Section 2 Chapter 4 – The Deluge changed everything!
Scripture records that God’s assessment of world conditions was unacceptable (Gen. 6), God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually and it repented the Lord that He had made man…so He granted Noah 120 extra probationary years for the building of the boat and preparation for the promised destruction to come. The flood would change everything! God in His mercy prevailed long with those that lived in that generation, they had taken for granted all the numerous blessing God had showered them with. Their disregard for His graciousness and provision had turned to greed, selfishness, violence and anger. The physical world became their god and they worshiped the things in it or the things they made from it as a substitute for the creator. Of course, we follow the same routine today, we’re no better, as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be…remember.
Some may not understand the divine purpose in using a flood, it was intended to change everything, but not just the physical planet we existed on. It did cleanse the world from a multiplicity of evil, however, sinful humanity still existed in those that were sparred in the Ark. You would have thought after going through such an experience that Noah’s descendants would have made a commitment to faithfully follow the revealed will of their creator God. I’m sure after surveying the physical damage from the deluge, for a period of time, their commitment was steadfast. But time has a way of softening us humans up. We are so easy to forget that God is always working in our behave to bless and to sustain, it was so then, it is so now!
Even though the significant changes had brought about incredible hardship for those called to assist with God’s planetary reset (Noah and his family), He would continue to bless and ensure their success. They were unaware (I’m sure), that they had been an integral part of God’s rescue plan in extending human survival, especially to allow for the coming of the promised Messiah. Just remember God always has the bigger picture. Every person alive today could trace their existence back to one of Noah’s sons. Messiah would come through the line of Shem, thousands of years from the flood event.
God had in mind several considerations for the intentional flood reset. The first was obvious; to wash violence and evil from the planet. However, let’s address another most crucial of them here. The planet had been created in perfect balance, a hyperbaric world that would enable life to flourish and indeed it did. Had the flood not occurred however, the viability of the biosphere with God’s perfect design at the start, would still have provided an environment capable of enhanced longevity. I could imagine, even with the natural degeneration of sinful humanity, 500-600 years in age would still have been possible. This increased longevity would have short-circuited God’s rescue plan of a 6,000-year probationary period (with the 1000 millennial rest completing the 6-1 ratio), for the plan of salvation.
Two important considerations might come to mind: Along with sinful humanities longevity would come a more sophisticated corruption and evil that would pre-empt the destruction of the world. #2 which is probably even more significant is the message that would not have been presented to the rest of God’s creation, as this planets plight is the lesson book for the universe. The flood event was a vital part of the lesson for all unfallen worlds, I know this aspect is perhaps hard for some to believe.
So, this intentional reset, despite the destruction had its benefits, it left the planet somewhat broken and in a vulnerable condition. Scientist today consider what I call, “shipwrecked evidence”, to attempt to explain all they see. Imagine coming upon a horrific multiple vehicle accidence, with pieces of vehicle mangled and spraddled about, then declaring with absolute certainty the make and model of all the vehicles involved. Anthropologists do the very same with collections of animal bones, I just have to wonder how accurate the creations are that they put together. An unsuspecting general public seems to believe whatever is concocted, but thank God there are many who still doubt and ask questions.
The flood event would be the instrument God would use to naturally reduce longevity. As I mentioned earlier this would be necessary to ensure a 6,000-year probationary period. Scripture and history provide ample evidence documenting the decline. Noah was 10 generations from Adam (the first man), another 10 generations down we come to Abram (Abraham). Since Noah lived 350 years after the flood event and longevity was immediately affected by all the environmental loss, Abram was approximately 58 when Noah passed. Scripture identifies these two men as being alive at the same time in history, one died at the age of 950, the other, Abraham dies at the age of 175. This divergence should raise questions as too the reasons, since both are pictured as living a full life, dying of old age. The only significant difference was the flood event that many scientists are instructed and motivated to ignore.
The protective ice canopy would no longer exist, no longer provide all the planetary benefits that had been available to the antediluvians. Greater pressure, increased concentration of oxygen, absence of most ultra-violet light, a closed controlled eco-system, along with the absence of natural disasters. The ice canopy was taken out by meteors and or asteroids that greatly impacted the planet surface. Like our moon, this planet is littered with impact zones. As a result, the tectonic plates were fractured in numerous places, not only compromising the internal water jacket, causing massive steam explosions from exposure to the mantle (water in contact with lava), but allowing for significance movement initially of the plates, but over time slow to a constant creeping that created subduction zones etc. All the geology we observe on our planet today is the result of the flood event, even the vast pockets of coal, oil, and natural gas. These are simply the decaying antediluvian world.
The flood event would also greatly affect the perfect soil composition and an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables that they provided. The veins and pockets of concentrated minerals in various places around the planet are a natural affect of hydrologic sorting. Take a jar of soil half full, add water, shake for a few seconds and watch yourself the soil form into layers. In your controlled environment the heavier elements will settle first than lighter ones etc. However, in a global event with an out-of-control circumstance, the concentration of elements would be more random and settle in various places. This is just what we observe today. With all the commotion and convulsion the planet was experiencing, and the abundance of water that flooded onto the surface, it is a wonder we still have 3 % of the surface to live on.
Noah and his sons, along with their agricultural pre-flood activities, could have been boat builders as a means of employment. Even though there were no immense bodies of water like exist today, lakes and rivers were likely in abundance and replete with a variety of fish. Boats would have been a necessary commodity in their culture.
I’m certain God’s plan of instruction would have included ample supplies for the changed conditions in a post-flood world. The Ark itself would have been their first post-flood home. It would initially provide shelter and protection from the now very changed environment, especially after being emptied of a good portion of the animals. This would have been homebased for likely several years in the mountains. In the area surrounding the current location of the remains of the ship, further up the ridge, is a few large altar stones that could have been used for sacrifice. There is also ample area for gardens and grazing for the domestic animals that were kept for raising herds.
At some point in time, Noah ventured down closer to the valley below which would have been an inland sea. The area that he and the family seemed to end up near is the modern town of Arzep Eastern Turkey. If you remember the piles of rocks erected by Ron Wyatt and the boys on their first trip to the area in 1977, one pile decidedly directed them to this very area. What was discovered there was a very old homestead, with larger than normal (normal for us), rock fencing and large altar. As the town was explored some rather unique features were still visible: Large mud brick walls (originally 15’ in height), sections of a tiled wall revealing the story of the Ark, large drogue stones, an old, dilapidated stone house or shrine and large tomb stones. It is obviously very difficult to document with any degree of certainty all the particulars that would have transpired over Noah’s 350 years of post-flood living. We are only catching a small glimpse of what the new normal would have been for the family. There is no reason to believe that his commitment to God ever wavered despite these monumental changes in life. Hebrews 11:7 states that … Noah became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Before his death I believe he shared with Abram the plan God had initiated for the saving of humanity and passed the mantle to him to continue the divine message of a savior to come.