The event of the flood shows us God’s heart as our Father. Just as any good father should, our Father is patient and gives opportunities to correct our behavior; although, He does not shy away from delivering just consequences when we stray from the path we should follow. We are going to go through the account of the flood to better understand Gods heart and desire for His children, to be loved and for them to love each other.
Genesis 6.1-7
1 Now it happened, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,
2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were good in appearance; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
3 Then Yahweh said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever because he indeed is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be 120 years.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
5 Then Yahweh saw that the evil of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And Yahweh regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.7 And Yahweh said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I regret that I have made them.”
From creation we have traveled approximately 1,536 years to the start of verse one. Just as we saw in the fall of man at creation, humanity blurs the line of what God asks and takes what he shouldn’t. What is fully meant by the sons of God and daughters of men is debated and worth a discussion at a later time; however, the results of this union is very clear: corruption and violence
Genesis 6.11
Now the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
The consequences of humanity’s turn to violence affect more than just people. In verse 7, we see that God’s plan reverses what He accomplished in creation. He will blot out all that was created. Not only humans but also all animals, insects, and birds. Instead of taking the land out of the waters, He is about to put the land back under the waters.
God was grieved to see humanity turning to violence and strife instead of living in love for one another and for Him, as He had intended from the very beginning. In order to correct this behavior and save those who did love each other and Him, God devised a plan for salvation along with the punishment. Thankfully there was one man who did love God and was chosen for this role of salvation.
Genesis 6.8
But Noah found favor in the eyes of Yahweh.
Yahweh spoke to Noah directly, warning him of the judgment to come: the flood to destroy the earth. Giving Noah a design and plan for an ark, God provided the way for anyone who would listen to survive the judgement to come (Gen 6.13-21). We see why Noah found favor from God to be in this role; because, he obeyed and had faith in what he was told.
Genesis 6.22
Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.Hebrews 11.7
By faith Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.2 Peter 2:5
and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
Noah’s unwavering faith and trust in God, evident in his 120-year construction of the massive ark and his preaching, is an example of God’s desire for His children to love and obey Him. The ark served as a visual reminder of the coming judgment. Despite Noah’s efforts to invite others, no one believed him, and only his family joined him on the ark.
Genesis 7.16
And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and Yahweh closed it behind him.
After building the ark and gathering the animals, God carried out His judgement on the world, as He had promised Noah: the earth would be completely destroyed. Only those on the ark would survived the flood. It was God Himself who closed in Noah and his family; God putting His protective hand over the ark as the flood waters began.
Genesis 7.21-24
21 And all flesh that moved on the earth breathed its last, that is birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, as well as all mankind.
22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life—of all that was on the dry land—died.
23 Thus He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth; and only Noah remained, and those that were with him in the ark.
24 And the water prevailed upon the earth 150 days.
Only those on the ark were saved, while the wicked on the land faced complete destruction. God’s judgment had come. We should learn that, as our Father, God will punish wickedness but offer a way out if we listen. Eventually the flood waters dropped, the ark settled, and Noah and His family came out along with all the animals to once more fill the earth (Gen 8.1-19).
Genesis 9:1-7
1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
2 “And the fear of you and the terror of you will be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given.
3 “Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; as with the green plant, I give all to you.
4 “However, flesh with its life, that is, its blood, you shall not eat.
5 “Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every living thing I will require it. And from every man, from each man’s brother I will require the life of man.
6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.
7 “As for you, be fruitful and multiply; Swarm on the earth and multiply in it.”
God’s blessing to fill the new earth brought new functions and rules. The animals will now have fear in them of humanity, the eating of meat rather than just plants is allowed (but not the blood – showing the sacredness of life), and the punishment for murder would be your own life. At this time, God then makes a covenant with His children that He will never destroy the earth with a flood again. He puts the rainbow in the sky to remind us of this promise.
From here, the children of Noah fill the land and replenish the earth. But as we saw in the fall at creation and before the flood, humanity tends to pull away from God and become corrupted. We will continue the timeline at the next major figure: Abraham and the promises he received due to his faith.
Thank you for reading! Please let us know your thoughts on the Flood and the plan of God!
Willing Today 
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