Read literally, this story would require a worldwide flood that covered even Mount Everest! In Making Sense of the Bible, Pastor Adam Hamilton notes, “In my opinion, the evidence in favor of an old earth and against complete flooding of our earth in recent history seems overwhelming … Did Noah bring two of each of the millions of species that otherwise would not have survived a global flood onto an ark? No, I don’t believe so. Did water cover the earth to twenty feet above the highest mountains? Again, I don’t think so … the point of Noah’s story was not to teach history, or geology, but to teach us about God and God’s will for our lives.”

•  As was noted yesterday, for the ancient Hebrews rampaging flood waters were one of the most frightening, powerful symbols of life spinning out of control and into chaos (cf. Psalm 46:2-3). So one of the most potent and poetic symbols in the whole story is in verse 18: “The ark floated on the surface of the waters.” The story said that even in the face of the worst kind of catastrophe you can imagine, there is safety if you are in the hands of God. Mentally, or on paper if you can, list the biggest concerns you currently face. Then in prayer place those concerns into God’s hands, the hands of the God who can protect and preserve you even if this life brings you utter catastrophe.