38B.1 Is there a biblical event in times past
that shows the judgment and mercy of God and serve as a warning to all
people of today?
In Genesis 7:17-22, this is written:
The flood continued
forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the
ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters prevailed
and increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark floated on the face of
the waters. And the waters prevailed so mightily upon the earth
that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered;
the waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits
deep. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, birds,
cattle, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm upon the earth, and
every man; everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the
breath of life died. (RSV)
This is the "Great Flood" during the time of Noah, God caused a flood to come upon the earth
that covered even the tops of the highest mountains. As a result all that
breathe the breath of life, died.
38B.2 What brought about this judgment
of God upon the ancient world? What made God decide to punish the
people?
In Genesis 6:12-13,17 it is explained:
And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh; for the earth is filled with violence through them; behold, I will destroy them with the earth
For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all
flesh in which is the breath of life from under heaven; everything that
is on the earth shall die. (RSV)
God decided to destroy the ancient world because of the wickedness and
violence of all the people on the face of the earth.
38B.3 Before the appointed destruction
came, did God provide the means by which man could be saved?
In Genesis 8:13-14, this is recorded:
And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh; for the earth is filled with violence through them; behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch.
(Genesis 6:13-14, RSV)
Yes, God ordered Noah what to do.
- God commanded Noah to build the
ark, complete with instructions on how to build it.
- The ark was to become the exclusive means at that time for man to
be saved from the destruction decreed by God.
38B.4
Is
it only Noah and his family whom God gave the
opportunity to be saved? Did God gave
other people a chance to be saved?
In 1 Peter
3:20, this is written:
They refused to believe long ago,
while God patiently waited to receive
them, in Noah's time when the ark was
being built. In it only a few, that is
eight souls, were saved through water.
(New Jerusalem Bible)
No, far from it. God gave everyone the chance to be saved.
But, they refused to believe , while God
patiently waited to receive them.
38B.5 Who was used by God to warn the
people of the destruction to come and to preach righteousness?
and did not spare the
ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a
preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the
ungodly; (II Peter 2:5, NKJV)
God used Noah, a preacher of righteousness. Yet, despite Noah's
warning, the people continued in their ungodliness.
38B.6 What happened to all those
who did not believe Noah, thus, they did not board the ark before the flood finally came?
So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.
(Genesis 7:23, NKJV)
All those outside the ark perished in the waters. Only eight souls,
namely Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives were saved.
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