Transcript
Was God harsh in judging the whole world with a flood?
Stephen:
One of the Bible stories people often find shocking is the flood—where the whole world is destroyed except for Noah and his family. It seems extreme. Why would God wipe out all of mankind like that?
Joel:
Yeah, that’s how a lot of people react. But it’s kind of strange when you think about it. One of the most common objections to God is that He doesn’t deal with evil—people look around at wars and cruelty and wonder why He seems to do nothing. But then, when you read a story where He does step in and judge evil, people don’t like that either. So what do we want God to do?
This story teaches that sin has consequences. Humanity’s rebellion leads to the unraveling of society and a rise in wickedness that God has to respond to. It shows us something about who God is.
Stephen:
Right, and Genesis 6 paints a really serious picture. Humanity isn’t turning out the way God intended. God's desire was for people to bear His image and represent Him on the earth. But instead, what He sees is violence and corruption everywhere.
It says, “Every intention of the thoughts of their heart was only evil continually.” This wasn’t a one-off lapse. It was deep and constant. Humanity had chosen this.
Joel: And God responds, because He always does. Maybe not instantly, but He marks sin. He remembers it.
Why doesn’t God just punish the worst people?
Another common objection is: Why does God punish all of us? I’m not that bad compared to others. But if God is fair and just, then He has to deal with all sin—mine, yours, not just the most extreme cases. We expect Him to judge the Hitlers and Stalins of this world, but the same moral standards apply to everyone.
A God who shrugs at human cruelty and evil wouldn’t be worthy of worship. It’s because God is love that He punishes sin. True love hates what is evil. People think there's a tension between God’s love and His wrath, but they’re actually connected. In a world where evil exists, a loving God must also be a just God.
Stephen:
Exactly. We often think the opposite of love is hate, but really, it’s indifference. If you neglect a child, you’re not hating them—you’re failing to care. God isn’t indifferent to His creation. He hears the cries of the suffering, and He sees the evil in our hearts.
Joel:
That’s key. God's judgment doesn’t just reveal His character—it also tells us something about us. We’re not like objects or machines you can smash when they stop working. We’re moral beings. We have free will. That’s why God holds us accountable.
God’s patience with sinners
Stephen:
But what’s amazing is that judgment doesn't come straight away. We saw this with Cain, and we see it again with Noah. God gave the world a hundred years while Noah built the ark. It was a warning, a chance to repent. But they didn’t turn.
Joel:
That’s a theme throughout the Bible. God is patient. He doesn’t want anyone to perish—He wants everyone to come to repentance. From the most regular churchgoer to someone in prison for serious crimes, God desires that all would come to Him.
Stephen:
Sadly, in the flood story, people didn’t repent. Only one man did—and we’ll talk about him next time.
Joel:
One last thought. Often, we ask the wrong question. We look at the evil in the world—or even just in ourselves—and wonder: Why doesn’t God judge? But the real question is: Why hasn’t He judged already? Why hasn't He struck me down for pride, greed, or hatred?
The answer is: because He is loving, patient, and longsuffering. That’s the God we’re dealing with.
Stephen:
That’s part one of the flood. Next time, we’ll explore what happened after—and why it matters.
