The Flood, Part 1

Turn with me and your Bible to Genesis chapter 7, Genesis chapter 7. And today we want to look at the first global catastrophe.

I say the first because there is a second. It's going to come. It is not here yet, but it will one day be upon us. But this is the first global catastrophe.

And as I talk to you about this this morning in Genesis chapter 7, I want you to realize that there are many Christian scientists and many theologians who differ on this global catastrophe, meaning that there are some who do not believe that the flood in Noah's day covered the entire world. In fact, there are many people who believe that the flood did not uncover the entire world than there are those who believe that the flood did cover the entire world, if you can believe that or not. And so this morning I want to be able to talk to you about the flood.

And just to let you in on a little secret, I am not tolerant on this issue. If that's a surprise to you let it be a surprise. But I just want to let you know that I believe the Bible is very clear here. If you're coming to a church where you expect us to be tolerant on different people's views of Scripture, you're at the wrong church. Because Christ's Community Church doesn't do that. The Bible speaks and when the Bible speaks we seek to obey it in its entirety. My passion is to make sure that if someone is in error or if someone is strained from the truth, as James says in James chapter 5 verse number 19 and 20 when he wrote these words, my brethren if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

And I guess as a pastor I don't want people to fall in the line of error. I don't want them to stray from the truth. And so I want you to understand what the Word of the Lord says. The Bible says, we referred to it last week, preach the Word in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and patience.

Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4, 13, until I come give attention to the reading of the Scriptures. Give attention to the proclamation of the Scriptures. Make sure your life is absorbed in meditating upon God's Word, studying God's Word, speaking God's Word, reading God's Word, because God's Word is what it's all about. And we're going to see that this morning in Genesis chapter 7. If you have your Bible, I want to read to you the seventh chapter of Genesis. Listen very carefully as we read through this.

"'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 this time. You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female, and of the animals that are not clean, two, a male and his female, also of the birds of the sky by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth. For after seven more days I will send rain on the earth, forty days and forty nights, and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made.

And Noah did according to all that the Lord had commanded him. When Noah was 600 years old when the flood of water came upon the earth, then Noah and his sons, and his wife, and his son's wives, with him entered the ark because of the water of the flood, of clean animals, and animals that are not clean, and birds, and everything that creeps on the ground. There went into the ark to Noah by twos, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. And it came about after the seven days that the water of the flood came upon the earth.

In the 600th year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the 17th day of that month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened, and the rain fell upon the earth for 40 days and 40 nights.

On the very same day Noah and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons, with them entered the ark. They and every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, all sorts of birds. So they went into the ark to Noah by twos of all flesh, in which was the breath of life. And those that entered, male and female, of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him, and the Lord closed it behind him.

Then the flood came upon the earth for 40 days, and the water increased, and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth. And the water prevailed, and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. And the water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. The water prevailed 15 cubits higher, and the mountains were covered, and all flesh that moved on the earth perished, birds, and cattle, and beasts, and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind.

Of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the Spirit of Life died. Thus He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals, to creeping things, and to birds of the sky. And they were blotted out from the earth. And only Noah was left together with those that were with him in the ark. And the water prevailed upon the earth 150 days. Now Genesis chapter 7 gives us the beginning details of the flood. And we're going to begin this morning by looking at the question that we need to grasp.

And then we're going to look at the salvation of the godly. Next week we'll look at the annihilation of the godless and the implications for this generation.

But this morning there is a question we need to grasp and it's this, is this flood that came upon the earth a local flood or a global flood? As a result of that, what is the foundation that we base that on? Is it scriptural or is it scientific? Is it biblical or is it geological? What is it we need to understand? And so before we really actually enter into chapter 7, we need to ask ourselves the question, was this flood a local flood or a global flood? Now you might be sitting there saying, well of course Pastor, you just read it, it didn't cover the entire earth.

Sure we believe that. Well you're going to come across a multitude of people who do not believe that. A lot of people. Those of you who are going to secular universities or Christian colleges, there's a lot of them. Most of them don't believe that either. There are those in whom you work with who are going to talk to you one day about the flood. It's going to come up in a discussion. And they're not going to believe it was a global flood either. Many churches you attend will not teach that the flood was global.

So how will you answer them? What will you say? How will you explain to them the truth of the Word of God? The flood was a global catastrophe. And let me give you several reasons as to why we believe that.

Number one, is the depth and the duration of the flood. The depth and the duration of the flood. Genesis 7, verse number 19, says it this way. And water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. That means every high mountain everywhere on the earth was covered with water. The water prevailed 15 cubits higher and the mountains were covered. The Bible says the mountains were covered on the earth.

Now Mount Ararat is 17,000 feet above elevation. That's pretty high. Now whether it was that high in Noah's day or not, we don't necessarily know. But let's just say it was. For water to cover the tip of that mountain in just one region without it spilling over into other regions, and if it spilled over into other regions there would have to be more water to raise it up to that level. It would have to uncover the entire globe. The Bible says that the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days.

That's a long time. It rained 40 days and 40 nights. But like I said last week, just the raining of the 40 days and 40 nights did not cover the earth. There was an upheaval in the earth. The Bible says in Genesis 7, excuse me, verse number 11, in the 600th year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the 17th day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open and the floodgates of the sky were opened.

Wow. So there was an upheaval from the depths of the earth, which would be the oceans, and the rain, the floodgates that would come down from the sky. So there was a rain that came down for 40 days and for 40 nights, and for 150 days the water in the earth gushed forth. Look what it says in verse number 24 of Genesis 7, and the water prevailed upon the earth 150 days. Folks if it rained anywhere in one location, just rained anywhere, for 150 straight days it would do more than just cover the Mesopotamian Valley.

But there was more than just rain, there was the upheaval from the depths, and that would bring about a great catastrophe. The next thing I want you to notice is the ark, the size of the ark.

Look at this with me, this is very logical. Let's say that the flood was local. Let's say it was going to happen just in the Mesopotamian Valley. Noah had 120 years to move. God could have said, hey Noah, I'm going to flood out this valley and everybody in it. So what I want you to do is pack up your belongings and I want you to move to another region. I want you to go someplace else, and that's all I want you to do. So I want you out of the way, but God didn't do that did he? God made him build a huge vessel.

Why build a vessel so big if there was only going to be a local flood? And why would he be in the flood, or excuse me, in the boat for 375 days if it was just a local flood? We'll say, how do you know it was 375 days? Well the Bible tells you, Genesis chapter 7 it says in verse 11, in the 600th year of Noah's life in the second month on the 17th day of the month.

That's when it began to rain. Look down in chapter 8 verse number 13, now it came about in the 601st year in the first month on the first of the month the water was dried up from the earth.

Then Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked and behold the surface of the ground was dried up and in the second month on the 27th day of the month the earth was dry.

Then God spoke to Noah saying, go out of the ark. So for 375 days Noah was in the ark. If it was just a local flood why would he have to be in such a big ship for so long? It doesn't take a Phi Beta Kappa to figure those things out, all you've got to do is read what the Bible says.

But if you're interested in pleasing man and other scientists, if you're not too interested in what God thinks then you'll come up with all kinds of varying views. How about the destruction of mankind? God says, I'm going to destroy them all.

There was violence that filled the earth, Genesis 6 verses 11 to 13. Violence filled the earth. Now the word for earth is the exact same word used in Genesis 1, 1 when God said, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God says, I'm going to destroy all man upon the earth and God says, I'm going to destroy the earth.

God says, I'm going to destroy the earth that I created. Look what it says in Genesis 6 verse number 13, then God said to Noah, the end of all flesh has come before me for the earth is filled with violence because of them and behold I am about to destroy them with what? With the earth. I'm going to destroy the earth too. It's going to completely change, excuse me, after I am done with it. How about this, in Genesis 9 verse 15 God made a covenant with Noah, that covenant was in the rainbow, that he would never again destroy the world with a flood.

If it was a local flood, God broke his promise because there have been a multitude of local floods throughout the centuries of our existence and hundreds of them in the Mesopotamian Valley. That would mean that God is a liar and God broke His Word if it was a local flood. But because it was a global flood and God made the promise to Noah, I will never again destroy the earth with water, would add credence to the fact that the flood was a global catastrophe. How about the testimony of Jesus Christ?

Turn back with me to Luke chapter 17 for a moment. This is very important. Luke 17 verse number 26, and just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it shall be also in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given a marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them, what, all. Now the Lord God is talking about the end of the world, the great and terrible day of God. We're studying that on Wednesday nights.

Listen very carefully. If the flood was local and God only destroyed those in the Mesopotamian Valley, that means that there was a place for those who sinned against God and rebelled against authority to hide and to be safe from His judgment. That then would mean that in the last days, when the great and terrible day of the Lord is upon us, it will only be a local destruction and there will be a place for those who rebel against God to hide from that judgment, and the book of Revelation speaks against that.

So Jesus Christ gives testimony to the fact that as it was in the days of Noah, and I destroyed them all, so it will be at the end when I come back, I will then destroy them all as well. Very important. How about the testimony of Peter? Turn back with me to 2 Peter chapter 3, 2 Peter 3 verse number, number 3, know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own loss and saying, where was the promise that was coming?

For ever since the fathers fell asleep all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation. For when they maintain this it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water.

Very important note. That's how you know that there is more than enough water in the earth and above the earth to cover the earth. The earth is 70% water anyway today. Very important note in 2 Peter chapter 3, verse number 6, through which the world at that time was destroyed being flooded with water. Now Peter is making this parallel. God created the heavens and the earth. It will escape their notice in the end times that the Lord God created the heavens and the earth by His Word.

And then He destroyed that earth with water. And then he says this in verse number 10, but the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up. Let me ask you a question.

At the end of the world is there only a location, a certain portion of the earth that's going to be burned and the rest of it is going to be okay? Or is God going to burn up the entire earth? He's going to burn it up. Peter makes the comparison. As God destroyed the earth with water one day, long ago, so He will destroy the earth with fire. He will consume it. He will burn it up. Thus the proof for a global catastrophe in Genesis chapter 7. Folks, the reason I'm not tolerant on this issue is because the Bible is my authority.

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. I believe exactly what God says. And I want you to understand what the Bible says so that when you leave this place and somebody comes along and says, well, you know, I'm not sure that water covered the entire world.

Like one of my preacher friends used to say, that is just dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. That's absolutely ridiculous because the Bible says that the entire world was covered with water.

And the Bible says that every living thing perished, except for Noah. And his family who entered the ark. That's the question you need to grasp. If you don't grasp that, everything else, everything else I say today and next week and the week after through Genesis chapter 9 will mean absolutely nothing to you. If you don't believe that the flood was a global catastrophe. The second thing I want you to see is the salvation of the godly.

Genesis 7 verse number 1, then the Lord said to Noah, enter the ark. We're going to stop right there today. That's all further we're going to get. I want you to notice what would be the call to Noah.

This is so good. One day God said, Noah, come, enter the ark. The Bible tells us that Noah and his family entered the ark. And in Genesis 7 verse number 16, it says, God closed the door. Do you think that if God hadn't closed the door that Noah would have opened it for people to come in? I'm sure he would have. But God closed the door. He is the door, isn't he? John 10, 9, I am the door. He who enters by me shall go in and out and find green pasture. I'm the door. At the very end of the book of Revelation, he says this, the spirit of the bride say, come.

Let the one who hears say, come. And let the one who is thirsty, come. Let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. Come. Even at the end of the book of Revelation, the message given to the churches is a message of invitation to come and drink freely. Are you thirsty? You come. Sadly, Matthew 25, the parable of the ten virgins, when Jesus Christ comes back again, the door will be shut. And the day of opportunity will no longer exist for those who have rejected the truth. And they'll beat upon the door saying, let us in.

Let us in. And the voice coming back says, I never knew you. You can't come in. There was a call to Noah and his family to come. The Scriptures give you a call today to come, that you might receive freely of the gift of grace. The judgment of Noah's day, it was a global catastrophe. It killed everybody. There's coming another day, there's gonna be another global catastrophe, and everybody who rebels against God will perish, because God said that's what's gonna happen. Are you ready for His coming?

Or are you like the people of the days of Noah? He's not gonna destroy the earth with fire. Things are gonna get better. They're not gonna get worse. God's a good God. He's not gonna destroy His creation. And yet, the word of the Lord is very clear as to what God is gonna do. Are you a partaker of the grace of God? Have you received freely His grace, that you might enter the door? And as Noah and his family found security, so you too find security. As Noah and his family were hid within the confines of the ark, so you too now become hid in Christ because you are one with God, and thus you no longer will face the condemnation of the world, because you are made secure in Jesus Christ.

I trust that that's where you are today. In a moment, we're gonna partake of the Lord's table. We partake of it to remember how He provided a way of entry into His kingdom. And I wonder today if you have found entry into that kingdom because you have believed in what the word of the Lord says. Your hope is in God's word alone. Let's pray together. Let's pray together.