Thursday’s post included a comment by Shane Isbell, a local farmer, who said… “It hadn’t rained when God flooded the earth!”  He was right… but the rain was predicted by God.  The first meteorological forecast was spot on!

  That got me to thinking about rain instead of drought.  So I started wondering about the particulars of the first flood.  Just for fun, here are a few things you might be interested in regarding the The Great Flood that God sent upon the earth.

  This is worth considering for several reasons.  First, it reminds us of God’s wrath toward sin.  Second, it reminds us of God’s love for His people.  Third, it reminds us of God’s great power.  Fourth, it reminds us of the importance of our obedience to God when the information around us doesn’t make sense {Noah had never seen rain or knew what a flood was}.  Fifth, our God is one of order, specifics, and details… and we should follow His decrees as such.  Sixth, it is good to know the Bible stories down to the details beacuse we learn about God and His character.  As such, we become more like Him. Seventh, all of this causes us to be in awe of God and worship Him.  Last, it reminds us that our God is God. 

  Now for a few things you probably already knew, but is good to be reminded of, about The Great Flood.  You can visit Answers In Genesis for a more detailed treatment of this subject.

  God sent the Great Flood because of the sinfulness of mankind (Genesis 6:5-8).

  It took Noah 120 years to build the ark (Genesis 6:3). 

  Only Noah and his family were saved (Genesis 7:1 and Genesis 7:4).

  Seven pairs of every clean animal and one pair of every unclean animal was on the ark (Genesis 7:2).

  Noah’s ark was huge (Genesis 6:15)!  The ark was 450 feet long… 75 feet wide… and 45 feet high!  The total volume was equal to 522 standard American railroad stock cars, each of which can hold 240 sheep.  The ark was plenty large enough to hold all the animals (Click here and here and here).  Click here for a interesting video comparison of the ark to other ocean vessels. 

  Dinosaurs were on the ark.  There were seven pairs of EVERY/ALL clean and one pair of EVERY/ALL unclean animal.  This had to have included the dinosaurs! (Genesis 7:2).  Thought: They didn’t have to be mature adults, they could very well have been infant babies that God sustained during their time on the ark.  They also could have be put into hibernation by God for them during the time of the flood.

  It rained for 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12).

  The fountains of the deep were opened in addition to the rain.  Think of these like mega-geysers all over the earth spewing water hundreds of feet into the air (Genesis 7:11b).

  The water covered the highest mountain by 15 cubits (Genesis 7:20).  A cubit is about 18 inches… thus 15 cubits is approximately 22 1/2 feet.

  The water covered the whole earth for 150 days after the rain stopped (Genesis 7:24).

  Noah and his family were on the ark for 1 year and 10 days (Genesis 7:11 with 8:14).  The flood begain in the Second month and the seventeenth day of Noah’s 600th year.  Noah, his family, and the animals exited the ark on the second month the twenty-seventh day of Noah’s 601st year.

  The rainbows we see today are reminders of God’s promises and faithfulness (Genesis 9:11-16).

  It was AFTER the flood that man became a carnivore (Genesis 9:3).  Prior to the flood man was a vegiterian (Genesis 1:29).

  Lesson: The water that destroyed also saved.  The flood that killed everything that had breath also lifted the ark with Noah, his family, and all the animals to safety.  Lesson: God is serious about sin, and so should we be.  Lesson: The God who destroys is also the God of salvation.

  Are there any lessons you realize from the story of The Great Flood?