Austin Bible Church
The Antediluvian Period was from the time of Adam to Noah. In this period, the earth’s climate and topography were very different than what we see today. There was no rain, but a mist watered the earth from below. Gen. 2:6.
“But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.” (Genesis 2:6, NASB)
Noah’s obedience was based on divine invitation, divine instruction, divine warning, and on faith. Gen. 7:1-5.
“Then the LORD said to Noah, "Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time. "You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female; also of the birds of the sky, by sevens, male and female, to keep offspring alive on the face of all the earth. "For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will blot out from the face of the land every living thing that I have made." Noah did according to all that the LORD had commanded him.” (Genesis 7:1-5, NASB)
Noah built the Ark and loaded it as God had commanded him with the animals, birds, and everything that creeps on the ground. Only those aboard the Ark would survive the flood. Gen. 7:7-9.
“Then Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him entered the ark because of the water of the flood. Of clean animals and animals that are not clean and birds and everything that creeps on the ground, there went into the ark to Noah by twos, male and female, as God had commanded Noah.” (Genesis 7:7-9, NASB)
God’s judgment of the Great Flood was administered on those living on the earth due the nearly complete infiltration of humanity by fallen angels. The result were half angel, half human creatures with super human strength and intelligence called the Nephilim. At the time of the Flood, only eight people remained on the earth without some angelic DNA in them. All eight were believers – Noah and his family.
For details regarding the Satan’s strategy to prevent the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ who would be perfect God and true pure humanity in one person forever, see the category on Angelic Conflict, Satan’s Strategies.
The Great Flood waters came from below the land and from above. It rained 40 days and nights. Noah believed God. It did rain, even though it hadn’t ever rained prior to that time. Gen. 7:17-18.
“Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth. The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water.” (Genesis 7:17-18, NASB)
The Great Flood has been scoffed at by many unbelieving types, some intellectual and other pseudo-intellectuals. However, some excellent books have been written on the Flood like “The Great Deluge.” Scoffers may say it is impossible to have enough rain in a 40-day period to cover the earth, 30,000 feet or so. In the early 1960’s, a group of men at Massachusetts Institute of Technology studying for their doctorate degrees, decided to investigate the Bible as per the Flood by studying weather conditions before and after the Flood.
They found that if the rain had come from the atmosphere only, it would have required some 198 inches of rain per hour to get the job done. Obviously this is figured on a worldwide flood which the Bible teaches. Gen 7:19. It was not a local flood. However, the key to answering the sources of all that water is found in Genesis 7:11.
“The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered.” (Genesis 7:19, NASB)
“In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened.” (Genesis 7:11, NASB)
“The fountains of the great deep burst open” means that the water stored under the earth rushed onto the land. Remember that prior to the Flood, there was no rain and the land was watered from below. Therefore, most of the rain come from below and some from the rain or the “floodgates of the sky.” The water covered all of the land even the highest mountains. Gen. 2:6. Gen. 7:19-20.
“But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground.” (Genesis 2:6, NASB)
“The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered.” (Genesis 7:19-20, NASB)
The Great Flood destroyed all human, animal, and “everything that creeps on the ground.” Only those aboard the Ark survived. Gen. 7:21-23.
“All flesh that moved on the earth perished, birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind; of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died. 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.” (Genesis 7:21-23, NASB)
The Bible is not contrary to accurate scientific findings. The Bible is contrary to human viewpoint findings and false conclusions. Biblical restoration of the earth is so constructed, along with the Flood, that rationalism and empiricism to the exclusion of faith can lead down a blind alley. See category on Creation and Restoration.
However, the Christian is not to be stupid. A true biblical faith has evidence that supports that faith. That evidence in the divinely inspired Word of God – the very thinking of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 2:16.
“For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NASB)
Therefore, faith in the substitutionary spiritual death of Jesus Christ on the Cross for salvation is the issue first and then spiritual growth. After that, an understanding of the Great Flood or other events described in the Bible are in order.