F. But God remembered Noah, 8:1.The flood during Noah's time is recorded in Genesis 6-9; the relative amount of space (8% of the book in terms of chapter count) and the details given to it underline its importance for the understanding the book. The flood has traditionally been understood as a worldwide phenomenon; archaeological and geological data, however, show no evidence of a universal flood. "[T]he predominance of qualified Christian scholarship appears to favor a local flood interpretation because of the lack of evidence for and the problems attendant on a universal flood." While you will find many Internet sites, especially by Young Earth Creationists, advocating a universal flood, they present no evidence that is compatible with the findings not only of modern geology (there is not evidence for a global flood) but also of zoogeography. If the flood was global, e.g., how does one account for the fact that kangaroos and platypus are found only in Australia and not all along the way from Mount Ararat (where the ark came to rest). The journey would have required many generations of these animals to complete and some would inevitably be left along the way. Either which way one interprets "the flood," problems remain.
These problems, however, serve to point us back to a very important point, i.e., the account is not about "the flood." The account is structured as a chiasma:
A. "After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth," 5:32.
B. Sexual impropriety of the sons of< God with the daughters of men (banot ha'adam), 6:1-4.
C. God's intention to destroy all living creatures on earth, but finds favour in Noah, and promises to make a covenant with him, 6:5-22.
D. God commands Noah to enter the ark: "Yahweh said to Noah, 'Go into the ark . . ," 7:1-10.
E. The Flood: "The springs of the great deep burst forth and the floodgates of heaven open . . . the rain fell for forty days and nights . . . The water lifted the ark above the earth . . . over the mountains . . . the water flooded the earth for 150 days. . ," 7"11-24.
F. But God remembered Noah, 8:1.
E'. The Recess: "The springs of the great deep and the floodgates of heaven were closed . . . the water receded 150 days . . . the ark came to rest on the mountain of Ararat . . . After forty days, Noah opened the window . . ." 8:2-6.
D'. God commands Noah to leave the ark: "God said to Noah, 'Come out of the ark . . .' 8:15-20.
C'. God's promises never again to destroy all living creatures on earth, and makes a covenant with Noah, 8:21-9:17.
B'. Sexual impropriety of the son of Noah with his father: "Noah, a man of the soil ('ish ha'adam)" 9:18-27 (20).
A'. "After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and then he died," 9:28-29.
The emphasis of the entire narrative is on the grace of God—He will not permit even His wrath at the greatest depth of human sinfulness to obscure His justice and righteousness on behalf of a single family. To miss this is to fail in everything we say about the flood.
An axcellent overview is provided by Biblical Training N html
Further Reading & Resources:
G.S. Cansdale, "A Universal Flood: Some Practical Difficulties," Faith and Thought 98.2, 3 (1970): 61-68. N html
D.J.A. Clines, "The Theology of the Flood Narrative," Faith and Thought 100.2 (1972-3): 128-142. N html
Colin A. Russell, "Noah and the Neptunists, Faith and Thought 100.2 (1972-3): 143-158. N html
Frederick A. Filby, "Approaches to Reconciliation," Faith and Thought 100.2 (1972-3): 159-173. N html
Robert E.D. Clark, "The Black Sea and Noah's Flood," Faith and Thought 100.2 (1972-3): 174-179. N html
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