The Flood

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FLOOD, THE The Deluge, or world-wide destruction of man and beast, except for Noah, his family, and the animals in the ark. The Noahic flood has been a subject for discussion among scientists and theologians for many centuries. The reality of the Flood can hardly be questioned, because of the many references to it in both the OT and NT (Gen 6-8; 9:11, 28; 10:1, 32; Matt 24:38-39; Luke 17:27; 2 Peter 2:5).

An important aspect of the Deluge is that God preserved some men, for Noah and his family were saved from destruction by going into an ark that Noah made according to God's specifications, and in which he gathered animals and birds preserved to replenish the earth.

The Flood was brought on the earth as a judgement on the sins of the people (Gen 6:5-7; 2 Peter 2:5-6). The Bible refers to the Flood in connection with the judgement at the second coming of the Lord (Matt 24:39) and with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Luke 17:27-29; 2 Peter 2:5-6). The Flood is compared with the creation of the world and is a miracle of the same order (2 Peter 3:5-6). The final destruction of the world is given the same miraculous explanation as the Noahic flood (3:7-10). The source of the water is explained by "all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened" (Gen 7:11). This could mean that water rose from the ocean or from fresh water springs on the earth or both. From the time the rain started (Gen 7:11) to the time Noah left the ark (8:14) was between 371 and 376 days.

Traditions regarding a disastrous flood that occurred long ago are handed down by many peoples--including tribes in all parts of the world. The Hebrews, Assyrians, and Babylonians all had traditions of a great flood. These narratives stated the purpose of the Flood to be punishment because the world was full of violence, but the Hebrew account remained simple and credible, whereas the other accounts became complex and fanciful. Only the biblical account retained a monotheistic viewpoint.

One of the great differences of opinion in describing the Flood concerns its extent. Traditionally, most biblical interpreters considered the submergence to be universal; that is, it covered the entire globe including the highest mountains. They point to the universal terms found in the Genesis account (Gen 7:19, 21). If the Flood were local, God could have directed Noah to move to an area that was not to be submerged.

The fact that many civilisations have flood traditions has been cited as an evidence for a universal flood. The same evidence could be used to argue for a local flood because the accounts of floods in other parts of the world are less like the Hebrew tradition than those of the Assyrians and Babylonians, who lived in the same area as the Hebrews.

Today many conservative scholars defend a local flood. The crux of their argument seems to centre in the covenant relation of God to man. He deals with certain groups, such as the children of Israel. The reasoning in regard to Noah is that Noah was not a preacher of righteousness to peoples of other areas but was concerned with the culture from which Abraham eventually came. Physical arguments have also been raised against a universal flood.

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Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV