Topical Bible: The Deluge: Entire Face of the Earth Changed By

◄ The Deluge: Entire Face of the Earth Changed By ►

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The Deluge, commonly referred to as the Great Flood, is a pivotal event in biblical history, described in the Book of Genesis, chapters 6 through 9. This cataclysmic event is characterized by the inundation of the entire earth, resulting in a profound transformation of the planet's topography and ecology. The narrative of the Deluge serves as both a divine judgment against human wickedness and a demonstration of God's covenantal faithfulness.

Biblical Account

The account of the Deluge begins with God's observation of humanity's pervasive corruption and violence. Genesis 6:5-7 states, "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time. And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him in His heart. So the LORD said, 'I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—every man and beast and crawling creature and bird of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.'"

In response to this moral decay, God resolved to cleanse the earth through a flood. However, Noah, a righteous man, found favor in God's eyes. God instructed Noah to build an ark to preserve his family and pairs of every living creature. Genesis 6:14-16 provides specific instructions for the ark's construction, emphasizing its dimensions and materials.

The Flood and Its Impact

The Deluge commenced when "all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened" (Genesis 7:11). The waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days, covering even the highest mountains. Genesis 7:19-20 records, "And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of fifteen cubits."

This overwhelming deluge resulted in the destruction of all terrestrial life, save for those preserved in the ark. The earth's surface was dramatically altered, with sedimentary deposits and geological formations bearing witness to this transformative event. The floodwaters receded gradually, and the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:4).

Covenant and Renewal

Following the flood, God established a covenant with Noah and his descendants, symbolized by the rainbow. Genesis 9:11-13 declares, "I establish My covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.'"

This covenant underscores God's mercy and the promise of stability in the natural order, despite humanity's continued propensity for sin. The Deluge narrative thus serves as a profound reminder of both divine judgment and grace, illustrating the transformative power of God's intervention in human history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Peter 3:5,6
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Personal Experience
... My parents both professed entire sanctification at the time ... brought as never before
face to face with the ... upon me, and, oh, the heavenly deluge that followed ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter xiii personal experience.htm

The Prophet Amos.
... the knops and threshold, or to the entire building, which ... Here, in contrast with
the deluge, the conquering inundation ... I destroy them from off the face of the ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet amos.htm

Geological Reform.
... a barrel of gunpowder, or turn on a deluge of water ... such as the constant turning
of one face of the ... This suggestion also meets with the entire approval of Sir W ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/xi geological reform.htm

The Gospel was Preached to Jews and Gentiles in Hades.
... precious to the Lord, so also is the entire holy people ... "For the Lord dreads not
the face of any ... If, then, in the deluge all sinful flesh perished, punishment ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter vi the gospel was preached.htm

Proofs in Continuation, Extracted from St. John's Gospel the ...
... the third had, as it were, the face as of a ... For Marcion, rejecting the entire Gospel,
yea rather, cutting himself ... been given to Noah, at the deluge, under the ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xiproofs in continuation extracted.htm

The "Demonstrations" of Aphrahat.
... and standing in the breach over the face of the ... Noah, because he believed, was preserved
from the deluge. ... pillar of fire entered and illuminated the entire camp ...
/.../aphrahat/aphrahat select demonstrations/the demonstrations of aphrahat.htm

Exposition of the Doctrines of Grace
... They contended for man's entire depravity, the necessity of the ... above all people
that are upon the face of the ... the account of man before the deluge, and there ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/exposition of the doctrines of.htm

The Believer a New Creature
... The animals that were preserved from the deluge passed through the ... It is a thorough
and entire change, affecting all the ... of us, if we would see the face of God ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 15 1869/the believer a new creature.htm

Colossians i. 26-28
... And as many as have not seen my face in the ... formed out of man alone, and he remains
whole and entire. ... him that was not sound in health, the deluge itself, and ...
/.../homily v colossians i 26-28.htm

Impiety of Attributing a visible Form to God. --The Setting up of ...
... of renewal of the world at the deluge, but before ... has hitherto laboured, almost to
the entire destruction of ... the people will worship before thy face," seem to ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 11 impiety of attributing.htm