How does Genesis 7:20 connect to God's covenant with Noah in Genesis 9?

◄ Link Genesis 7:20 to Noah's covenant. ►

Setting the Scene in Genesis 7:20

• “The waters rose and covered the mountaintops to a depth of fifteen cubits.” (Genesis 7:20)

• A precise, literal measurement—about 22 feet—showing that every peak was submerged.

• Total submersion proves complete judgment; nothing on the old earth could escape.

Depth of Judgment, Depth of Mercy

• The fifteen-cubit detail underscores how thoroughly sin was judged.

• That same thoroughness sets the stage for an equally comprehensive promise in Genesis 9.

• The flood’s universality points forward to a covenant with universal reach: “every living creature of every kind” (9:15-16).

From Global Flood to Global Promise (Genesis 9:8-17)

• 9:11 – “I establish My covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood.”

• 9:13 – “I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant.”

• 9:15-16 – “Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life… the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature.”

Connection points:

1. Extent: 7:20 shows waters high above every mountain; 9:11 promises such waters will never cover the earth again.

2. Memory: The terrifying height of the flood becomes the backdrop for the comforting sight of the rainbow.

3. Universality: Judgment touched all; the covenant blesses all.

4. Reliability: If God literally sent waters fifteen cubits over the peaks, we can trust His literal promise never to do so again.

Continuity: God’s Faithfulness Displayed

• The exact measurement in 7:20 authenticates the historical event.

• The covenant in 9 is anchored in that event; God points back to what He actually did to guarantee what He will never do again.

• Judgment and mercy are not competing themes; they flow together, revealing the consistent character of God.

Takeaways for Today

• God’s precision in judgment assures precision in His promises.

• Remembering the flood’s height magnifies gratitude for the rainbow’s hope.

• The covenant still stands; every rainbow re-affirms that the God who once judged the whole earth now sustains it with grace.