The flood is one of many examples of God's judgment we can find in the Bible. However, the flood is the most inclusive judgment (since it affected all of mankind) mentioned in the Bible short of the final judgment. In the flood, only eight humans survived. In the final judgment, Jesus will come with angels taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). In that day, the earth and the heavens will be burned up and new heavens and a new earth will appear (2 Peter 3:10-13). Let us examine what the flood tells us about the judgment of God.
The flood teaches us that God's judgment is triggered by man's behavior. In Genesis 6:5 we read, "And 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..." Verses 11 and 12 say, "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." This passage could almost, be written for our time. Are we contributing to our corrupt society or are we speaking out against this condition?
Next, the flood teaches us that no man can know when God's Judgement will happen. In Matthew 24:36-39, Jesus tells us that in the days of Noah the people carried on with their lives until the day that Noah entered the ark and the people were carried away by the flood.
Though man knows not the hour of judgment, God does allow man the opportunity now, to repent and change. Peter tells us in 2 Peter 2:4-5, "For God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;" Noah preached 100 years while building the ark, however none but his family listened. Man has the opportunity to believe and obey the gospel.
Finally, the flood teaches us that we are individually responsible for our fate in the judgment. In Hebrews 11:7 we read, "By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Noah's response was obedience and action, which saved his house. The peoples' non-response to Noah's preaching left them condemned.
My final thought to you is that we are to be obedient to God and teach and influence those around us. We must keep in mind what Peter tells us in 2 Peter 2:9-10, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities." In that final judgment day (and any other day of judgment for that matter) let us say, "But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream" (Amos 5:24). There is a great day coming but only to those who love the Lord.
Charles, Royal, Decatur, AL
