved out of the Mesopotamian valley? No, of course not. Other proposed locations present the same basic problems.

Next, let’s look at a passage where Jesus compares the flood of Noah’s day to the coming judgment. Will someone please read Luke 17:26–30?

• Does this passage support or deny our conclusion, and how? Jesus refers to the flood as a real event that “destroyed them all.” Likewise, the coming judgment will involve all of mankind, regardless of where they are on earth.

  I hope you can see that there is little room in the text to even consider that the flood was anything but an earth-covering event. However, some in the church today still reject that idea. Let’s look at another passage about the extent of the flood.

Rainbow: Sign of the Covenant

As we read this passage, remember that after a little over a year on the ark, Noah, his family, and all of the animals had moved off the ark. Noah offered a sacrifice of the clean animals, and then God addressed Noah. Let’s read Genesis 9:8–17 together. Have someone read the passage aloud.

• Who was God speaking to? Noah and his sons (v. 8).
• Who established the covenant? God.
• Who was the covenant with? The covenant was with Noah, his sons, and all their descendants, as well as every beast of the earth that was on the ark (vv. 9–10).
• What was the promise of the covenant? A flood would never again destroy the earth and the living things on it (vv. 11 and 15) as had just happened.
• What were the conditions of the covenant? None. God made the covenant with no demands and despite the sinful condition of man’s heart.
• What was the sign of the covenant? God set a rainbow in the clouds.
• What was the purpose of the rainbow? God would remember his covenant, and man would know the covenant was still in effect.
• How long ago was this promise given? Since the flood ended in the year 2348 BC, the promise was made close to 4,400 years ago. Refer to the Seven C’s Timeline to reinforce the periods of time involved.

Discover the Truth

Let’s move on to interpret the ideas presented in the passage.

• What attribute of God do we see in the keeping of this promise for over 4,000 years? God is faithful. Refer to Attributes of God Poster.
• Has there been another flood that covered the entire globe in the last 4,400 years? No.
• Have there been other floods that have devastated vast areas (regional floods)? Yes, many of them. If there is a flood of local fame, you could reference it here.

  Many people who believe the flood was only a local event rely on the claims of geologists who say that the rock layers we see today contain no evidence for a global flood. Instead, they accept that the earth’s layers represent gradual processes acting over billions of years, and that the flood, if it was a real event, was confined to some local area. Some have suggested the Mesopotamian region or an area near the Black Sea. It may have wiped out all of the people and animals in a given area, but it was not global. They say that perhaps the passage in Genesis is simply an exaggeration of a smaller event that was altered to provide a religious, moral story about obeying God—but it is not an accurate account of history, they claim.

• If the flood had been simply a local event, would the ark have been necessary? No, the animals could have migrated, or animals from outside the flood zone could have repopulated the flooded area. Likewise, God could have commanded Noah to move across the mountains and still have tested his obedience. He could have had Noah following him to the new land be a picture of salvation rather than Noah boarding the ark.
• If the flood was local, has God kept his promise to never send another flood like the one that had just occurred? No, many local floods have destroyed entire areas of the planet. If God promised to not send another small flood that would kill everything in a given area, God is a liar. God repeated the conditions of the flood within the covenant, promising to not do in the future what he had just done. This is an important point to consider.
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  What other description in the flood account would be made absurd if the flood had been a local event? The highest mountains couldn’t have been covered by water by 20 feet in any local area. The water would have spilled over into the next valley. Show the Local Flood Image (PDF) to illustrate the absurdity of such an idea.

  Others would suggest that the flood was global, but that it was very tranquil and did not reshape the earth’s surface at all. This allows the fossils in the rock layers to represent billions of years of earth history. This idea is contrary to the laws of physics and would require God to miraculously keep the flood calm for its duration and then remove the waters without any major erosion taking place. There are many problems, both biblical and scientific, with this view.

  The local flood idea is a very recent interpretation of the Genesis flood. In the early 1800s, many in the church started to bow to the secular scientific interpretation of long ages. To fit these ideas into the Bible, Thomas Chalmers, a notable Scottish theologian and the leader of the Free Church of Scotland, proposed a gap between verses one and two of Genesis 1 to allow for an earth that is much older than the biblical timeframe of 6,000 years. Others suggested that the days of Genesis 1 could be understood as long ages rather than normal days. These purported theories were necessary to accommodate the secular understanding of the rock layers proposed by early geologists, one of whom expressly said that he wanted to kick Moses out of geology. A global flood would have destroyed these layers that had been laid down over millions of years, so the Bible had to be adjusted to accommodate the new “understanding” of the geologists. Prior to this, there was little question in the church about the extent of the flood—Christians trusted the scriptural record.

  If we simply allow the Word of God to speak to us in the plain sense in which it is given, we cannot accept that the flood was anything but a global event. To do otherwise is to open the door to compromising God’s Word with the opinions of man.

Flood Legends Activity

Have the students work in pairs or small groups according to the following instructions.

We know that the flood left only a few families to repopulate the planet, and that shortly after the flood these family groups were scattered across the face of the earth. The account of the flood was surely a part of the heritage of each of these groups as they settled around the globe.

• If this is true, and we examined the histories of each of these groups, what would we expect to find as they talk about the history of mankind? Similar stories and legends about the flood.

  Talk this over in pairs for a few minutes and think about the stories that we might find in ancient documents. Come up with some of the characteristics of these stories that were based in the history of the flood and might have been passed down through history, orally or written. In a few minutes, we’ll discuss your ideas in light of what we see in actual flood legends from around the world. Allow several minutes for the students to think about how the stories might change over time.

Connect to the Truth

Let’s take a look at some of the actual flood legends from around the globe. This worksheet presents some basic facts about legends from Hawaii, ancient Babylon, and a portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh from Assyria. Pass out the Flood Legends worksheets to each student and have them scan the explanations. Discuss the questions below.

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  What themes are common to these legends? See table on answer key.
• What elements are missing when compared to the biblical account? See table on answer key.
• Does it make more sense to say that these accounts were developed from the Bible or that the biblical account was borrowed from one of the legends? Why? Apart from being the Word of God (the most important factor), the biblical account contains more detail and realistic proportions for the ark. For example, if the ark were a cube, it would tip over in the water, and it could not be over half a mile long. It makes more sense that details would be lost, exaggerated, or simplified as the story was passed along. Elements would be lost and some new elements, like the multiple gods, would be added in to match the culture.

Application

Today we have looked at several lines of reasoning that point to the global nature of the flood.

• What evidence did we see in the text of Genesis 6–9 to point to a global flood? The wording is very inclusive, leaving little room to question that it was intended to communicate a global catastrophe. The author’s intent was to communicate to the reader that the flood covered the entire globe.
• How do the words of Jesus and Peter confirm this? Both speak of the global nature of the flood.
• Rather than global, how do many people describe the extent of the flood? Many suggest it was a local event that was distorted or that was misinterpreted as a global event.
• Why was a change in the understanding of the flood’s extent seen as necessary? To accommodate the long-age views being suggested by secular geologists. A global flood was not consistent with the scientific explanations of the rock layers, so the Bible was adjusted to fit the modern understanding. Rather than rejecting the new interpretation of the rock layers, the Bible was reinterpreted to accommodate the new thinking.
• How does the rainbow help us understand the extent of the flood? Since God promised to never again send a flood like the one described in Genesis, if the flood had been just a local event, God has broken his promise.
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  As you interact with people, what is the most likely or most common objection to the flood account from Genesis? Most will likely reject the idea that there was ever a flood that covered the entire globe. Despite the fact that the earth is 70% covered by water, a global flood is rejected. Ironically, many think there was a huge flood on Mars, which has no liquid water.
• As we talk with unbelievers, should we use the various flood legends from around the world to prove that the biblical flood really happened? NO! The flood legends are consistent with the biblical account and confirm it, but they cannot prove the Bible is accurate. The text of the Bible is the only proof for the global flood.
• What elements of the text of Genesis 6–9 could you use to point someone to the global nature of the flood? The inclusive language of the words “all” and “every,” and other phrases makes it clear.
• When talking with a fellow Christian who believes (or has been taught) that the flood was only a local event, how would you approach correcting their understanding? This should be done with a prayerful, loving attitude, asking them to examine the text carefully. Some may have been taught a local interpretation, having never studied the passage for themselves. Others may be believing the interpretations of scientists (even Christian scientists) over the words of Scripture, or attempting to blend the secular interpretations with the Bible.
• The rainbow has been hijacked by many different groups as a symbol for their causes. It is used for a multicultural symbol, a symbol of hope, a symbol of obtaining wealth without effort (apart from capturing a leprechaun), and even as the symbol for those who engage in sexually perverse lifestyles (LGBT). How could you use the rainbow as a way to engage someone in a gospel-centered conversation? If you notice someone with a pin or patch on his clothing, you might simply ask, “Why do you wear that rainbow?” That could then be followed up with a conversation leading into the question, “Do you know what the Bible teaches about the rainbow?” Take the time to explain God’s perspective and share the true hope of the gospel through the righteousness of Christ.
• How can we connect the global nature of the flood to the gospel? God is just and must judge sin. vHis judgment involves every person on earth, not just people in a local area. Just as God judged the sin of the pre-flood world, a day is coming when he will judge the entire earth again. As the ark provided salvation for Noah and his family, Jesus is our way of escape from God’s judgment against sin.
• How does Genesis 6–9 point to Christ? Just as God was faithful to keep his promise to not flood the earth again, he was also faithful to send the Seed to take away the sins of the world. We can trust in God completely. Other parallels can also be drawn.

Group Prayer

Be sure to pray with your class before you dismiss them.

• Praise God for the clarity of what he has revealed to us.
• Ask that God would give boldness and grace to each person as they seek to share the gospel with the lost.
• Thank God for being faithful to his promises.