“The Flood”

Series: A Journey through the Old Testament [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

May 16, 2021

Introductory Comments:

We are continuing our series called “A Journey through the Old Testament.” Thus far, we’ve discussed Creation and the Fall. Now, we’re going to see what happens in the history of our world and the Word of God after the Fall. 

Remember, sin messed up everything. We’re going to see that on full display in today’s sermon. 

Before we go any further, let’s pray together.

(prayer)

As we move from the Fall to the time just before the Flood, we see that things start to get messed up. Many, many years go by and things start to get really ugly. So, God does something about it. 

So, as we look at this, let’s start with the . . .

I. Major elements[on screen]

First, God decided to destroy the earth because humanity had become extremely wicked (Genesis 6:5-7) [on screen]

Look at what Genesis 6:5-7 says. (read in paper Bible)

Sometimes we think that things are worse now than they have ever been, but I mean to tell you that sin has been eating away at humanity ever since the Fall in Genesis 3. 

The Bible describes the scope and severity of sin at that time in this way: “human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time.”  

Things were really bad. In fact, the Bible says that things were so bad that God Himself said that He regretted that He had made mankind. 

When it says that God “regretted” making mankind, it means that God was tremendously grieved by the sins of mankind. 

And so, God had determined that enough was enough and He will judge sin. 

Next, God commanded Noah to make an ark (Genesis 6:14) [on screen]

Look at verse 14. (read in paper Bible)

Even though God had enough and He was going to bring judgment, He didn’t plan to do so without bringing a plan of rescue and restoration. That plan involved Noah building an ark. 

Well, why did God pick Noah? Look back at verse 8 of chapter 6. (read in paper Bible)

Noah is described as finding favor with God, as being righteous, blameless among his contemporaries, and as someone who walked with God. 

Noah was the man through whom God would bring rescue and restoration. 

So, God plans to flood the earth, but He will  preserve Noah’s family and each kind of animal (Genesis 6:17-19) [on screen]

God’s plan not only involved Noah building the ark, but Noah’s family occupying the ark and bringing about the restoration of humanity. 

Look at verses 17-19 of chapter 6. (read in paper Bible)

Next, we see, it rained on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights and flooded everything (Genesis 7:11-24) [on screen]

This was so much water, it covered even the mountains. 

The Bible says numerous times and in numerous ways, that everything that breathed died, except Noah’s family and those animals that were on the ark. This was an absolute cataclysmic disaster. 

After the flood, God brought a wind to dry up the floods (Genesis 8:1) [on screen]

After the flood had taken its effect and God had enough, He sent a wind to help blow away the waters.Look at verse 1 of chapter 8. (read in paper Bible).

Next, Noah sent out birds to see if the earth was dry (Genesis 8:6-12) [on screen]

First Noah sent out a raven, then he sent out a dove, then he waited a little longer and sent the dove out again and it returned with an olive leaf, finally he sent the dove out again and it didn’t return (implying that it had found dry land). 

Then, the earth finally dried up and everyone came out of the ark (Genesis 8:13-19) [on screen]

I bet they were all ready to get out of there! They came out, the animals spread out and they were fruitful and multiplied. 

After coming out of the ark, Noah sacrificed some of the animals to the Lord and the Lord was pleased with the offering. 

Finally, G