01.04. Beyond the Flood
4 Beyond the Flood
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went (Hebrews 11:8). In the study of Abraham, as in the study of Abel, Cain, Enoch, and Noah, one must turn to the Book of Genesis. Genesis is the book of beginnings. It is often called "the seed plot of the Bible," for every Biblical doctrine can, in some form, be traced back to Genesis. This first book in the Old Testament reveals the lives and times of all the individuals in Hebrews 11:1-40 from Abel (Hebrews 11:4) to Joseph (Hebrews 11:22). Thus, the importance of this chapter in Hebrews relative to fundamental, primary truths established at the very beginning in Genesis is self-evident. God has not only singled out certain individuals, but He has also singled out certain areas of their experiences, and He has taken these individuals with their peculiar experiences mainly from a book wherein the roots of all Biblical doctrine lie. Hebrews, chapter eleven is rich beyond degree in great spiritual truths which God would have His people to know.
Overall Framework of Scripture The first 2,000 years of human history are covered through nineteen generations in the first eleven chapters of Genesis. The Spirit of God has singled out four individuals from this period of time and inscribed their names along with certain experiences peculiar to each one in Hebrews, chapter eleven. These individuals are Abel and Cain (the second from Adam), Enoch (the seventh from Adam), and Noah (the tenth from Adam). Then, between verses seven and eight of this chapter, the eleventh through the nineteenth generations from Adam pass without mention. It is only when we arrive at the twentieth generation from Adam (Abraham) that the Spirit of God once again singles out an individual with his peculiar experiences.
The call of Abraham begins a new section in Scripture -- the second 2,000-year period of human history. Beginning with Abraham, the remainder of Genesis covers only about 400 years and is devoted mainly to the lives and experiences of four individuals -- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. The remainder of the Old Testament, beginning with Exodus, covers the additional 1,600 years of the second 2,000-year period and concerns God’s Revelation surrounding the lives and experiences of individuals constituting the nation which sprang from the loins of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, the nation of Israel.
When one arrives at the beginning of the New Testament he will find a third 2,000-year period of human history. Note how this section begins: "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1). The New Testament begins with the greater Son of Abraham, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who preceded Abraham. Jesus Himself said, "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). The incarnation and virgin birth of Christ, with a view to redemption being accomplished through Abraham’s greater Son, marks the beginning of this third section. Almost all the remainder of the New Testament covers this last 2,000-year period of Man’s Day and is comprised of God’s Revelation surrounding both the earthly and heavenly seed of Abraham.
Then, there is the final 1,000-year period covered at the very end of the New Testament (Revelation 20:4-6), but spoken of and reflected upon throughout all Scripture -- beginning with Genesis, chapters one and two. During this time the earthly seed of Abraham will be established at the head of the nations in the land covenanted to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the heavenly seed of Abraham will be established in a position over the nations, ruling from the New Jerusalem in the heavens above the earth; and the greater Son of Abraham will reign over the entire earth, beginning in the center of Jewry from the earthly city of Jerusalem. The greater Son of Abraham will have a dual reign. He will sit on David’s throne in the earthly city of Jerusalem in the midst of the earthly seed of Abraham, and He will also sit on His Own throne in the New Jerusalem in the heavens above the earth in the midst of the heavenly seed of Abraham (Luke 1:31-33; Revelation 3:21).
Prominence Given to Abraham in Scripture
Why is such prominence given to Abraham and his descendants in Scripture? The answer is very simple. The Bible is a book of redemption, and God chose one man (Abraham) out of the human race, not that the remainder of mankind might be condemned, but to provide a way of salvation for the remainder of mankind. The call of Abraham constitutes the calling of a minority to bring about the salvation of a majority. The nation of Israel sprang from the loins of Abraham; Jesus Christ sprang from the loins of Abraham; and, according to the clear testimony of Scripture, "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22).
Outside of Genesis there are less than twelve references each to Adam and Noah, but there are over one hundred references to Abraham. Abraham is the father of many nations. He is the father of the nation of Israel; he is the father of the Arabic nations; and he is the father of "an holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9; cf. Galatians 3:29). God’s promise to Abraham, "I will make thy name great," has been literally fulfilled, but not in its ultimate sense. This awaits the Messianic Era.
The major themes of Scripture, including redemption and God’s plans and purposes during and for the ages, can be found in that part of Genesis preceding Abraham. In keeping with the fact that Scripture is concerned primarily with the future rather than the past, God, in these chapters, deals only with that part of the past which sets forth the future in its proper perspective. In these chapters the pattern is established, the mold is set, and with the call of Abraham comes a new beginning. But the continuation of Biblical Revelation with this new beginning is established upon and built around the Revelation constituting the previous eleven chapters of Genesis. For example:
1) There is nothing in Scripture really comparable to Abraham offering his son on Mount Moriah in Genesis 22:1-24 until we reach the antitype of Abraham’s greater Son being offered on the exact same spot 2,000 years later. These are the only two times in all Scripture where we find God’s instructions for a blood sacrifice involving a human sacrifice. However, the various facets of the original pattern, type, mold for man’s redemption were set before the days of Abraham in the first four chapters of Genesis.
2) The calling out of a bride for Abraham’s son in Genesis 24:1-67 typifies the calling out of a bride for Abraham’s greater Son during the present age. But Genesis 24:1-67 is not the original type. This chapter has to do with additional Revelation involving a previous type. The first bride one finds in Scripture is in Genesis 2:1-25, and the experiences of this bride in relation to the First Adam form the original type.
In view of the unique place which the first eleven chapters occupy in Genesis -- furnishing background material for, logically leading into, and placing all Scripture beyond that point (beginning with the call of Abraham) in its proper perspective -- the remainder of this study will be taken up with an overall view of these eleven chapters. This will serve as an introductory study to Abraham and his experiences (experiences which begin dispensationally beyond the Flood). In order to show the proper framework of these eleven chapters, as they lead into chapter twelve and relate to the remainder of Scripture, material in these chapters has been divided into six sections: a. The complete 7,000 years (Genesis 1:1-31, Genesis 2:1-25).
b. Christ and His bride (Genesis 2:1-25, Genesis 3:1-24).
c. Christ and Israel (Genesis 4:1-26).
d. Jew, Gentile, and Christian in relation to end-time events (Genesis 5:1-32, Genesis 6:1-22, Genesis 7:1-24, Genesis 8:1-22, Genesis 9:1-29).
e. The kingdom of Antichrist (Genesis 10:1-32, Genesis 11:1-32).
f. The restoration of Israel (Genesis 11:1-32, Genesis 12:1-20 a). As one can see, there is a framework of events in these chapters which progressively foreshadow events beyond the first 2,000 years of man’s history. This will become increasingly evident as we study an overall view of these chapters.
1. The Complete 7,000 Years (Genesis 1:1-31, Genesis 2:1-25)
The Bible concerns itself with time -- 7,000 years of time, from the creation of Adam to the end of the Messianic Kingdom. Scripture reveals very little about what occurred before these 7,000 years, and Scripture reveals very little about what will occur following these 7,000 years. The opening verse of Scripture in Genesis reveals the origin of the heavens and the earth, and Scripture closes in the Book of Revelation with the origin of a new heavens and a new earth. Between these two sections lies the remainder of Scripture dealing with 7,000 years of time -- 6,000 years comprising Man’s Day, followed by 1,000 years comprising the Lord’s Day.
Outside of Genesis 1:1 God spends no time in the first eleven chapters of this book supplying man with the information concerning the origin of the heavens and the earth. The simple statement is made, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." In the Hebrew text this verse is comprised of seven words, twenty-eight letters (four sevens). Four is the number of creation, and seven is the number showing perfection in the Divine order of this creation.
Genesis 1:2 moves to a point beyond the creation and reveals a ruined, chaotic state of the earth brought about through an act of Satan, later revealed to be an insurrection against God’s supreme authority (Isaiah 14:13-17). Satan had been appointed the messianic angel over this earth following its creation (Ezekiel 28:14), and his act of insurrection brought about the ruin of his kingdom. After the earth lay in this ruined state for an unrevealed and indeterminable period of time, God restored the earth over a six-day period. Then God set aside the seventh day and rested from all His work (Genesis 1:2-31, Genesis 2:1-3).
The earth was not restored for Satan, but for man. Man was created on the sixth day immediately following the restoration of the earth, and, according to Scripture, he was created to rule the earth in Satan’s stead (Genesis 1:28). But once again an act of Satan (deceiving Eve, resulting in Adam’s subsequent sin) brought the earth into a ruined state. This time the ruin involved not only the earth but God’s new creation, man, as well (Genesis 3:1-19). The remainder of Scripture from that point forward constitutes a Revelation concerning God’s redemption of both the creation and man, terminating with the original purpose of God in both of these acts ultimately realized.
The original pattern revealing the complete scope of God’s redemptive work has been set forth in Genesis 1:1-31, Genesis 2:1-25. As God took six days to restore the earth following the former act of Satan, He will take six days to restore the earth and man following the latter act of Satan. And as God rested on the seventh day from all His work following the former restoration, He will rest on the seventh day from all His work following the latter restoration. Each one of these days in the latter restoration will be 1,000 years in length (2 Peter 3:8). The Sabbath, following six days of work, patterned after God’s activity in the first two chapters of Genesis, was a sign later given to the children of Israel to keep this fact ever before them throughout all their generations (Exodus 31:13-17).
Thus, we have six days (6,000 years) allotted to man during Man’s Day and one day (1,000 years) following these six days which will be the Lord’s Day. This time encompasses the whole of Scripture from the creation of Adam to the end of the Messianic Kingdom and sets the pattern at the very beginning of Scripture which God’s plan of redemption follows throughout Scripture.
2. Christ and His Bride (Genesis 2:1-25, Genesis 3:1-24)
The patterns, the original types, for both the bringing into existence and the redemption of the bride of Christ have been set forth in Genesis, chapters two and three. Adam was the first man upon the earth. He was also a type of Christ, the Second Man, the Last Adam (Romans 5:12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:45-47). The experiences of Adam and Eve prefigure the experiences of Christ and his bride. The basic principles relating to the formation of the bride and the redemptive work of the Son in relation to His bride have been established in these chapters and, of necessity, remain unchanged throughout Scripture.
The formation of the bride is set forth in Eve’s being created in Adam at the very beginning, but not brought into existence as a separate entity until a point later in time. Adam was put to sleep, his side opened, and from this opened side God took one of his ribs and formed Eve. Eve was taken out of Adam and then presented back to Adam for a helpmate. In the highest sense Eve was still part of Adam’s body, and, when presented back to Adam, God looked upon both as "one flesh" (Genesis 2:21-24).
The bride of Christ has existed in the Son from eternity. The bride’s existence and salvation date from "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8). The bride, however, was not brought into existence as a separate entity until the Son was put to sleep and His side opened. This took place at Calvary. The Son died, and His side was opened. Out of this opened side flowed "blood" and "water" -- the two elements necessary to bring the bride into existence, separate from the body, but still part of the body (John 19:34). Once the complete, redeemed bride has been brought into existence in this manner, the bride will be presented back to the Son, and in the highest sense both will be "one flesh" (Ephesians 5:26-32).
The redemption of the bride is set forth in Adam’s act after Eve had disobeyed God by partaking of the forbidden fruit. Through Eve’s disobedience, a part of the very being of Adam became in a fallen state. And in order to effect her redemption, Adam had no choice other than to also partake of the forbidden fruit.
Adam was not deceived, but sinned with a full knowledge of what he was doing (1 Timothy 2:14). Once Adam had partaken of the forbidden fruit, the complete being of Adam became in a fallen state. God then provided a covering of animal skins to clothe Adam and Eve, an act which initially required shed blood (Genesis 3:21).
The First Adam partook of sin to effect Eve’s redemption, and the Last Adam was made sin to effect our redemption. The former act (which took place in Eden) prefigures the latter act (which took place at Calvary). God’s Son, as Adam in Eden, found His bride in a fallen state. He was then made "sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." After the First Adam had partaken of sin, Eve subsequently found herself clothed. And after the Last Adam was made sin, redeemed man also subsequently finds himself clothed. Eve was clothed with animal skins, but redeemed man today has been clothed in the very "righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
What is true of the First Adam in the redemptive pattern is also true of the Last Adam in the redemptive pattern. One is a direct reflection upon the other. Thus, when fallen man today begins questioning -- as many have -- Adam’s act (partaking of sin) to effect Eve’s redemption, he also begins questioning, whether he realizes it or not, the very work of the Son on Calvary’s Cross (being made sin) to effect our redemption.
3. Christ and Israel (Genesis 4:1-26)
Genesis 4:1-26 records certain aspects of the history of Cain and Abel, revealing a number of great spiritual truths: a. Salvation through shed blood alone.
b. Two ways of approach to God -- one false, and the other true.
c. The carnal and spiritual natures of man.
d. The setting aside of the first to establish the second.
e. The crucifixion of Christ and the history of Israel. The dispensational interpretation of this chapter has to do with Christ and Israel, and the other spiritual truths actually emanate from this interpretation. Abel is a type of Christ, and Cain slaying Abel is a type of Israel slaying Christ. It is one brother slaying another brother in both type and antitype. Following this, the subsequent experiences of Cain set forth the subsequent experiences of Israel. Thus, dispensationally, the experiences of Israel as set forth in Cain occur during the same time period that God redeems and calls out a bride for His Son as outlined in chapters two and three.
(For a more detailed discussion of Genesis, chapter four refer to, Abel -- "The Blood Sacrifice," Chapter I in this book.)
4. Jew, Gentile, and Christian in Relation to End-Time Events (Genesis 5:1-32, Genesis 6:1-22, Genesis 7:1-24, Genesis 8:1-22, Genesis 9:1-29)
This section of Genesis sets forth truths surrounding events pertaining to the Church, Israel, and the Gentile nations at the end of the present age. Enoch was translated before the Flood, Noah passed safely through the Flood, and the Nations perished in the Flood. The Flood is a type of the coming Great Tribulation. Jesus Himself said, "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man" (Luke 17:26).
As sure as the Flood came upon the entire earth during Noah’s day, so will the Great Tribulation come upon the entire earth immediately preceding Christ’s return. As sure as a man was removed from the earth before the Flood, a man -- the one new man in Christ -- will be removed from the earth before the Great Tribulation. As sure as Noah passed through the Flood in a place of safety on the earth, Israel will pass through the Great Tribulation in a place of safety on the earth. As sure as the nations experienced destruction in the Flood, the Gentile nations will experience destruction in the Great Tribulation. Gentile world power will be brought to naught, and Israel, following the Great Tribulation, will be established at the head of the nations here on the earth.
(For a more detailed discussion of Genesis, chapters five through eight refer to, Enoch -- "Translated into Heaven," and Noah -- "Through the Flood," Chapters II, III in this book.) The events of Genesis 9:1-29 occur following the Flood and set before us the inauguration of a new beginning. Human government is placed in the hands of man, and God covenants with man that He will never again destroy the earth by water. Then there is the prophecy of Noah concerning his three sons. The line of Ham came under a curse because of Ham’s sin against his father; the line of Japheth was to be enlarged and fill the earth; and the line of Shem was to be associated with spiritual blessings for all mankind. Shem is the only one who is said to have a God, and any spiritual blessings derived by Ham or Japheth must come through Shem (Genesis 9:25-27).
Dispensationally, the events of chapter nine foreshadow events beyond the Flood -- beyond the Great Tribulation -- and set forth a new beginning. The government of the earth will be placed in the hands of man; and God in His covenant with Noah and every living creature concerning the Flood in Genesis 9:11-17 reveals that, in the antitype, there will never again be a time of trouble like the Great Tribulation when it too comes to pass (Matthew 24:21).
Following the Great Tribulation, the curse pronounced upon the Hamitic line will be lifted (Zechariah 14:21), but the relationship of the descendants of Ham and Japheth to the descendants of Shem will remain. Abraham was a Shemite, and he was the father of the nation of Israel. During the Kingdom Age Israel will be the only nation on the face of the earth with a God, and any spiritual blessing derived by the surrounding Gentile nations will be derived through and because of Israel. It has been that way since the days of Noah’s prophecy, it remains that way today, and it will be that way in the Kingdom Age (cf. Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 61:9; Isaiah 62:1-7; Isaiah 65:23; Zechariah 8:22-23; John 4:22; Romans 11:11-25).
5. The Kingdom of Antichrist (Genesis 10:1-32, Genesis 11:1-32)
Dispensationally, Genesis 10:1-32 and Genesis 11:1-32 foreshadow the same period of time as the preceding section (Genesis 6:1-22, Genesis 7:1-24, Genesis 8:1-22, Genesis 9:1-29) -- the Great Tribulation, followed by the restoration of Israel. After man began to multiply upon the face of the earth following the Flood, man migrated eastward from the vicinity of where the ark settled to the land of Shinar. Here man began to build the City of Babel (Babylon) and a tower (a centralized place, probably for pagan worship). This was the beginning of a kingdom established under Nimrod (Genesis 10:10; Genesis 11:1 ff). The name "Nimrod" means Rebel, and this man foreshadows the coming man of sin who will also establish his kingdom in Babylon. It appears that Nimrod had in mind a worldwide kingdom with its center in Babylon (Genesis 10:10-12; Genesis 11:4). And this is exactly what the man of sin, the last king of Babylon, will effect.
The Lord put a stop to the first kingdom of Babylon, as He will put a stop to the last kingdom of Babylon. The Lord came down to see "the city and the tower, which the children of men builded." He then confounded their language and scattered them abroad upon the face of the earth. This was followed by a division of the earth itself into various continents and islands, separating man geographically by oceans and seas.
Events in both Genesis 10:1-32 and Genesis 11:1-32 cover the same period of time. Chapter ten reveals how the earth was divided, and chapter eleven reveals why the earth was divided. The Hebrew word for "divided" in Genesis 10:5, Genesis 10:32 means (within the context) to be separated by languages, but the Hebrew word for "divided" in Genesis 10:25 is an entirely different word and means, more specifically, to be separated by waterways.
Thus, we have here the very simple Biblical answer to the multiplicity of languages and the disbursement of individuals throughout the world. Man didn’t migrate from a central point and cross oceans and seas on rafts or ice coverings to populate various continents and islands. Man was driven from a central point to various points on the one existing land mass. Then, this one mass was divided into a multiplicity of masses, separating men on the earth geographically. Men with their various languages were, in this manner, separated one from the other and populated the numerous land masses (continents and islands) upon which they dwelled at the time the earth was divided by waterways (oceans, seas).
All of this took place as a result of the first king of Babylon and his ambitions. Following the appearance of the last king of Babylon and his overthrow, there will be a reversal of what occurred in Genesis, Genesis 10:1-32 and Genesis 11:1-32. There will come into existence a kingdom on earth with a centralized place of government and worship, but this place will be Jerusalem, not Babylon. God will restore unto the nations a "pure language" (Zephaniah 3:9), and a unity of mankind -- which Nimrod vainly sought to effect, and which the man of sin will vainly seek to effect -- will be brought to pass under Jesus the Christ.
Worldwide geographical changes will also be the order of the day when Christ returns. The "restitution of all things" (Acts 3:21) necessitates that the present continents and islands be rejoined once again, forming one land mass as it was in the beginning. The present division of the earth by languages and waterways is only for the time between the days of Peleg (Genesis 10:25) and the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
6. The Restoration of Israel (Genesis 11:1-32, Genesis 12:1-20 a)
The call and removal of Abraham from among the nations follows the overthrow of Nimrod’s kingdom of Babylon. Thus will it be when God reaches out to take His people, Israel, the descendants of Abraham, from among the Gentiles once again. The kingdom of Babylon under Antichrist will be overthrown (Revelation 18:1 ff), followed by the call and removal of the descendants of Abraham from among the nations of the world.
God dealt with Abraham in Haran after his removal from among the nations but before his entrance into the land (Genesis 11:31; Acts 7:2-4 a), and God will deal with Israel "in the wilderness of the people" after the nation’s removal from among the Gentiles but before the nation’s entrance into the land (Ezekiel 20:33-38). Then in chapter twelve we find the statement, "and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came" (Genesis 12:5 b), an event which foreshadows Israel’s going forth into the land of Canaan yet future (Ezekiel 36:24).
Concluding Thoughts:
Thus, the opening chapters of Genesis serve a dual purpose: These chapters 1) supply information which God wants His people to know about the first 2,000 years of human history, and 2) the revelation of man’s history during this period has been arranged in a manner to provide great spiritual truths concerning God’s plans and purposes for the ages.
In one sense, the opening chapters of Genesis supply the foundation upon which the remaining chapters of this book rest; in another sense, the Book of Genesis as a whole supplies the foundation upon which the remainder of Scripture rests. This is the Divinely ordained manner in which the Omniscient God has seen fit to make His Revelation known to man.