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angell1
Guest
if we have free will, why did God destroy nearly everyone in genesis with the great flood
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dronald
Guest
For those who take a literal meaning (i’m honestly on the fence) it would be the same as those who are sent to Hell on judgement day. Either way, the people “chose” to follow evil and were punished just as they will “choose” evil and be punished in later days.
God didn’t choose to destroy them, they chose for themselves to be destroyed.
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MarcoPolo
Guest
I am confused why it would matter if they had free will?
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dronald
Guest
Can I mention that your username makes me feel like you should have the highest understanding of people surrounded by large bodies of water?
…I’ll show myself out
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Karen107
Guest
Because Free will is our ability to make choices. The ones who were left to die in the flood continually made wrong choices… They ignored all the warnings from God through all the preaching they heard and led a sinful life. Noah was holy and made the right choices, he preached to them and obeyed God by building the ark and was saved by it. In the grand scheme of things we should learn from that story especially as we also have free will.
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1believer1
Guest
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Karen107
Guest
could it be a joke on the marco polo name?
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Jon_S_1
Guest
Of course
To the OP
There are other areas in the Bible where God interjected. The earth swallowed a bunch of people in numbers 16 and 22.
Of course the story of Sodom and almost Nineva as well.
Just because we have free will does not mean we can do whatever we want without consequence.
On a side, I believe the story of Noah is literal although I believe Noah’s “known world” was covered.
There is so much evidence for higher oceans, and massive flooding from the earth coming out of ice age that it makes sense.
Also , tons of religions including Native American tribes have a “massive flood” story in their past.
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MarcoPolo
Guest
So you are saying that by this story, if we choose “rightly” we can avoid disaster?
p.s. You funny, funny posters…
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Evania
Guest
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Karen107
Guest
Rather, if we choose rightly we can be ‘saved’ from disasters.So you are saying that by this story, if we choose “rightly” we can avoid disaster?
p.s. You funny, funny posters…
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MarcoPolo
Guest
I would agree with this in an eschatological sense - in that we can be saved from disaster in the afterlife. But in this world, even the righteous incur terrible disasters.
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mikekle
Guest
So, every single person (besides noah, and his family) on the entire earth when the flood came, choose the path of evil? This is hard to believe.
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Jon_S_1
Guest
Really?
Let’s say the total population at the time was 5,000 people.
Is it so hard to believe that one community turned away from God?
Look around today.
There were not billions or even millions around at the time.
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Karen107
Guest
There are no disasters in the afterlife. All the disasters occur in this life. We do all we can to save ourselves in this life. In this world even the righteous incur terrible disasters, so much better are the ones who hold on to God for God does good things for those who Love Him. I agree we will all face disasters for it says in the scriptures God rains on the righteous and the unrighteous. Are we afraid of the disasters? We shouldn’t be if we are prepared for them. What we should worry about is not what kills the body but what kills the soul. We want to have God Save our Souls.
I really think of the ark as being precursor to the church. Those who are saved are the ones who are on board ship waiting for when Jesus returns and it pulls into port. Albeit, there are many who tether onto it, but there are ones who have prepared for the coming and sit waiting in their place on the ship with ticket in hand who hold fast the testimony of Jesus Christ who are called to the supper of the Lamb. Maybe that’s the supper found in the ships galley.
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mikekle
Guest
Well, the real question is, what was the worlds population right before the flood? I believe it is more than 5000 people though, you have to consider ALL the continents and what tribes may be living on them as well, it would probably be impossible to find an accurate total though.
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MarcoPolo
Guest
Ah, I was referring to the disaster of hell, which I suppose is technically not afterlife, but that’s what I meant.
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MarcoPolo
Guest
I needn’t think we absolutize scientific statistics in order to recognize the meaning by the story preserved in ancient Judaism. The theological point of the story is that those who follow God end up in life, i.e. the afterlife in heaven, and those who reject God, end up in death, as if lost in a disastrous flood. I think delving into the story for absolutely precise census accuracy is to surpass the theological purpose of the story.
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Jon_S_1
Guest
There is no reason to think that all the continents were populated at the time. We all started in the garden and slowly migrated from there. Plus the ark is an ancient story.
Even if people had scattered, something like the ending of the ice age would affect the entire world making many regional “global floods”.
We won’t know for certain until the next life. There is plenty if faith involved but it is certainly something we can show some rational basis for.
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TimothyH
Guest
It is not just the human population.
**So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the ground, man and beast and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” **(Genesis 6:7)
We have to take into account beasts, creeping things and birds. That’s a lot of animals and birds!
-Tim-
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