Flood, the

A universal catastrophe by means of which the world was overwhelmed by water as the judgment of God on sinful humanity. Only Noah, his family and the animals were saved.

Details of the flood

Its source

See also Genesis 7:4, Genesis 7:11–12, Genesis 8:2

Its extent

Genesis 7:17–20

For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and the waters rose and lifted the ark high above the earth. So the waters continued to surge and rise greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the waters. Finally, the waters completely prevailed upon the earth, so that all the high mountains under all the heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountaintops to a depth of fifteen cubits.

Its duration

Genesis 7:24

And the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days.

Its effect

See also Genesis 7:21–23

The flood was God's judgment on sinful humanity

Wickedness had become universal

Genesis 6:5, Genesis 6:11–13

Judgment would be universal

Genesis 6:7, Genesis 6:13, Genesis 6:17, Genesis 7:4

Judgment was universal

Genesis 7:21–22

Those not destroyed by the flood

Noah, who was blameless in the midst of wickedness

Genesis 6:8–9

Noah and his family kept safe in the ark

Genesis 7:23 See also Genesis 6:14, Genesis 6:18, Genesis 7:1, Genesis 7:7, Genesis 7:13, Genesis 8:15–16, Genesis 8:18; 2 Peter 2:5, 2 Peter 2:9

And every living thing on the face of the earth was destroyed — man and livestock, crawling creatures and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth, and only Noah and those with him in the ark remained.

God kept the animals safe in the ark

Genesis 6:19–21, Genesis 7:2–3, Genesis 7:8–9, Genesis 7:14–16, Genesis 8:1, Genesis 8:17, Genesis 8:19

God promised never to send another universal flood

God decided this in his heart

Genesis 8:21–22 See also Isaiah 54:9

When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”

God established his covenant with Noah

Genesis 9:8–11

The rainbow as the sign and reminder of God's covenant

Genesis 9:12–17

The story of the flood used figuratively

Of the judgment to come

Daniel 9:26; 2 Peter 3:6–7

Of Jesus Christ's second coming

Matthew 24:36–44 parallel Luke 17:26–27

Of baptism

1 Peter 3:20–21