Origin Story: Genesis 6:11–7:24, “God Provides Rescue.” October 4, 2026.
Welcome to North Village Church. My name is Michael. It’s great to see you this morning! You can turn to Genesis 6 and 7 in the Old Testament. I will tell you on the front end, we are going to cover a lot of Scripture. But, we are going to cover a passage of Scripture that is familiar. It is a part of Scripture that is often associated with little kids, little animals, little boat, little rainbow, and then massive destruction!
I think the story of the flood resonates with our culture because as a people we are drawn to an escape plan. Like, when we are kids we were always training for a fire drill. When you stay at a hotel you always see a little evacuation plan on the back of the door. When we fly they always take time to tell you what to do in the event of the worst-case scenario. It’s weird, but we love an escape plan!
In a similar way, we are going to see God’s Word providing the an escape plan but it’s an escape plan that points to more than a boat. Let’s look at Genesis 6 verses 11-12:
Genesis 6:11-12, “11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.”
Last Sunday we looked at verses 1-10, you can catch up on YouTube. In verses 1-10 we see the same pattern we see in verses 11-12. The earth was corrupt in the sight of God, the earth is filled with violence, for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.” Good morning! Welcome to North Village Church!
In general, our culture finds judgment and world destruction offensive, but I think we have just too low a bar for the violence and corruption in Genesis 6. We’re not talking about some teenagers getting into mischief, and so God sends the judgment of a worldwide flood. That’d be weird. We’re not talking about a one-off event that shows up in the news. We’re talking about the earth being filled with rape, murder, infant sacrifice, bitterness, gossip, gluttony, abuse, adultery, and pedophilia are all normal parts of life. Sit in that for a second.
I think this can be hard for us to grasp because we live in a world where human rights are assumed. We see law enforcements. We see civility, so the depth of violence and corruption are hard to imagine. It made me think of the movie Dark Knight where the joker says:
“I’ll show you. When the chips are down, these… these civilized people, they’ll eat each other. See, I’m not a monster. I’m just ahead of the curve.” – The Joker
Therefore, when we look at Genesis 6 we need to remember the God of Scripture didn’t create violence and corruption. He created the world to be perfect in Genesis 1-2, but over time, generation after generation, we see death and darkness escalating, so that by time we get to Genesis 6 He must respond. Look at verses 13-14:
Genesis 6:13-14, “13 Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. 14 Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.”
In verse 13 we see judgment is coming, but in verse 14 we see the there is a means of escape from judgment that is being provided in the ark. It’s likely when we see references like “the flood” or the “the ark” and we might have questions like, “Is this even a true event?” Anyone? (That’s fair!)
First, we need to see specific details throughout Genesis 6 with names of people, dates, nautical directions, with directions to build the ark that are precise. These types of details aren’t typical of myths and made up stories. In addition, Jesus references the flood in Luke 17 when He says:
Luke 17:26-27, “26 And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.”
And as a follower of Jesus, we should probably put some weight into the Words of Jesus. It’s also possible some of us have heard people say the flood is referenced by other people groups throughout history, but if the world is populated by the people who survived the flood in Genesis 6, then it seems likely that story would show up in other people groups around the world.
But just like last Sunday, we need to focus on the thread of the passage, and there are two things that are clear, corruption and violence is permeating all of humanity and the Lord is providing an escape through an ark. Look at verses 15-16:
Genesis 6:15-16, “15 This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.”
It’s possible some of us can get excited about the details of the ark. I think people have built replicas of the ark. I think Kentucky has a Noah’s Ark Theme park, which seems on brand for Kentucky. But, we need to keep our eyes on the purpose of the ark, which is to provide a means of escape, which again, seems to be a deep theme in all of humanity.
Southwest Airlines got famous for their commercial, “Want to get away!” It’s because there is a deep layer in humanity to get away! When my kids were attending Murchison Middle School and the counselors would say, “We want their time at Murchison Middle School to be like an escape from the hardships of life.” I was like, “Middle school? An escape from hardships?” That’s ambitious! Pretty sure Genesis 6 takes place at a middle school!
Right now, as a church in Austin, we’re going into a season of midterm elections, and every politician is going to say, “See this horrible thing about life?” Just vote for me and I will make the world a better place! It’s a form of escape! Genesis 6 is essentially acknowledging the difficulties of life; violence and corruption have arrived! And, then telling a story that still resonates with humanity today about how the Lord provides an escape! Isn’t that amazing? Look at verses 17-18:
Genesis 6:17-18, “17 Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. 18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.”
This language of “covenant” might not be meaningful to us today but a biblical covenant isn’t just a promise we make to each other. Today those closest we get to verse 18 is the biblical covenant in marriage that ends with “till death do us part.” But this covenant in verse 18 isn’t just between husband and wife, it is between Noah and the Lord.
That means the ark isn’t just an escape plan like, “Fingers crossed, hope this works out for you and your family.” This is a promise from the Lord to Noah that He will do what He says He will do because He said He will do it. Does that make sense? It is a callback to verse 8 when it says, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” This covenant isn’t about Noah. This covenant is about the Lord!
Protection and provision isn’t going to come from Noah building an ark. Protection and provision isn’t going to come from Noah’s ability to execute a plan. Protection and provision is all in the hands of the Lord. Amen? Look at verses 19-22:
Genesis 6:19-22, “19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 As for you, take for yourself some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them.” 22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.”
I like in verses 19-20 we see all that the Lord is going to do, and in verses 21-22 we see Noah’s responsibility just to be clear. Do you see it? Yes, the protection and provision comes from the Lord, but the Lord is like, “Noah, you got some things to do!” Do you see it? Noah needs to get the animals, Noah needs to gather some food in verse 21, and Noah needs to obey the Lord in verse 22.
This isn’t that different from our relationship with the Lord today. The Lord a plan. The Lord has a purpose. He tells us His judgment is coming and He tells us He has provided a means of escape. Violence and corruption didn’t stay in Genesis 6. Violence and corruption is still happening today. It isn’t just violence and corruption out there. It’s violent and corruption in here.
In fact, the word “corruption” in the original language means “self-destruction.” And, we feel that “self-destruction” weighing on our shoulders, so that at a core level, all of humanity is longing for escape. Thinking thoughts like, “If this person changes, if this job works out, if I can just get through this challenge, then I will finally have rest.” His name is Jesus!
Therefore, like Noah of old He calls out to us to trust in Jesus. That’s our responsibility today. He’s provided the means of escape. Our responsibility is to turn to Jesus and trust in Him. Let’s jump over to chapter 7 and down to verses 10-12:
Genesis 7:10-12, “10 It came about after the seven days, that the water of the flood came upon the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened. 12 The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights.”
Chapter 6 ends with Noah building the ark the Lord provided and in chapter 7 the Lord is telling Noah to get into the ark the Lord provided, so that in verse 10 Noah and his family are in the ark for 7 days, and then the waters come. Did you see that? Sit in that for a second. We know the story of the flood, so it might be hard to feel the emotion of Genesis 7, but Noah is building a giant boat in the middle of a land locked area surrounded around people described as violent and corrupt.
We know 2 Peter in the New Testament describes Noah as a “herald of righteousness” which means on some level people are watching Noah build this ark, therefore, can you imagine Gary looking out his window watching this all take place? Can you imagine Steve putting in the work for his career, accomplishing goals, and then hears about Noah investing his life into an ark? Noah’s so silly! It barely rains here! What a waste of time!
Can you imagine Fred and Sarah planning their wedding, maybe even inviting Noah and his family to the wedding but then they see Noah and his family decline to attend. Why in the world would Noah decline? Obviously, this is all conjecture, but let’s not look at Noah and feel like his step of trust in the Lord is somehow easier than our trust in the Lord today.
Surely, Noah got the same odd looks from his friends. Surely, Noah experienced the same awkward moments when people dismissed what he had to say. Surely, Noah wrestled with similar doubts in the Lord that we have today. After all, it’s 7 days before the water comes! 7 days with no rain! 7 days with all those animals! Can you imagine the moments of doubt?
Can you imagine the relief? I think that’s why we see verse 11, “On the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, second month, seventeenth day of the month, 22nd hour, 42 minutes, and 37 seconds, and then the fountains of the great deep burst open!” Can you feel it? Can you imagine the relief Noah must have felt when the water came? What the Lord said would happen is happening!
Listen to me, it didn’t happen overnight. It wasn’t always comfortable. Even as a church near the Domain, it can be hard. It didn’t always make sense to the people around them, but the Lord provided, the Lord protected as Noah trusted and followed, before the first drop even showed up. That’s the thread of our passage. Let’s look at verses 13-16:
Genesis 7:13-16, “13 On the very same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark, 14 they and every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, all sorts of birds. 15 So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which was the breath of life. 16 Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the Lord closed it behind him.”
It’s possible verses 13-17 could look contradictory if we think of this as a minute-by-minute description. But verses 13-17 is showing repetition to show importance. It’s like, “Did you just take that in?” Let me say it again! Verses 13-17 are slowing down to make sure we don’t miss, “The flood is here, and the Lord provided” so that the words “The Lord closed it behind him” should jump off the page.
The language in verses 13-17 are intentionally similar to Genesis 1 “every beast, cattle and creeping thing of its kind.” It isn’t Noah solving the problem. It isn’t Noah providing the solution. It is the Lord who closes the door behind him. Amen? This is true in our life today. There are going to be seasons we don’t understand. There are going to be people around us who heckle, and yet the Lord is calling us to know Him, trust Him and follow Him. Look at verses 17-19:
Genesis 7:17-19, “17 Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth. 18 The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered.”
This speaks to the totality of the flood. The waters don’t stop at the ark. The waters rise beneath it, lift it, and cover the tippy-top of the mountains. All the other options for rescue didn’t provide. All the finances didn’t rescue anyone. All the physical strength wasn’t enough. All the symbols of status didn’t secure. It’s the Lord that provides. It’s the Lord who closes the door behind them. Look at verses 20-22:
Genesis 7:20-22, “20 The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered. 21 All flesh that moved on the earth perished, birds and cattle and beasts and every swarming thing that swarms upon the earth, and all mankind; 22 of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died.”
Do you see the totality of our passage? If you feel a somberness to the passage it’s because we’re supposed to feel a somberness to the passage. The Lord had told them in Genesis 2, “Don’t eat of the tree.” The Lord had called out to them in Genesis 3, “Where are you?” The Lord had asked them in Genesis 4, “What happened to your brother?” The Lord had told them His Spirit was grieving for humanity in Genesis 6. There is supposed to be a weight of our passage.
Sometimes people will ask, “If God knew humanity was going to be so violent and corrupt, why did he even start this whole process?” That’s a fair question. It’s sassy, but it’s fair. Honestly, we don’t know the answer to that question, but He must be working in ways we don’t understand, because Genesis 6 made it clear He’s emotionally connected to this whole process.
That’s why Jesus is so important. Just as Noah and his family, it was the provision of a wooden boat, but for us today it is the provision of a wooden cross. The Apostle Peter writes in the New Testament, “Do not mistake His patience for indifference. He’s being patient because He doesn’t want to bring judgment, but at some point, His patience will end.” (2 Peter 3)
Therefore, turn to Jesus. Jesus is the One who steps out of the heavens. Jesus is the One who lives a perfect life. Jesus is the One who takes the wave of judgment upon Himself. It is at the cross that Jesus goes to the depths of the abyss on our behalf, so that we might find life and rescue in Him! That’s the gospel! Won’t you climb onto the ark of the cross today? The Lord is inviting us to turn to the cross and when we do He will shut the door behind us. In Noah’s day the Lord provided and there was responsibility to respond, and today the Lord has provided, and it is our responsibility to respond.
Sure, just like in Noah’s day, I am sure people heckled Noah for trusting in something that seemed so unnecessary, but Genesis 6 is sending out the alarm bell to trust in the Lord. And, if we have turned to the cross then the Lord is inviting us to be like Noah of old and be a “herald of good news!” Amen? Let’s lower the lights. Let’s invite the worship team to the stage.
Genesis 6–7 Invitation
- God sees our sin and takes it seriously.
- God provides our rescue in Jesus.
- We respond by trusting him and taking the next step of obedience.
But I want to be clear, our life in Jesus isn’t just about going to heaven one day, so that His rescue and relief changes how we live today. His rescue and relief changes how we build relationships with each other. His rescue and relief changes how we make decisions. His rescue and relief changes how we walk through disappointment. When we wander into sin we don’t have to hide to find relief. We can confess to Jesus and receive His forgiveness. When we are exhausted from work we can trust He’s working while we’re sleeping. When we’re living out our goal of biblical shepherding we can rest in the truth that He’s the ultimate shepherd. Therefore, take a moment to consider, “Where are you finding rest in this world and where can we find rest in Jesus?”
North Village Church
This sermon is brought to you by North Village Church, a non-denominational church in North Austin near the Domain, serving Austin and the 78757 area. We are a church family learning to know Jesus, love people, and live with Him at the center. We would love to meet you in person on Sunday. Find service times and plan your visit at northvillagechurch.com.
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