Genesis 7:1-24 gives us the details leading up to and including the flood.
The Lord called Noah to Come, v.1
The Lord said, “Come thou…”. Who? He called Noah and his house. What (else)? He called the beasts, cattle, fowl, and creeping things. When? Now. Where? Into the ark. Why? Because Noah was righteous and because God would spare them from the flood.
The Lord used Noah to keep seed alive, v2-3.
He called the male and female of each of the unclean animals and seven pairs of the clean animals and the fowl, to keep seed alive. He destroyed all the other living breathing things. He destroyed many and saved very few. Broad is the way that leads to destruction and narrow is the way that leads to life. Israel is a nation but, in the Tribulation, the Lord will only save a remnant.
The seven days delay in sending the flood patterns the seven days of creation that represent the 7000 years, 2 Pet 3:8, that end in destruction by fire. Jesus revealed himself on the mount of transfiguration on the seventh day, Matt 17:1, Lk 9:18. Following his 1000 year reign the earth and heavens will be destroyed.
The Lord destroyed every living substance, v.4-11.
The cross references to every living substance are:
- Wherein is the breath of life, v.15, 22
- All flesh died… upon the earth, v.21
- In the dry land, v.22
- Upon the face of the ground, v.23. So, the fish were spared.
Noah did all that the Lord commanded him, v.5.
The Lord caused it to rain, v.11-12.
The flood began on an exact date: the second month, the seventeenth day, in the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, v.11.
The water came from the fountains of the great deep, Prov 8:28, Gen 8:2. These are from the waters of the “deep”, Gen 1:2, that are above the firmament of Gen 1:6-8. The windows of heaven are in Mal 3:10, as well. The fountains were broken up and the windows were opened and all that water came directly to the earth. This was the first rain ever on the earth. And it rained for 40 days and nights.
The Lord “called” the animals to the ark, v.15.
They went in to Noah, v.15. It wasn’t like he had to make a world-wide round up.
- Bring into the ark, 6:19
- Shall come unto thee, 6:20
- Thou shalt take to thee, 7:2
- There went in two and two, 7:9
- They went in unto Noah, 7:15-16.
The Lord rounded them up and directed them to Noah. This is in some ways like the migration of fowl and the return of fish to spawn.
The Lord shut Noah in, v.16-20
The Lord sealed them in the ark like he seal us with his Holy Spirit when we are saved, Eph 1:13, 4:30.
The waters of the flood increased and bare up the ark, v.17. The waters that destroyed all other living breathing things are the same waters that saved them. Jesus saves and Jesus destroys, 2 Thes 1:7-9. The angels that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the same angels that saved Lot and his wife and two daughters.
The water rose to 15 cubits above the high hills and mountains and covered them, v.19-20. Therefore, it is impossible to date the earth by means of any uniform geologic data. The flood was a catastrophe of immeasurable pressure and decay.
The Lord saved Noah only and those who were with him, v.23-24.
This is what happened to Rahab. The Lord saved her and all that were “in her house” with her, Jos 6:22-23. This is what happens to us who are “in Christ”. Jesus is the only Savior, Jn 14:6.
The waters of the flood prevailed upon the earth 150 days.