“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them”( Genesis 6:5-7).
God’s perfect creation was ruined when sin entered the world. After Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the garden, and Cain’s killing his brother, it appears that man very quickly gave himself over to every type of sin possible, so much so that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were evil continually.” It is hard to comprehend how this could happen, with Adam alive to talk to, and with God speaking to the fathers, it does not seem possible. But it happened, and now God repents he ever made man and vows to destroy man, beasts and fowls. He says.
“And Behold, I even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die” (Genesis 6:17).
“A flood of waters upon the earth” was decreed by God, which would destroy all life that breathes air that was outside the ark, and IT HAPPENED! This account has raised many questions about how this could occur. Where did the water come from? How could the ark hold all of those animals, 34 million species? What evidence do we have for the Flood’s occurrence? Can we prove that it was not just a local flood? How could Noah have built such a structure as large as the ark with no modern equipment? The questions and doubts about it could go on and on.
These are questions that need to be addressed concerning the Flood. There is much scientific evidence for the truths revealed in this account. This story is foundational to much of the rest of the Bible, and we if we cannot have faith that it is true, then why have faith that anything else is true? Many in the world have challenged this story. All atheists would scoff at its truth and this we would expect. Some Bible believers doubt the literal truths of it. Even some New Testament Christians have questioned it. Yet the inspired writers of the New Testament had no doubts whatsoever in its truthfulness. Matthew, Mark, Peter, Paul and Jesus himself believed in the historical event of the Flood. Our faith demands we believe. God has left us many witnesses so that our faith is not without evidence.
[Editors Note: Every external evidence to the Bible that calls for a Divine Designer as opposed to happenchance confirms the biblical account of origins and strongly denies atheistic evolutionary theory. Brother David P. Everson’s ongoing series on external evidences continue to promote faith in God and in his Holy Word, the Bible. I hope that you are enjoying these articles as much as I am.]