This week we are starting Session 5 in our “Case for Creation” class. The topic for the next few weeks will be on the Biblical account of the “Flood.” This is a topic that is often ignored in Christian thought because it carries such high stakes in the Biblical narrative. If the “Flood” happened the way the Bible reports it did, then that changes everything about the way we see our world today.

Unfortunately, secular science has made believing the literal interpretation of the Biblical account of the “Flood” seem foolish. But, is it? What does the evidence show? This is what we will take a look at over the next few weeks so you can decide for yourself.

Watch part 1 of the class presentation here (the overview notes are below):

Overview Notes from the presentation

There are eight questions we will investigate over the next few posts:

1. Why did God want to destroy the world at that time?
2. What was God’s Covenant (promise) to Noah?
3. Was the Ark big enough to hold all those animals; and was it designed well enough to withstand catastrophic flood waters?
4. What was the magnitude of the flood (was it local or global)?
5. Is there evidence today that the Earth suffered a catastrophic worldwide flood, and do other cultures have flood legends, supporting the Biblical account?
6. How does secular science date the Earth, and are the methods reliable?
7. What does secular science say about the geological record in the rock layers, and why?
8. What does the fossil record show over time, and what about the dinosaurs?

1.  Why was did God want to destroy the world at that time?

Genesis Chapter Six

From Cain’s murder of his brother Abel, to the bragging of murder by Cain’s descendant Lamech, the hearts of men had grown colder and the influence of evil was worldwide:

• The wickedness of man was great on the earth (6:5)
• The intent of man’s heart was only evil all the time (6:5)
• The earth was corrupt (6:11)
• The earth was filled with violence (6:11, 13)
• All flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth (6:12)

 Who were the Nephilim?
Genesis 6:1-4

The word “Nephilim” means giant ones, as seen later on in the Old Testament, (for example Goliath). Most Biblical scholars say that the Nephilim in Genesis 6 were the offspring of the union of the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men,” however, some scholars say the text implies offspring, but it could also mean they were a “people group” not necessarily the offspring. Either way, these people had become corrupt and the intent of their hearts was only evil all the time.

There are three common interpretations by scholars for the “sons of God and the daughters of men”

1. Sons of God = the line of Seth, and the daughters of men = the line of Cain (this is the most common Christian interpretation today)
2. Sons of God = angels/demons (early Church Fathers’ interpretation)
3. Sons of God = royal line (Jewish traditional interpretation)

2.  What was God’s Covenant (promise) to Noah?

3^rd Major Historical Player: Noah

• “Noah found favor in the eyes of God. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.” (Gen. 6:8-9).
• Noah was the only one left who had a personal relationship with God, and God made a Covenant with him (Gen. 6:18).
• Noah would carry the righteous seed of the “Original Promise/Covenant” (Gen. 3:15) through to the post flood world.
• It is through Noah’s descendant Abraham that God would further unveil the meaning of this Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3).

2^nd Major Theological Event: The Noachian Covenant

 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. …“Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that in on the earth shall perish. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” Genesis 6:5, 8, 17-18 (NASB)

7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you ‘alone’ I have seen ‘to be’ righteous before Me in the time.”

The Rainbow Promise

“Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, “Now behold, I Myself am establishing My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you; and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, every animal of the earth. I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be eliminated by the waters of a flood, nor shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.” God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I make a cloud appear over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the rainbow is in the cloud, then I will look at it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.””

Genesis 9:8-17 (NASB)

3.  Was the Ark big enough to hold all those animals; and was it designed well enough to withstand catastrophic flood waters?

The Ark’s capacity was more than enough to hold the animals, humans and supplies:

• The average size of the animals on the Ark are estimated to be the size of a sheep; smaller younger animals (even eggs) would be the chosen “ticket holders”
• Marine life and other water dwellers would be exempt from the Ark
• Only two of each “kind” of unclean animal and seven of the clean animals would be required since they would be carrying the genetic information for variations in their species (for example, only one dog “kind” would be necessary)
• Using all known species as an example (which would be a higher number than “kinds”) an estimated 50,000 individual animals could have been on the Ark
• With the cubit estimate of 25 inches there would have been room for up to 340,000 sheep size animals, leaving plenty of room for food and supplies

The Ark’s seaworthiness was enough to survive a catastrophic flood:

• The dimensions God gave for the Ark (Gen. 6:14-22) are exactly six times longer than it is wide and that is equivalent to the ratios used today by modern ship builders
• An ancient cubit is roughly the length of the forearm from the elbow to the longest finger (anywhere from 18 and 25 inches)
• Noah’s Ark is basically the same size as the USS Missouri (if using 25 inches for a cubit)
• The Ark was extremely stable and could tip up to 30 degrees in wind or waves
• The Ark’s vector buoyancy is above the gravity line and could tip to 90 degrees and still stay buoyant
• The Ark was designed to float, not sail

4.  What was the magnitude of the flood (was it local or global)?

3^rd Major Historical Event: The Flood

There are many today who claim that Noah’s flood was not global, but localized in that region of the world. What does the Bible tell us?

Let’s look at the evidence:

• The Biblical language does not leave room for a tranquil, localized flood:

In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And the rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. 

Genesis 7:11-12 (Read on through verse 24 for the full impact)

How catastrophic would this flood have been? 

• The Genesis account indicates both a deluge from above (“floodgates of the heavens were opened”) and a deluge from below (“the springs of the great deep burst forth”)
• The purpose, as spoken by God, was to bring a worldwide flood upon the whole earth to wipe out the evil that had developed in humans and everything on the earth from the first creation (6:12-13)
• This was a catastrophic flood like no other before and no other after as spoken by God (9:11)

5.  Is there evidence today that the Earth suffered such a catastrophic worldwide flood, and do other cultures have flood legends, supporting the Biblical account?

We have plenty of observational evidence of what flood damage can due

(Picture examples are in the presentation)

• The effects of any flood can be observed today when we see the devastating aftermath and destruction that has resulted from rapidly moving water currents and mudflows containing debris that can cut through solid rock like butter
• Flood destruction is swift and rapid as seen in thousands of local floods worldwide
• We can observe canyons being carved out in a matter of days by both rushing and receding waters that move at a rapid pace carrying boulders of extreme size and weight
• Evidence from the Mount St. Helen’s eruption in 1980 gives us a glimpse of the type of catastrophic damage a “great deep” eruption can cause – the aftermath of that eruption and subsequent flooding carved out a canyon now referred to as “Little Grand Canyon”

1. What are some of the reasons you’ve heard as to why the Flood of Noah’s day was not true?
2. So far, what are some reasons you see here as to the truth of the Flood of Noah’s day?
3. PTRs: Prayer focus – For Biblical insight, and the evidence of creation all around us, to speak loud and clear to those who doubt God’s Word.

Bible Study

Each week we will do a Bible study in the book of Genesis to practice our Bible study skills. This week read or re-read Genesis Chapter 6, then, to the best of your ability, answer the following questions:

Always remember to pray before reading and studying Scripture.

1.  What caused God to want to destroy all of His creation at this point in time (6:1-7; 11-13)? Research and discuss: Scholars are split on the interpretation of “the sons of God and the daughters of men, and their offspring the Nephilim.” Who were they, and what are the most common views?

2.  Who was Noah (what is his lineage), and how did God feel about him (6:8-10; 7:1)?

3.  What did God tell Noah He was going to do, and what did He ask Noah to do (6:14-22)? Discuss: What is the significance of God giving such detail in the dimensions and building of the Ark?

4.  What did God say in verse 6:18?

Discuss: Genesis 3:15 was God’s first Covenant. What is a Covenant, and do we know of any other Covenants in the Bible (Give Scripture references)?

5.  What did God tell Noah to do, and why, concerning the animals (6:19-21)?

Discuss: Specifically, what creatures did God tell Noah to bring on the Ark, and for what purpose? What living things would not have come onto the Ark, and why?

6.  Research: Wouldn’t Noah have run out of room if he had to bring every single type of living thing on the Ark? Clue to explore: What is the significance of the use of the word “Kind” in Genesis and how does it relate to our modern use of the word species?

Join us next week as we continue our “Case for Creation and A Study in Genesis – Session 5: Noah and the Flood, Part 2”

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