Water, Water Everywhere

The frontpage news headline yesterday caught my eye: "PM: Don't expect flood-free Singapore". I had earlier paid scant attention to the news some two weeks ago on the Orchard Road floods after a heavy downpour. Snug and cozy at home, I was oblivious to the traffic jams and millions of dollars in damages for retailers in Orchard Road as floodwaters came up to waist-level. About 100mm of rain fell within just 2 hours that morning. A week later, floods submerged other areas (Thomson, Bt Timah and Tg Katong) albeit with less damage.

Elsewhere in China, torrential rains have been pouring down this month on the eastern, central and southern parts and the ensuing floods affect nearly 69 million people. Offical records estimate at least 379 people have perished so far this year in the floods in China, with economic losses of some 82 billion yuan.

While floods have been inundating various parts of the world every year, they are localised, that is, they are local events restricted to specific geographical localities. We have God's promise that "never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth" (Gen 9:11). This was God's covenant with Noah after the big flood that destroyed all life on the earth.

In the days of Noah, God was grieved by man's great wickedness and brought about a vast flood that wiped out all the people, for the earth was filled with corruption and violence because of them. Only Noah and his family who still worshipped God and the living creatures that Noah brought into the ark were saved. (Gen 6 - 8)

Some interesting facts and figures on the big flood in Noah's time:

• The flood was caused by the bursting of all the springs of the deep and the opening of the floodgates of heaven.


• Rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights. (This works out to 4800cm of rainwater based on the same rate of rain that fell on Orchard Road on 16 June 2010.)


• The floodwaters covered the mountains to a depth of more than 20 feet (or 6.9 metres).


• The waters flooded the earth for 150 days.


• Every living thing that moved on the earth perished - birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind.


• The ark that Noah built was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high, according to God's command. (The Life Application Study Bible likens the ark to a boat with a length of 1 1/2 football fields and as high as a 4-storey building.)


• As commanded by God, Noah took with him into the ark: 7 (pairs) of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate; 2 (pairs) of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate; and 7 (pairs) of every kind of bird, male and female - to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. (According to the Life Application Study Bible, scholars have estimated that almost 45,000 animals could have fit into the ark.)


• Noah, his family and the creatures taken by Noah spent an entire year in the ark.

While the big flood in Noah's time was God's judgement on the wickedness of mankind, we see His grace and mercy in preserving a remnant of life to repopulate the earth. He is gracious and compassionate too, in His promise to Noah, for all generations to come, that never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood.

But the day will come, when Jesus comes again, when the earth will be judged by fire. With this second judgement of the earth comes a promise as well - that there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

" ..... long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men..... But the day of the LORD will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare..... But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. " (2 Peter 3:5-7,10)

We also have the assurance that:

"The LORD is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

There is hope in God's patience, grace and mercy.