Day 2 · Part 1: Beginnings

The Flood

Gen 5–8 · 100 verses

Text size

In the Story

Chapter 3: The FloodAbout 10 minutes, or listen

In context

Genesis 5 is a family list from Adam to Noah, ten generations with remarkably long lives; Methuselah’s 969 years are the longest in the Bible (Genesis 5:27). The list ends with Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, whose families Genesis 10 traces.

By Noah’s time the earth was “filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11). God told Noah to build a ship (often called the ark) of gopher wood, 300 cubits long: about 450 feet, longer than a football field (Genesis 6:14–15). It rained forty days and forty nights, and the waters covered the earth for 150 days (Genesis 7:12, 24). Everything that lived on dry land died, people and animals, except Noah and those with him in the ship (Genesis 7:21–23). The ship came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, in what is now eastern Turkey and Armenia, and a dove brought back an olive leaf (Genesis 8:4, 11).

A word of hope

“For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says Yahweh who has mercy on you.

Isaiah 54:9–10 · Isaiah recalls God’s promise after Noah’s flood and makes the same kind of promise to his people.

In the Bible

World English Bible, as published by eBible.org (public domain).

A hymn for today

How Firm a Foundation · words by “K” in John Rippon’s Selection of Hymns

Organ and orchestra: an introduction, then each of the 7 verses. Tap a verse’s number to start there.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!What more can He say than to you He hath said,You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?
In every condition, in sickness, in health,In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth,At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,As thy days may demand shall thy strength ever be.
Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed,For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;The flame shall not hurt thee; I only designThy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
E'en down to old age all My people shall proveMy sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,I will not, I will not desert to his foes;That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,I'll never, no never, no never forsake.