Noah and the flood

[Ed Edwards]

Why?

If the OT relates it as a historical event, and the NT refers to Noah as a real person and to the flood as a real event, and if Jesus referred to Noah, why is it hard to believe as a literal story?

I copied the NT references to Noah below from Biblegateway.com

1. Matthew 24:37
   "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
   Matthew 24:36-38 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter)
2. Matthew 24:38
   "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
   Matthew 24:37-39 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter)
3. Luke 3:36
   the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
   Luke 3:35-37 (in Context) Luke 3 (Whole Chapter)
4. Luke 17:26
   " And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
   Luke 17:25-27 (in Context) Luke 17 (Whole Chapter)
5. Luke 17:27
   they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
   Luke 17:26-28 (in Context) Luke 17 (Whole Chapter)
6. Hebrews 11:7
   By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
   Hebrews 11:6-8 (in Context) Hebrews 11 (Whole Chapter)
7. 1 Peter 3:20
   who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.
   1 Peter 3:19-21 (in Context) 1 Peter 3 (Whole Chapter)
8. 2 Peter 2:5
   and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
   

All these look like prophecies. Do not propehecies use a lot of 'Figures of Speech"? I mean like 'figures of speech' instead of literals?

 

[Marcia]

All these look like prophecies. Do not propehecies use a lot of 'Figures of Speech"? I mean like 'figures of speech' instead of literals?

Some, not all, are prophecies, but in each case, Noah is referred to as a real person who lived in history.

Look at Luke 3:36, which is just recording a fact.

Jesus is speaking in several of these. Would He refer to someone named Noah who never existed as though he did?

 

[Revmitchell]

If the flood was local as some have indicated they believe in the poll then God's promise to not flood the earth again was local as well. This certainly creates a problem does it not?

 

[Jim1999]

So, the second coming will culminate in a universal flood!

I have no problem with a local flood covering the known world of Noah anymore than I have trouble with the Israelites crossing the Reed Sea and not the Red Sea.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[donnA]

it has to do with believing God, ,or not.
god either knew what He was talking about when He inspired the bible or He didn't, and parts of it aren't true. So which parts of the bible aren't true? Or does each person decide for themselves how much God lied.

 

[Alcott]

If the flood was local as some have indicated they believe in the poll then God's promise to not flood the earth again was local as well. This certainly creates a problem does it not?

What problem? Either way, the entire earth won't be flooded.

 

[Alcott]

it has to do with believing God, ,or not.
god either knew what He was talking about when He inspired the bible or He didn't, and parts of it aren't true. So which parts of the bible aren't true? Or does each person decide for themselves how much God lied.

Do you hate your husband and children [Luke 14:26], or have you decided for yourself how much God lied? {or, of course, have you chosen not to be a disciple?}

 

[sag38]

Alcot, you don't have to be insulting. Amy takes the Bible at face value. Otherwise, one gets into speculation. There in nothing in the narrative to suggest the flood was not world wide. There is nothing to suggest that it is an allegory. There is nothing to suggest that there were more folks on the earth than just Adam and his family after the waters went down. To suggest other wise is to make the Bible say what it does not say.