Why Did God Destroy People through the Flood?

Having a Different Heart from God

There is a story in Genesis about God destroying people through the flood. Why do you think God destroyed them?

In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve and allowed them to live happily in a beautiful place called Eden. Also, He blessed them so that they could bear many children and prosper. But, God told Adam not to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, that was in the midst of the garden. If he ate the fruit, then he would know good and evil; therefore, God made it so that they would live being led by Him and not live by discerning good and evil on their own. However, Eve was tempted by the serpent. And by accepting a thought different from the Word of God, she ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam followed by eating it too.

Since then a judgment that was different from God appeared in Adam and Eve. They began to have a different heart from God. From that moment on, God decided to destroy works that were done with a different thought and a different heart from His.

“Will Taking Some of These Things Be a Great Sin?”

There is a story about a couple named Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 5. They offered money from selling land to God, but they hid some of it secretly. They had the thought, “How great a sin could it be to hide a little bit of it?” Yet they also had the heart, “I sold land and offered it to God!” However, God cursed them and made Ananias and Sapphira die.

In the book of Joshua when the Israelites seized the fortress of Jericho, God said to them, “Do not take anything from the Jericho.” However, Achan secretly took and hid a valuable Babylonian garment, a wedge of gold, and some silver. Achan thought, “Would having a few of these things be a great sin when we followed God and accomplished a great work?” As a result, Achan and his entire family perished.

Although Ananias, Sapphira, and Achan regarded what they had done to be trivial, it was clearly going against the Word of God. During the time of the flood, God clearly spoke through Noah saying, “There will be a great flood so make an ark to prepare for that day and enter the ark.” However, Satan made the people think, “No way, God is not going to create such a catastrophe!” This was a thought from the flesh that was different from the Word of God. So, people followed the thoughts given by Satan and boldly defied the Word of God. Also, they mocked and ridiculed Noah who lived by following the Word of God.

To Be Carnally Minded Is Death

The people who died during the flood did not perish because they murdered or stole. They perished because they followed their own thought that was different from the Word of God. The book of Romans divides the “mind of God” from the “carnal mind”; thus, “to be carnally minded is death” and “to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Also, there is a more detailed explanation of the carnal mind in Romans 8:7, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”

Jesus was nailed to the cross and forgave all of our sins. But Satan cunningly deceives us to follow a thought of the flesh, “But I am a sinner because I committed sin again.” It is said in the Bible that through the death of Jesus being nailed to the cross, our sins have been washed as white as snow, and there is no need of an offering for sin. God said that He remembers our sins no more. Yet, some people are led by Satan and say, “But I have sin.” They follow their thought, which is different from the Word of God, because it seems right to them.

Even if It’s a Little Thing, if We Accept the Carnal Mind

When a thought of the flesh forms inside of us, it doesn’t appear to be wrong at first. It begins with a degree of neglecting the Word of God by thinking, “It will be okay for this. This will not be a problem.” Then, we think, “I do not murder nor do I steal.” Without thinking much of it, we accept the thought of the flesh. But that thought of the flesh grows inside of us and leads us eventually to the path of destruction.

The Bible is speaking firmly to us.

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

According to these Words, the thought of the flesh is death. Also, the thought of the Spirit is life and peace. Therefore, if we accept the smallest thought of the flesh, then that will continue into accepting more thoughts of the flesh. In result, we will be cursed and destroyed.

The Word of God to People Who Are Walking the Path of Destruction

By showing us the result of people following their own thoughts in different parts of the Bible, God is warning us of the consequences of walking that path. No matter how good or right it might seem in our eyes, He leads us to throw away our thoughts and follow the Word of God.

I hope that the will of God can be witnessed through all of us. Just as Noah cried out about the path of salvation to the dark world that was filled with people following after their own thoughts, I hope that you can preach the Word of God to all the people who are walking on the path of destruction and therefore, glorify God.