The flood seems to epitomize our deepest fears about the wrath of God. This exacerbates the struggle many of us have while we detoxify from horrendous doctrines that misrepresent God. God is seen as a god of wrath who demands worship, faith, and obedience. When we realize He is endlessly gracious, that He supplies rather than demands, We revel in the freedom of encountering a God Who actually looks and feels like love! But…this leaves us with a quandary.
What do we do with the scriptures that make God look like the very person we have detoxeThe flood seems to epitomize our deepest fears about the wrath of God. This exacerbates the struggle many of us have while we detoxify from horrendous doctrines that misrepresent God.d from?
Some have tragically thrown out Scripture because of this. However, the toxicity of the bathwater does not detract from the value of the baby! It is worth grappling with, worth deeper study, worth delving into the historical issues and context around these sometimes confusing Scriptures.
I don’t subscribe to the inerrancy of the Bible. It is clear, if we are honest, there are documented errors in transcription for sure. There are also translation issues as well as poor interpretation. Humans are fraught with filters and limited perspectives. We simply don’t know where we are blind (1 Corinthians 13:12). However, with all that in mind, God still spoke to humanity to inspire Scripture (2 Peter 1:19-21), therefore Scripture still carries weightier authority than any other literature, and definitely more than personal opinions and encounters. Holy Spirit within leads us and guides us into all truth and will help us properly interpret Scripture. . For help with this, check out my “How to Handle Scripture Rightly” series.
With all this in mind, how do we handle one of the most troublesome stories in the Bible – the flood? Let’s look at some of those passages:
Genesis 6:5-8 (NASB) says:
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved]in His heart. 7 The Lord 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 [b]sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Genesis 7:23 (NASB) continues:
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 was left, together with those that were with him in the ark.
Skipping down to Genesis 8:1 (NASB), it says:
8 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided.
I don’t claim to have all the answers. Instead, I want to give you various insights and perspectives to help you grapple and come to your own conclusions. In this, we need to be OK with some mysteries that we just cannot figure out. If God could be explained with Scripture alone, He would be a puny God. Indeed, Jesus said of the Jews:
John 5:39-40 (NASB)
39You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.
We all are can be guilty of this. This is why we need both Scripture interpreted through the lens of Christ, and His Spirit in us to lead and guide us in all Truth (John 16:13). So, let’s dive in.
No Buyers Remorse
God is omniscient. He knew that humanity would fall. When we did, He was not filled with terminal “buyers remorse.” Even in Genesis 6:5-8 (NASB), where the Word says the Lord regretted making humans, we must remember that God chose to open His heart to humanity, then it broke when we betrayed Him. He made the biggest do-over for humanity, and it ends in a “but” of grace!
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The Lord 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 am sorry that I have made them.” 8BUT Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
God, in His sovereignty, made Himself vulnerable to His creation (He is not stoic or impassable). In His timelessness, He chooses to enter time to engage with His kids (He is foremost relational). Even in His omniscience, we can grieve His heart, even if He knows that He made a way as the lamb slain before the foundation of the world to restore human back to Himself (note, it is not Himself back to humanity). Grace has always been God’s trump card! So, while He allowed Himself to be open to and emotionally affected by His wayward kids, even here He did not cast them aside.
Love in the Flood
How does the flood and its implications align with a God, Who is Love (1 John 4:8, 16)? I don’t presume to have it all figured out, but here is some help as you grapple with rough flood passages that seem to present God, Who is Love and always has been, in the harshest light.
- Verse 5 says that every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually. It also says in Genesis 6:11-12 (NASB):
11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
Because of the level of depravity, if humanity had been allowed to continue functioning in evil continually, there may not have been virgins of age to carry the Christ, which we know is essential to the Word becoming flesh through a virgin (the incarnation).
God only acts in love, and He did so here to prepare the way for the One sent to seek and save the lost.
- In one passage, there is evidence to suggest that the people killed in the flood may have been given the opportunity to receive the Gospel in the afterlife. 1 Peter 3:18-20 (TPT) says:
18 Christ suffered and died] for sins once and for all—the innocent for the guilty—to bring you near to God by his body being put to death and by being raised to life by the Spirit. 19 He went in the spiritual realm and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison 20 because of their disobedience of long ago. For during the time of Noah God patiently waited while the ark was being prepared, but only a few were brought safely through the floodwaters: a total of eight souls.
God is Love, and communicates His standards and covenant while giving His children free will to choose Him back, even potentially in the afterlife.
- Genesis 6:8 says, despite the severity of the flood, God’s favor and grace saved humanity from destruction in the form of Noah and his family (8 people). His mercy is also shown in saving the animals on the ark. I like in Genesis 8:1 where it says that God not only remembered Noah, but also all the animals. Truly a sparrow does not fall to the ground apart from God (Matthew 10:29). Interestingly, the first part of creation that He blessed were the creatures (Genesis 1:21-22). He cares about ALL His creation!
God, in His lovingkindness, made a way for all creation to be saved from destruction.
- God joined all humanity to Himself before He sent them to earth, including those wiped out in the flood (Ephesians 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:9-10).
God is Love and secured His kids in love, joining them to Himself before He sent them to planet earth.
- The loving heart of God seems to be at odds with the wrath of God. However, the word wrath in the New Testament is the word, orgḗ, which can mean violent passion – a passion is FOR us not against us!
God is Love. He is passionate FOR His kids, even in sin, not AGAINST HIs kids.
- Also, when we see God’s heart, we can see our effect on Him – He is not distant or removed. We can hurt Him or cause Him grief. The word grief in the Hebrew is “`atsab” which means to hurt, be in pain, grieve, torture, displease, vex, or wrest. The word “wrest” means to pull, force, or move by violent wringing or twisting movements. This is an agonizing torment – an agonizing torment that God subject Himself to feel!
God is Love. He is vulnerable to His creation, even in agonizing ways.
- After the flood, God promised humanity there would never ever be a repeat. Genesis 8:21 (NIV) says:
21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Notice here how it says He would never curse the ground – not humanity!
God is Love. In the aftermath of the flood, He promises the survivors of no terrorizing repeat. He doesn’t want them to be fearful.
- God also blessed humanity – again. Genesis 9:1 (NIV) says:
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.”
God is Love. He blessed the very humanity who had sinned against Him.
- He also knew the trauma from the ordeal that could happen every time the clouds came, so He created a covenant sign of the rainbow of His promise for Noah and humanity to see visibly to assuage fear. Genesis 9:14-15 (NIV) says:
14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”
God is Love. He not only promised no flood ever again, but put the sign of the rainbow in the sky as a sign to reassure every time there was rain.
- One last perspective that I will mention is that the flood is an allegorical wiping out of sin from the consciousness of humanity rather than a literal event. This could also be an allegorical layer on top of a literal event.
God is Love. There are layers of interpretation that show more possibility of His goodness and kindness.
Regardless of how we interpret the flood story, we see that love predates, over arches and completes the story of humanity.
Delight in Humanity
Proverbs 8:30-31 (TPT) says of Christ, the express image of the Father (Hebrews 1:3; John 14:7,9), Who is Wisdom:
30 I was there, close to the Creator’s side as his master artistf]
Daily he was filled with delight in me
as I playfully rejoiced before him
31 I laughed and played,
so happy with what he had made,
while finding my delight in the children of men.
The Hebrew word translated here as “rejoicing” can also be translated as “joyfully playing” or “laughing.” God was so thrilled with humankind He delighted and found fulfillment in humankind. Note, that because His delight was in the children of men, His delight was in humankind after the fall, when humanity most likely started multiplying. In Genesis 4:1 – the first mention of progeny, was Cain, born after the fall. For more on the delight of God, you can read my blog: God’s Delight in the Humankind (please add link).
Truly Christ is the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End (Revelation 1:8, 1:11, 21:6, 22:13). God TRULY is other-giving Love (1John 4:8,16). Love never fails (1 Corinthian 13:8)!
I trust that this has helped you become more settled in one of the most troublesome passages in scripture. I love the fact that God does not sanitize scripture to make Himself look better! I’d love to hear about your perspective!
Love,
Catherine
So very glad – thanks for letting me know; good to hear from you!
Very good read and solid reminder!
So very glad it blessed you! – thanks for letting me know; good to hear from you!