Genesis 7:21
And every living thing that moved upon the earth perished--birds, livestock, animals, every creature that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind.
And every living thing that moved upon the earth perished—

The waters of the flood brought God’s judgment upon the land-dwelling world in fulfillment of His warning to Noah. No living creature outside the ark survived, while Noah, his family, and the appointed animals were preserved by God’s mercy.

Gen 6:17 And behold, I will bring floodwaters upon the earth…
Gen 6:7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man, whom I have created,…
Zep 1:2-3 “I will completely sweep away everything,” declares the LORD.…

birds, livestock, animals,

Creatures of the sky and land alike perished under the floodwaters. The judgment reached every sphere of terrestrial life, reversing the order and abundance God had established in creation.

Gen 6:20 Two of every kind of bird and animal and…
Hos 4:3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it…
Jer 4:25 I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air…

every creature that swarms upon the earth,

Even the smallest land creatures were included in the destruction. The flood was not a local disaster but a comprehensive act of divine judgment against a world corrupted by human violence and sin.

Lev 11:41 Every creature that moves along the ground is detestable;…
Lev 11:42 Do not eat any creature that moves along the ground…
Lev 11:29 The following creatures that move along the ground…

and all mankind.

Every person outside Noah’s household died, exactly as God had declared. Noah’s preservation reveals both the seriousness of God’s judgment and the reality of His saving grace toward those who trust and obey Him.

Job 34:15 all flesh would perish together and mankind would return…
Jer 25:31 The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth…
Isa 66:16 For by fire and by His sword, the LORD will execute…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Noah
A righteous man chosen by God to survive the flood and preserve life on earth. He built the ark as instructed by God.

2. The Flood
A cataclysmic event sent by God to cleanse the earth of its wickedness, sparing only Noah, his family, and the animals aboard the ark.

3. The Ark
A large vessel constructed by Noah to save his family and pairs of every kind of animal from the floodwaters.

4. All Living Creatures
This includes birds, livestock, wild animals, and humans who were not on the ark and perished in the flood.

5. The Earth
The entire planet, which was covered by floodwaters as a divine judgment against widespread sin and corruption.
Teaching Points
God's Judgment and Mercy
The flood demonstrates God's righteous judgment against sin but also His mercy in preserving Noah and the animals. We must recognize both aspects of God's character.

The Consequences of Sin
The destruction of all living creatures outside the ark serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin and disobedience to God.

Obedience and Faith
Noah's survival was a result of his obedience and faith in God's instructions. We are called to trust and obey God, even when His commands seem daunting or countercultural.

The Importance of Righteous Living
Noah's righteousness set him apart in a corrupt world. We are encouraged to live righteously, standing firm in our faith amidst societal pressures.

God's Sovereignty
The flood account underscores God's control over creation. We can find comfort in knowing that God is sovereign over the events of our lives and the world.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the account of the flood in Genesis 7:21 challenge our understanding of God's justice and mercy?

2. In what ways can Noah's obedience to God inspire us in our daily walk with Christ?

3. How does the destruction of all living creatures outside the ark serve as a warning for us today?

4. What parallels can we draw between the days of Noah and the current state of the world, as mentioned in Matthew 24:37-39?

5. How can we apply the lessons of Noah's faith and righteousness to our own lives, especially in times of trial and uncertainty?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 6:5-7
Provides context for the flood, describing the wickedness of humanity and God's decision to bring judgment.

Matthew 24:37-39
Jesus references the days of Noah, drawing a parallel between the suddenness of the flood and His second coming.

2 Peter 3:6-7
Peter speaks of the world being deluged with water and the future judgment by fire, emphasizing God's sovereignty and justice.

Hebrews 11:7
Highlights Noah's faith in building the ark, serving as an example of obedience and trust in God's word.

Psalm 104:29-30
Reflects on God's control over life and death, similar to His actions during the flood.
The Judgment on an Ungodly WorldW. S. Smith, B. D.
People
Ham, Japheth, Noah, Shem
Places
Flood
Topics
Animal, Animals, Beast, Beasts, Birds, Cattle, Crawl, Crawling, Creatures, Creepeth, Creeping, Creeps, Destruction, Died, Expire, Expired, Flesh, Fowl, Including, Livestock, Mankind, Moved, Moving, Perished, Swarm, Swarmeth, Swarming, Swarms, Teeming, Wild
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Genesis 7:21

     4027   world, fallen

Genesis 7:1-24

     7203   ark, Noah's

Genesis 7:11-24

     7227   flood, the

Genesis 7:13-23

     4604   animals, nature of

Genesis 7:20-23

     4605   animals, religious role

Genesis 7:21-23

     1310   God, as judge

Library
On Gen. vii. 6
On Gen. vii. 6 Hippolytus, the Syrian expositor of the Targum, has said: We find in an ancient Hebrew copy that God commanded Noah to range the wild beasts in order in the lower floor or storey, and to separate the males from the females by putting wooden stakes between them. And thus, too, he did with all the cattle, and also with the birds in the middle storey. And God ordered the males thus to be separated from the females for the sake of decency and purity, lest they should perchance get intermingled
Hippolytus—The Extant Works and Fragments of Hippolytus

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of the Eleventh
An unfinished commentary on the Bible, found among the author's papers after his death, in his own handwriting; and published in 1691, by Charles Doe, in a folio volume of the works of John Bunyan. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR Being in company with an enlightened society of Protestant dissenters of the Baptist denomination, I observed to a doctor of divinity, who was advancing towards his seventieth year, that my time had been delightfully engaged with John Bunyan's commentary on Genesis. "What,"
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Mosaic Cosmogony.
ON the revival of science in the 16th century, some of the earliest conclusions at which philosophers arrived were found to be at variance with popular and long-established belief. The Ptolemaic system of astronomy, which had then full possession of the minds of men, contemplated the whole visible universe from the earth as the immovable centre of things. Copernicus changed the point of view, and placing the beholder in the sun, at once reduced the earth to an inconspicuous globule, a merely subordinate
Frederick Temple—Essays and Reviews: The Education of the World

Tithing
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Mal. 3:10). Down deep in the heart of every Christian there is undoubtedly the conviction that he ought to tithe. There is an uneasy feeling that this is a duty which has been neglected, or, if you prefer it, a privilege that has not been
Arthur W. Pink—Tithing

Exhortations to those who are Called
IF, after searching you find that you are effectually called, I have three exhortations to you. 1. Admire and adore God's free grace in calling you -- that God should pass over so many, that He should pass by the wise and noble, and that the lot of free grace should fall upon you! That He should take you out of a state of vassalage, from grinding the devil's mill, and should set you above the princes of the earth, and call you to inherit the throne of glory! Fall upon your knees, break forth into
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

Journey to Jerusalem. Ten Lepers. Concerning the Kingdom.
(Borders of Samaria and Galilee.) ^C Luke XVII. 11-37. ^c 11 And it came to pass, as they were on their way to Jerusalem, that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. [If our chronology is correct, Jesus passed northward from Ephraim about forty miles, crossing Samaria (here mentioned first), and coming to the border of Galilee. He then turned eastward along that border down the wady Bethshean which separates the two provinces, and crossed the Jordan into Peræa, where we soon
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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