Devastation

“Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. 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. The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.” (Genesis 7 v 21-24)

Perished. Died. Wiped out. Wiped from the earth.

Every living thing. All. Everything. Every living thing.

The writer of the account repeats, perhaps finds a new word, but reiterates the point. If you can imagine the totality of the destruction, then you have got the point he is trying to make.

I have often found myself trying to describe what it is like in the aftermath of devastation, e.g., a famine or a hurricane. But this was on a completely different scale. This is universal.

This is not a nice story. The repetition slows us down to a pause, and that is the intention. Think about the loss to humankind and the animal kingdom. Remember the pandemic when the skies seemed quiet?

For 150 days, Noah and his family floated not knowing for how long or what would happen next. ,

We don’t like this story, do we? We try to sanitise it, gloss over this part. God is judging, destroying, and some will say they can’t believe in a God who would do this. Those who haven’t seen the travesty of sin and that persistent evil have consequences. Yet within it there is hope and mercy: “Only Noah was left …”

We don’t like consequences, do we?

But look at those nations in the world, those tribes who become so toxic and evil that they end up destroying themselves.

What will happen to Gaza? Northern Nigeria? There are so many places. Of course, even in your own life, there can be disasters that you face. I spoke with a family yesterday in mourning, ask them, and they will tell you their whole world has ended. What happens when the flood comes for you? How will you face life afterwards? Are you just going to be angry with God? Are you just going to think He is punishing me? Or will you see a remnant? That God preserves. There is hope. Noah is left. God will find a way for you to commence again.

Finally, we can notice that even in judgment, God preserved. The ark is as much a part of this story as the flood. God didn’t give up on creation entirely. He started again, with hope that this time humans might choose differently.