Preached in Rogersville, Alabama

This evening I would like us to study The Flood of Noah. I realize that one sermon is not enough time to cover this topic thoroughly. However, I believe we can learn some important lessons that I hope will encourage you to dig deeper into this unbelievable event. I will move quickly over some points. However, I will be able to provide copies of my sermon notes to anyone who wishes them. They will also be posted on our website: oakridgechurch.com. Many teach the flood of Noah did not happen, or that it is a fairy tale or myth, or that it was simply a local flood. Let us look at what God’s says about the flood. [PP1 – Outline]

1. PP2 – Facts About The Ark - Genesis 6:14-16: The ark was built with dimensions (ratios) perfect for floating, very seaworthy, and almost impossible to capsize. The stability of such a barge is great and increases as it sinks deeper into the water. Since it had 3 decks, it had a total deck area of about 101,250 sq ft when assuming an 18 in cubic (124,500 sq ft for my 20 in cubic) (equivalent to the area of 24 to 32 college basketball courts). The total weight would have been about 13,960 tons, which is about the same as large metal ocean-going vessels today. The ark had a carrying capacity of over 500 standard railroad stock cars. The size of the ark rules out a local flood. Why so big if a local flood? Less animals would be needed.

2. PP3 – Local or Universal Flood? The requirement for Noah to build a gigantic barge to "keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth" (Genesis 7:3) was unnecessary if it was a local flood. All that went into the ark, it's construction and stocking would be a waste of time (possibly 100 years) and energy if the flood were only a local event. Migration would have been a better and easier solution to the problem, for both Noah and the animals. Noah was commanded to take birds in the ark (Genesis 6:20). Birds can escape a local flood, and can migrate for thousands of miles. But none of the birds outside the ark were able to escape this flood! (Genesis 6:7)

3. PP4 – Enough Room For All The Animals?

(1)   Of big species, smaller and younger animals could be taken

(2)   No need to take marine life

(3)   Every variety in a kind did not have to be taken [Ex: Over 200 varieties of dogs, as different as the dachshund and collie, have developed from a few wild dogs.]

(4)   The majority of all animals are smaller than sheep and the Ark could have carried over 125,000 sheep-sized animals.

(5)   Concerning the question, “How could Noah have taken care of or fed all of those animals?” God and Noah had no problem with enough food in the ark (Gen. 6:21-22).

4. PP5 – The Flood Itself - Genesis 7:11-12, 17-24 - 40 days and nights of rain. The waters prevailed on the earth 150 days, covering the mountains. The water continued to prevail for five months and took considerable time to recede (Genesis 8:3-4,14). Noah and his family left the Ark one year and 10 days after the flood started (compare Genesis 7:11 with 8:13-14). Do local floods keep one off the land for an entire year? Would it take 7 months to run aground if this had been a local flood? It is stated that all things that breath on dry land died (Genesis 7:21-23). A local flood could not have done that.

5. PP6 – Other Flood Accounts - Since the entire human race is descended from the three sons of Noah and their wives, it is only logical that cultures have a flood story. Various stories of a great worldwide flood have been found in ancient cultures from Hawaii, Greece, North American Indian, Babylon, China, etc.

6. PP7 – Historical Fact - The Flood is viewed as a historical fact by the prophets, Jesus, the Hebrew writer, and Peter (Psalm 104:5-9, Isaiah 54:9; Ezekiel 14:14-16, 20; Matthew 24:37-39; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:18-22; 2 Peter 2:5; 3:5-6)

PP8 – LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM NOAH AND THE FLOOD

1. God Takes Sin Seriously - Genesis 6:5-13.  “Great in the earth”:  Widespread and firmly rooted. “Only evil continually”:  Man had committed every sin imaginable. Genesis 6:7 “I will destroy man”: (NASV “blot out”), lit., to blot or wipe out by washing. Genesis 6:11 “The earth was corrupt before God”:  Openly, publicly, and flagrantly. The flood is just one example in the Bible of the severity of God. Man may choose to reject God, but man never gets away with it. When evil reaches a certain point, judgment must fall. Therefore we cannot afford to think that God will not punish us, if we continue to remain in sin. Irony - Genesis 6:13 “I will destroy them with the earth”. The same earth they loved destroyed them. Sadly, that will be the same for those who love “Mother Earth” and do not know love God today!

2. God’s Longsuffering - Up to 100 years [Genesis 5:32, 9:28-29] prior to judgement. During this time Noah was preaching (2 Peter 2:4-6, 1 Peter 3:19-20). But only his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law responded to the preaching. Today God still warns people by preaching!

3. God Keeps His Promises and Threats: 2 Peter 3:4-10 - No matter how long, God's threat of a judgment day will happen. God’s judgment has come to pass with the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, the fall of Jericho, cities like Jerusalem, Babylon, and Nineveh. The time lapse between promise and fulfillment should not be viewed as an opportunity to sin but rather as a chance to repent (Romans 2:4-8)!

Promise to Noah and His Descendants - (Genesis 8:21, 9:8-17). God's promise never to send a worldwide flood again has been broken repeatedly if the flood of Noah was just a regional or local flood. God’s promise is demonstrated by His bow in the sky. Have you ever seen God’s rainbow? It is a sign of God keeping His promise! Also, notice Noah set an example that ended with his sons having a personal relationship with God.

4. God’s Way is Narrow - 2 Peter 2:4-6. God has executed judgment in the past where only a few were saved, while the majority were lost forever. God did not lower His standards, even though that meant “the world” was condemned. The way is still narrow (Matthew 7:13-14), no matter what the issue.

5. God grants grace to those who are Faithful and Obedient - Genesis 6:8-9. The Hebrew word translated “perfect” or “blameless” NASV involves the idea of completeness of parts, hence, a well-rounded character. Note that the word “generations” is plural. Over Noah's 500-year life so far, his character stood out from his contemporaries. We need to be impressed that Noah overcame the sinful environment that surrounded him. He refused to be conformed to the sinful world (Romans 12:2). We need to be the same way!

Noah’s obedience was quick and motivated by a great respect for God (Hebrews 11:7). And Noah did not have to see something to believe God. If we have a hard time obeying God’s will, it is probably because we are not taking Him seriously.

He did exactly as God had commanded (Genesis 6:22). Noah understood that when God gives instructions, man is not permitted to add, subtract, edit, or change His commands (Proverbs 30:6; 2 John 9).

It is impressive that Noah did not complain that God was going to execute His judgment. Noah certainly had friends/relatives who did not come in the ark, yet Noah never complained that God was being cruel or unfair. In addition, building the ark was a huge task that required tremendous dedication and hard work. Yet we have no record of any complaints from Noah.

PP9 – NOTE THAT NOAH WAS SAVED BY:

(1)   Grace (Genesis 6:8). 

(2)   His Faith (Hebrews 11:7). 

(3)   A Faith that moved him to Obey God’s commands (Genesis 6:22, Hebrews 11:7). 

(4)   Water (1 Peter 3:20).

TURN OFF POWERPOINT

Water was required for the salvation of Noah. Forgiveness comes when one is baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). When you are baptized, your sins are washed away, and you come up out of the waters a new creature, a Christian, to live your life for Him (Romans 6:4)!

Like today, in Noah’s time people had similar excuses for not obeying God.  Being absorbed in the cares, worries, and things of this life, and too busy to listen to the message (Matthew 24:37-39, 2 Peter 3:3-7).  They preferred sin rather than what is right. It is so easy to simply be lulled into a false sense of security. Brethren of ours lost their daughter suddenly recently and she was only 29. We do not know whether God will grant us the next moment to live.  Life up to the flood was normal. In like manner, everything will continue as normal until the Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, 6). Noah found grace, because he was trying to do what was right (Genesis 6:9, Acts 10:34-35).

CLOSING

Noah also had to have courage. Noah had courage to believe God when the world rejected Him! Would we be that courageous? Work for a 100 years on a barge waiting for a flood that you have never seen. People making fun, ridiculing you, probably treating you as a castoff of society, and losing all your friends. We would probably be filled with the thought of “What if the flood was not going to come?” But Noah had faith and courage to stand up to the people of the world and even try to save them through preaching because he knew the flood was coming; because God said it was coming.

I am very grateful to have had the honor to speak to you this weekend. I thank you all for your love for God and for your love for the truth. I hope we see each other again. Maybe you can come up to East Tennessee. You would be our honored guests. I am hopeful that the things we have talked about will be helpful to you in your walk with God and in your influence on your lost neighbors and friends.

Maybe you are a Christian who has lost your courage or lost your faith in Jesus. Why not come back to Him and find it?

How about those of you who are not Christians today? Maybe you have thought about becoming one, but you do not have enough courage. Have the courage to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe. True, you will need to give up practicing a life of sin. You may have to give up certain friends. You may be made fun of like Noah probably was. You may even have to temporarily overcome a fear of water. The question is, Do you want to be saved like Noah or do you want to be lost like those in the flood? I wonder if you could ask those lost in the flood now if they thought that their worldly life without God was worth losing their soul?

If you have not been baptized for the remission of yours sins, why not decide to be like Noah. Humble yourself, obey Him, and trust Him with your life! He will save your soul just like he saved Noah and his family. Please let your wishes known while we stand and sing?