The fact that God’s judgement came in the form of a flood has great significance in the context of Genesis. Remember how the story began. It started with a world of watery chaos. To this lifeless and order-less mass God brought life and order. In the ancient world the ocean tended to be associated with death (this is reflected in Revelation 20:13). The covering of the land with water was a symbol of reversal. Man had covered the land with sin and so now followed the great symbol of disorder and death. Once again, the world is covered with watery chaos. God’s plan, however, was to bring his life and order again into the world and thus he declares: “Never again will I…destroy all living creatures” (8:21). In saying this God is not promising that there will not be a judgement again. Indeed, there will be. What he promises here is that he will not again destroy mankind as he did in the flood. In other words, he was planning to save a great many people. God was planning to extend grace and forgiveness to mankind. That plan is announced in chapter 12. In Psalm 32:6 David calls each person to seek God for the forgiveness made available in Christ so that, as he says, “When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him”. If you are in the ‘ark of Christ’ you are immune from condemnation. By giving your life over to Jesus, you have done business with the judge already and you have received the free gift of a completely clean record.
Reconfirm your commitment to Christ.
Read Genesis 8
