Genesis 7:1-24

In the Beginning

Genesis 7:1-24

[Intro:]

In our previous message we looked at how God spoke with Noah about how He was going to judge man for his sinful rebellion against God. Noah was found by God to be righteous and therefore would escape the coming judgment. Noah's household was also spared because of God's acceptance of Noah. Noah was to build an ark which was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. He is instructed by God that 2 of every animal on earth would come to him and enter the ark to be saved. Noah was to build the ark and gather food for the animals and humans to eat.

Tonight we jump back into our Genesis study with the actual event of the flood coming on the earth. There is grace and mercy to be found in this account and also holiness and justice.

1-5

This chapter begins by God instructing Noah in what he is to do now that the ark has been completed (1). Noah and his household, which includes his wife, three sons and three daughters-in-law. The reason why they are entering the ark is that God sees Noah in this way, "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." (Ge 7:1). Noah and his family are being saved from the judgment of the flood because God has viewed Noah as righteous. Noah is the only human on earth at this time that was viewed by God as righteous.

God instructs Noah to take 7 pairs of every clean animal onto the ark (2). God's earlier instruction had been to take 1 pair of every animal onto the ark with him, clean and unclean (cf. 6:19-20). There is a purpose for God including 6 extra pairs of clean animals. First, extra clean animals will be needed for making sacrifice to God (cf. 8:20). Second, extra clean animals will be needed for food (cf. 9:3). After the flood is over God allows humans to eat clean animals for food. God also instructs Noah to bring 7 pairs of the clean birds, which would also be used for food and sacrifice (3). Even at this early time in human history God is distinguishing between clean and unclean (cf. Lev. 11:1-23). So before the Law was given God indicated to Noah (through how many pairs of each animal came) which animals were clean and unclean.

The Lord communicates to Noah that 7 days from that moment He will bring rain on the earth for 40 days and nights (4). He even communicates the reason for which He is bringing the rain. God is bringing this rain to kill all living things. Remember, this is judgment for sinful rebellion against God. During this period mankind is guided by their conscience. They are failing miserably. We are left with Moses' statement that Noah obeyed God (5).

6-12

In verse 6 we are given a frame of reference for the time of the flood (6). The text tells us that Noah was 600 years old when the flood hit. Remember Noah was 500 years old when he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth (cf. 5:32). Noah and his family enter the ark because God had warned that 7 days from that time the flood was coming (7; cf. 7:4). All of the animals came to Noah to enter the ark (8-9). There were 7 pairs of the clean animals and there was 1 pair of the unclean animals (cf. 7:2). They came just as God said they would and they entered the ark (cf. 6:20).

After the 7 days were complete (cf. 7:4) the flood came upon the earth (10). Verse 11 gives us a bookend by which to date the length of the flood and its consequences (11). On the 17^th day of the 2^nd month in the year that Noah was 600 the fountains of the great deep burst open and the floodgates of the sky were opened. So this is our timing by which we are able to determine the length of the flood and its consequences. The text mentions that the fountains of the great deep burst open. James Freeman in his book on Manners and Customs in the Bible said,

“So everything in the verse indicates that there were two great sources of the flood waters: a massive downpour from above the earth, and gigantic geysers shooting up from within the earth. Rather than it being only a simple rain pouring down from above, the Flood was also a violent upheaval of the earth that undoubtedly caused extensive changes in the geographical structure of the earth.”¹

Answers in Genesis teaches that there was a great volcanic upheaval that caused this water from underground springs to shoot out of the ocean floor. This is very possible. The rain was falling heavily from the sky and the water was rising from below. The rain fell for 40 days and nights just as God said it would (cf. 7:4).

“The ark had a ratio (length x width x height) of 30 x 5 x 3. According to modern shipbuilders, this ratio represents an advanced knowledge of shipbuilding since it is the optimum design for stability in rough seas. The ark, as designed by God, was virtually impossible to capsize—to do so, it would have to be tilted over 90 degrees.”²

13-16

Verses 13-24 give us a more detailed description of the events preceding the flood judgment. The text tells us that Noah, his family, and animals entered the ark on the same day (13-14). Verse 14 mentions 4 of the 5 categories of animal life mentioned in the creation account (cf. 1:21-25). The only category of animal life not mentioned was the sea creatures, who could remain alive outside of the ark.

“With the shorter cubit the ark would have an internal volume of 1,518,750 cubic feet, or the equivalent of 569 standard railroad boxcars. If the average sized animal was the size of a sheep it means the ark could hold over 125,000 sheep. (Assuming the shape of the ark to be rectangular there would have been over 100,000 sq. ft of floor space!).”³

The animals entered the ark in pairs (15). Again, it is worth mentioning that the animals came to Noah. He didn't have to gather them. Each pair consisted of one male and one female (16). The animals entered just as God had commanded Noah. There is an interesting contrast made in this verse. God is described as commanding Noah, but the Lord is described as shutting the door. The contrast is made to highlight His role of redeemer as Lord.

17-24

The flood came and it lasted 40 days (17). The effects of the flood lasted longer than 40 days, but the flow of water ended after 40 days. The water increased to the point that it lifted the ark causing it to float. The water covered the earth (18). This was not a local flood effecting only the Middle East. It was global. The water continued to increase till covered all of the high mountains worldwide (19).

Harold J. Chadwick the editor of the work entitled Manners and Customs of the Bible wrote the following, “Some years ago during a trip to the Smoky Mountains, my family and I visited the Sequoia Caverns in northern Georgia, just across the border from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Inside the caverns, the guide pointed out fish bones of all sizes that were pressed into the ceiling of a passageway between two caverns. He said the same kind of fossils could be seen in the ceiling of the main cavern, which was about 50 feet high. Among the fish fossils in the passageway was the imprint of the bottom of a human foot. The guide, a strong Christian who used the tour to proclaim Christ, said that nothing could have pressed the fish and the human foot into the ceiling except the pressure of a tremendous flood of unprecedented depth. That flood, he said, could only have been Noah’s Flood.”⁴

After the water had covered the highest mountains it increased another 15 cubits (or 22.5 feet). The ark itself was 30 cubits high (or 45 feet; cf. 6:15). This made the water deep enough so that the ark wouldn't run aground.

The text leaves us with some important comments on the flood judgment (21-24). Every land animal, bird, and human being was killed by the flood (21-22). The only survivors were found on the ark (23). There was a movie recently created that portrayed flood survivors who weren't on the ark. This is fiction. Only 8 people survived the flood and they were inside the ark (Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5). The water level stayed the same for 150 days (24). This means that the entire earth, including the highest mountains, were covered for this 150 period. After the 150 days the water level began to decrease (cf. 8:3).

[Conclusion:]

In the account of the flood judgment we are given understanding about how God dealt with the mankind in ancient times. They continually rebelled against Him and He eventually judged them for their sin. God being gracious and merciful provided a means a escape for Noah who was the only righteous man on earth during that time.

There is a time of judgment coming on the earth again. God is going to deal with man's sinful rebellion against Him at a future time (2 Pet. 3:1-10). As believers we need to be warning the lost of the coming judgment and how to avoid it. The gospel is man's ark in our time.

1Freeman, James M. ; Chadwick, Harold J.: Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed.]. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998, S. 11

2Freeman, James M. ; Chadwick, Harold J.: Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed.]. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998, S. 9

3Freeman, James M. ; Chadwick, Harold J.: Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed.]. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998, S. 10

4Freeman, James M. ; Chadwick, Harold J.: Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed.]. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998, S. 12