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Session 022: Genesis 6:9 – 8:22: Noah and the Flood – Looking at the Water

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We are going to continue our look at the Flood story this week. Our focus this week is going to be on the water. This is a particularly touchy subject for just about everyone. The search for suitable resources particularly troublesome, primarily because it is so difficult to find discussions that do not include hyperbole or exaggerated assumptions on the positions outside of the one being touted. This is precisely why it is a subject that Christians need to be versed in. We need to be able to have these conversations with others. We also need to be able to adequately support our own internal beliefs on the subject.

  • Genesis 6:9 through 8:22

    Text from The Bible Gateway starting with Chapter 6

    Genesis 6

  • Scripture Audio:

    Presented as dramatizations from The Bible Gateway

    Genesis 6 Audio
    Genesis 7 Audio
    Genesis 8 Audio

  • Suggested Study Resources

    The following four resources should be helpful. Of course feel free to chase down any study rabbit holes and you want to chase. This is your deep dive in the Word.

  • List of Flood Myths

    Our first resource is not intended for a literal read. It does provide us with a rather long list of flood stories from cultures around the globe. Just understanding how many stories are out there (even if some are just two sentences long) is valuable. This list can be found at the Wikipedia page:

    Link

  • Why Does Nearly Every Culture Have a Tradition of a Global Flood?

    Our second resource is a very short read. It is interesting because it performs some simplistic statistical analysis of the various flood stories that is rather interesting. Sadly, even though it is interesting, it’s proposed answer to its own question is not really backed with much evidence other than its own circular logic.

    Link

  • Do Creation and Flood Myths Found World Wide Have a Common Origin?

    Our third resource is a rather long read. It is from the web site academia.edu (free account required) and makes an argument as to why the Biblical Creation and Flood stories should be included in our educational systems. In making the argument, Jerry Bergman does a decent job at comparing and contrasting the Biblical versions of these stories with many of the popular myths covering the same story-lines. If you have time, I found this to be one of the more balanced arguments for this cause tan I usually run across.

    Link

  • Yes, Noah’s Flood May Have Happened, But Not Over the Whole Earth

    When looking for decent arguments for or against the topic of The Flood covering the globe or a localized flood; good articles become very few ad far between. The following resource provides a compelling scientific case for a localized flood within the Mesopotamian region. I strongly suggest that you read this one.

    Link

  • EXTRA CREDIT ARTICLES:

    The following three resources will each take you down a unique view of the Noah story. Enjoy.

    Ancient Flood Stories and the Noah Account

    Link

    Exegetical Importance of Comparative Culture in the Context of Genesis Flood Narrative

    Article Link:

    A NEW LOOK AT THE THEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE MESOPOTAMIAN AND BIBLICAL FLOOD STORIES

    Article Link

Here are the broad ‘water’ issues that should be thought of and discussed this week.

  • Why are there a huge number of flood stories found around the globe?
    • What does that imply?
    • Are they unique or derivative works?
  • Is the flood coverage over the ‘known’ world, or the entire globe?
    • Is there a scientific argument for a localized flood that appears to be world-wide?
    • What are the arguments for a global flood?