Genesis 7:24

“The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.”  Genesis 7:24

From verse 12, we know that it rained for 40 days and nights, but verse 11 also tells us that the springs of the deep burst forth.  Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible states that "the waters either grew higher and higher, or rather continued to prevail, and did not decrease."

I would assume that this verse is referring to those deep springs.  From those the water kept coming and flooding the earth for 150 days.  That's about 5 months.  Not even your best swimmers could last 5 months.

The Gregg Hunter from the Fort Howard Community Church compares Noah and his family's flood-enforced quarantine and isolation to today's pandemic.  He goes on to the next few verses to remind us that God did not forget about Noah in that time.  Let us also know that God will not forget about us.  This pandemic will pass and before we know it, it will only be a memory.

Genesis 7:23

“Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth.  Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.”  Genesis 7:23

This is an echo of Genesis 6:7 where God declared his intent after seeing how great the evil of the world had become.  God said it and then he did it, but like Genesis 6:8 follows with a note that Noah found favor in God's eyes, so this verse also continues with a note that Noah and those with him were left alive.

The account of the flood has not gone into the spiritual state of Noah's wife or sons.  Were they also living according to God's will?  Or were they only saved because of Noah?  They, at least, listened to Noah as he repeated God's instructions and built this huge boat and climbed in it themselves.  Maybe they didn't hear God's voice, but trusted that Noah wouldn't lead them wrong.

Which role do we play?  Are we the ones hearing God's voice in our ears?  Or are we the family trusting Noah's instructions?  Or are we the mobs dismissing the warnings of coming disaster out right and then perishing in the terrible floods that follow?

Genesis 7:22

 “Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died.”  Genesis 7:22

 

Again, Genesis is reiterating that all living creatures that lived on the dry land were killed in the flood.  There was nothing left.  Only Noah and those he brought onto the arc were saved from death.

Genesis 7:21

“Every living thing that moved on land perished – birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, an all mankind.” Genesis 7:21

Nothing that lived on land survived the flood.  Every animal faced the consequences of the corruption of the earth – not just mankind.  As Genesis 6:12 states all the people had perverted their ways and the whole earth had become corrupt, so God was washing it all away.

I pray that when God looks down on me he don’t think I am the same – that even my inner most thoughts are only evil.  I pray that I never get to the point that I am so callous that that wouldn’t bother me.  I don’t do enough – my faith isn’t strong enough, but I pray that he gives me strength and guides my steps. 

Please, Lord, lead me down your paths that I might fully reflect your glory and light to everyone around me.  I pray that I always show you the honor and praise that you fully deserve.  Please have mercy on me when I do not meet your expectations and forgive me when my heart is not right.  Thank you for all the myriad of blessings you have granted me, I hope that I please you with how I handle and use them.  Thank you for your great love that you did save me even though I do not deserve it and there is nothing I can ever do to deserve.  Thank you.  In all thing may your will be done.  Amen.

Genesis 7:20

“The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits.”  Genesis 7:20

The flood waters that covered the mountains by more than fifteen cubits.  What is a cubit?  Per Merriam-Webster, it is the length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger – about 18 inches.  So that would be approximately 22 and a half feet of water over the tallest mountain.

From what I understand from the Qbible, the literal translation should read, "The waters strengthened fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered."  Instead of saying the waters were 22 feet above the mountains, this sounds more like there was a surge and the waters rose 22 feet at one time.  Of course, the Hebrew syntax is different than the way we speak in English, so it can be difficult to restructure the original text into the English format.

Either way, the text is clear that the mountains were covered by the flood waters.  No matter where you go, you cannot escape God.