Great Flood; covenant of rainbow
The Great Flood
The cataclysmic deluge sent by God to destroy a wicked humanity, with Noah and his family preserved in an ark. One of the most dramatic events in Abrahamic tradition, appearing in all three faiths.
The Narrative
The Cause
God observed that human wickedness had become great, with every inclination of the heart evil. Grieved at having made humanity, God resolved to destroy all life from the earth.
The Exception
Noah alone “found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” He was “a righteous man, blameless in his generation” who “walked with God.” God chose to preserve him, his family, and representatives of all animal life.
The Ark
God commanded Noah to build an ark of cypress wood (gopher wood), 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high (~450 x 75 x 45 feet). It had three decks, one door, and a roof. Noah was to bring his wife, three sons (Shem, Ham, Japheth), their wives, and pairs of every animal (seven pairs of clean animals).
The Flood
After Noah entered the ark, the “fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened.” Rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights. Waters covered even the highest mountains. Every living thing outside the ark perished.
The Subsiding
After 150 days, the waters began to recede. The ark rested on the mountains of Ararat. Noah sent out a raven, then a dove three times. When the dove returned with an olive branch, Noah knew the waters were abating.
The Covenant
After leaving the ark, Noah built an altar and offered sacrifices. God declared: “I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood.” The rainbow was set in the sky as the sign of this everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures.
In Judaism
The flood narrative teaches:
The Noahide laws—basic moral commands given to Noah for all humanity—become foundational in Jewish thought about universal ethics.
In Christianity
The New Testament references the flood as:
- An example of divine judgment (2 Peter 2:5)
- A type of baptism (1 Peter 3:20-21)
- A warning about the coming judgment (Matthew 24:37-39)
Noah is listed in the “hall of faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
In Islam
The Quran tells the story of Nuh (Noah) as a prophet who preached to his people for 950 years. When they rejected him, Allah commanded him to build the ark.
Key differences from the biblical account:
- Noah’s wife and one son were among the disbelievers and perished
- Emphasis on Noah as a prophet calling people to monotheism
- The ark landed on Mount Judi (Quran 11:44)
Ancient Parallels
The flood narrative has striking parallels in Mesopotamian literature:
- Epic of Gilgamesh - Utnapishtim survives a flood sent by the gods
- Atrahasis Epic - Similar flood narrative with one survivor
- Sumerian flood story - Ziusudra preserves life in a boat
Scholars debate whether these represent:
- A common historical memory of a catastrophic flood
- Cultural borrowing between traditions
- Independent developments of a universal myth
Theological Significance
The flood represents themes central to Abrahamic faith:
- God’s judgment on sin and evil
- Divine sovereignty over creation
- Mercy and salvation for the faithful
- Covenant as the basis of God-human relationship
- A “new beginning” for humanity
- The rainbow as a sign of God’s faithfulness
Illustrations
