What is…
The Flood

also known as: The Global Deluge, The Genesis Flood and Noah’s Flood

Events of the worldwide Flood sent by God during the lifetime of Noah are recorded in Genesis 7 and 8.

Reason for judgment

The reason for this Divine judgment was the absolution corruption and wicked violence that filled the Earth by the time of the 9th generation from Adam. God in righteous indignation determined to purge the Earth of the ungodly. Amid a world filled with evil, there was one household that continued faithful and true to God—the household of Noah.

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time;
Noah walked with God.” —Genesis 6:9b NASB

At the command of God, Noah made an ark 300 cubits long, 50 broad, and 30 high. He slowly proceeded with this work during a period of 120 years (Genesis 6:3). At length, the purpose of God began to be carried into effect.

Timeline

Here is a list of the order of events as they occurred.

  1. In the 600th year of his life Noah is commanded by God to enter the ark, taking with him his wife, and his three sons with their wives (Genesis 7:1-10).

  2. The rain begins on the 17th day of the 2nd month (Genesis 7:11-17).

  3. The rain ceases, the waters prevail, 15 cubits upward (Genesis 7:18-24).

  4. The ark grounds on one of the mountains of Ararat on the 17th day of the 7th month, or 150 days after the Deluge began (Genesis 8:1-4).

  5. Tops of the mountains visible on the first day of the 10th month (Genesis 8:5).

  6. Raven and dove sent out 40 days after this (Genesis 8:6-9).

  7. Dove again sent out 7 days afterwards; and in the evening she returns with an olive leaf in her mouth (Genesis 8:10,11).

  8. Dove sent out the 3rd time after an interval of other 7 days, and returns no more (Genesis 8:12).

  9. The ground becomes dry on the 1st day of the 1st month of the new year (Genesis 8:13).

  10. Noah leaves the ark on the 27th day of the 2nd month (Genesis 8:14-19).

Flood confirmed by other Biblical authors

The historical truth of the narrative of the Flood is established by the references made to it by our Lord (Matthew 24:37; compare Luke 17:26). Peter speaks of it also (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5). In Isaiah 54:9 the Flood is referred to as “the waters of Noah.” It swept away all men living except Noah and his family, who were preserved in the ark; and that the present human race is descended from those who were thus preserved.

Global Flood recorded in traditions and legends throughout the world

Traditions of the Deluge are found among all the great divisions of the human family; and these traditions, taken as a whole, wonderfully agree with the Biblical narrative, and agree with it in such a way as to lead to the conclusion that the Biblical is the authentic narrative, of which all these traditions are corrupted versions. The most remarkable of these traditions is that recorded on tablets prepared by order of Assur-bani-pal, the king of Assyria. These were, however, copies of older records which belonged to somewhere about B.C. 2000, and which formed part of the priestly library at Erech, “the ineradicable remembrance of a real and terrible event.”

Answers to frequently asked questions

Article Version: June 12, 2019