THE WATERS OF THE FLOOD

Genesis 7

Victor M. Eskew

 

I.           The Title of Genesis 7

 

A.   The Waters of the Flood

1.     The word “waters” is used nine times in this chapter (Gen. 7:6, 7, 10, 17, 18(2x), 19, 20, 24)

2.     “The waters of the flood” is found twice (Gen. 7:7, 10)

3.     “The flood of waters” is used once (Gen. 7:6)

 

B.    Forty days and forty nights (Gen. 7:4, 12, 17(days)).

 

II.         The Key Verse of Genesis 7:  Gen. 7:17-18

 

And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted above the earth.  And the waters prevailed and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.

 

Why this verse?  These two verses focus upon two things:  the flood and the ark.

 

                  The Flood                                                The Ark

         Forty days upon the earth                                Lifted above the earth

          Waters increased                                              Went upon the face of the waters

          Bare up the ark

          Waters prevailed

          Increased greatly

 

III.       The Outline of Genesis 7

 

i.               The Invitation (Gen. 7:1-4)            Summons

ii.              The Entrance (Gen. 7:5-9)            Submission

iii.            The Flood (Gen. 7:10-12)               Showers

iv.            The Security (Gen. 7:13-16)           Security

v.              The Severity (Gen. 7:17-20)           Severity

vi.            The Destruction (Gen. 7:21-24)     Suffering

 

IV.        The Lessons from Genesis 7

 

A.   God’s invitation is not something new (Gen. 7:1a).

 

And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark…

 

1.     Jesus calls all men to come to Him (Matt. 11:28-30).

2.     The bride and the Spirit say, Come (Rev. 22:17).

 

 

B.    Righteousness means much in the sight of God (Gen. 7:1b).

 

…for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

 

C.   We must examine all the Scriptures on a subject before coming to conclusions on the Biblical text.

1.     In Genesis 6:19, the command from God was to bring two animals of every sort into the ark; they shall be male and female.

2.     We learn from Genesis 7:2-3, they were taken by pairs, but clean animals involved 7 pairs and unclean animals were by 2 pairs.

 

Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female:  and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.  Of fowls also of the air by seven, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of the earth.

 

D.   The chapter indicates that the flood was a global catastrophe.

1.     …and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth (Gen. 7:4).

2.     …the flood of waters was upon the earth (Gen. 7:6).

3.     …the waters of the flood were upon the earth (Gen. 7:10).

4.     And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights (Gen. 7:12).

5.     …and the waters increased (Gen. 7:17).

6.     And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth (Gen. 7:18).

7.     And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered (Gen. 7:19).

8.     Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered (Gen. 7:20).

9.     And all flesh died that moved upon the earth (Gen. 7:21).

10.  All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in dry land, died (Gen. 7:23).

11.   And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground… (Gen. 7:24).

12.  And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days (Gen. 7:24).

 

E.    Noah continued to be obedient in all that God commanded him.

1.     Genesis 7:5

 

And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him.

 

2.     See also Genesis 7:9, 16

 

F.     It is a tribute to Noah that his family was saved with him (Gen. 7:7).

 

And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

 

G.   God’s promises always come to fruition.

1.     The Promise (Gen. 6:17)

 

And, behold, I, even I do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

 

2.     The Promise Fulfilled (Gen. 7:10-12)

 

And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.  In the sixth hundredth year of the Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.  And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

 

H.   How did Noah know that there were fountains in the great deep that were broken up to help provide waters for the flood?  (Gen. 7:11)

 

I.     And the Lord shut him in (Gen. 7:16).

1.     Finality

2.     Judgment was here

3.     The voice of Noah was silenced

4.     Grace ceased to be extended

 

J.    The same waters that destroyed the earth lifted the ark and transported it to safety (Gen. 7:17-18; see also I Pet. 3:20).

 

And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted above the earth.  And the waters prevailed and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.

K.   The sentence upon sin was carried out (Gen. 7:21).

 

And all flesh died that moved upon the earth…

 

L.    Noah stands in stark contrast to all those destroyed (Gen. 7:23).

 

…and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.