Page 259 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

FLATTERING TITLES - FLOOD

FLATTERING TITLES. Exalting titles (Job 32:21). The Size of the Ark. (1) Its size (Ge. 6:15)—450 feet
Examples of flattering titles in the religious realm are (137 meters) long by 75 feet (23 meters) high. (2) Its
Father, Scholar, Most Reverend, Pope, His Holiness, capacity—90,000,000 pounds (41,000,000 kilograms).
Archbishop, Cardinal, etc. [See Father, Flattery, The Ark could carry more tonnage than 520 freight train
Reverend, Scholar.] cars, stretching about four miles long.
FLAX. A plant used to make cloth and oil (Ex. 9:31). The Typology of the Ark. Noah’s Ark is a picture of
The “smoking flax” of Is. 42:3 speaks of Christ’s Christ and Salvation. (1) The Ark was planned by God,
compassion for His people. It is a picture of an oil lamp not man. Compare 2 Ti. 1:9. (2) There was only one
with a flax wick that is not properly trimmed or that is Ark, as there is only one Saviour. Compare Ac. 4;12; 1
low on oil. Rather than burning brightly, it is smoking. Ti. 2:5. (3) There was only one door. Compare Jn. 14:6.
Rather than providing light in the darkness as it is (4) It was built by Noah, whose name means “rest.” He
intended to do, it is smoldering and producing irritants. is a picture of Christ, the believer’s Rest. Compare Mt.
Christ doesn’t throw away His smoking lamps. Those 11:28-30; He. 4:9-11. (5) It was built by one man.
with true faith even as weak as a smoking flax are Compare He. 1:3. (6) It was sufficient and complete.
accepted and taken into His tender care. He renews the Compare He. 9:12. (7) It was offered to all men.
oil and tenderly the wicks and fans the smoldering Compare 2 Pe. 2:5; 1 Ti. 2:4. (8) It was needed by all
fibers into a bright flame. Peter was a smoking flax after men. Compare Ro. 3:23; 6:23. (9) It saved both man
he denied Christ, yet Christ restored Him, and afterward and creation. Compare Ro. 8:18-25. (10) It required
Peter’s lamp burned more brightly than ever. faith to enter. Compare He. 11:7; Jn. 3:16. (11) God
FLEE. To run with rapidity, as from danger; to patiently waited. Compare 1 Pe. 3:20; 2 Pe. 3:9. (12)
attempt to escape; to hasten from danger or expected The offer of safety had to be heeded while there was
evil (Webster). There are three things the Christian is opportunity. Compare Ge. 7:11-13; 2 Co. 6:2; 2 Th.
told to flee: (1) Fornication (1 Co. 6:18), (2) idolatry (2 2:10-14. (13) The Ark was secured by God. Compare
Co. 10:14), and (3) the love of money (1 Ti. 6:10). [See Ge. 7:16; Jn. 10:27-29; 1 Jn. 5:11-13.
Covet, Fornication, Idolatry, Lucre, Money.] The Flood as a Picture of the Last Days. (1) There was
FLESH. This word is used in four ways in the N.T.: great evil and ignorance of God (Mt. 24:37-39). (2)
(1) The body of man and animal (Lk. 24:39; 1 Co. There was scoffing (2 Pe. 3:3-9). (3) There was a
15:39). (2) A reference to man in general (Mt. 24:22; 1 catching away—Enoch was taken before the Flood (Ge.
Co. 1:29). (3) The weakness of man’s nature (Mt. 5:24; 1 Th. 4:13-18; 5:3-9; Re. 3:10). (4) The Flood
26:41). (4) The fallen, sinful nature of man (Ga. came upon the unbelieving world unexpectedly (Mt.
5:17-24; Col. 2:11). “In its doctrinal signification, as 24:38-39).
employed by Paul in his epistles to the Romans and The Universality of the Flood. Many modernistic and
Galatians, it applies to that principle of life in man New Evangelical commentators today say that the Flood
which is alienated from God, incurable and unmendably was not worldwide. The New Bible Commentary,
bad. The flesh and Spirit are repeatedly contrasted by published by InterVarsity Press, has this comment on
the Apostle in their character, tendencies, and results. Genesis 6: “The narrative does not directly affirm a
The flesh and its works, and the Spirit and its fruits, are universal flood ... deductions drawn from the
eternally opposed (Jn. 3:6; Ga. 5:19-24)” (Handbook). assumption that all mankind was destroyed are
[See Carnal, Natural, Sanctification, Sin, Worldly.] precarious” (page 88). Many would claim that it does
FLESH-HOOK. An instrument for handling pieces of not matter whether Noah’s flood was universal or
meat (Ex. 27:3; 38:3; 1 Ch. 28:17; 1 Sa. 2:13-14). regional. We disagree. If the Bible plainly states
FLOOD. (1) A deluge of water (Ge. 6:17; Job 22:16). something, it DOES matter whether or not we believe it,
[See Flood - Noah’s.] (2) A body of water, such as a and there is no doubt that the Bible does claim that the
river or sea (Ps. 66:6). Flood was worldwide.
FLOOD - NOAH’S. The worldwide flood which God First, the language used in the bible to describe the
sent as judgment upon mankind in the days of Noah flood is language depicting a universal, worldwide flood.
(Ge. 6-9). No one living today witnessed the flood, so we are
The Cause of the Flood. (1) Mixing of good and evil, dependent upon the Bible to tell us what happened.
Consider the following descriptions of Noah’s flood by
truth and error (Ge. 6:1-2). (2) Rejection of God (Ge. an Eyewitness (Ge. 6:17; 7:4; 7:19-24; Ps. 104:6,9; 2
6:3). (3) Wickedness of man (Ge. 6:5). Noah preached Pe. 3:5-6).
120 years while he was building the ark (1 Pe. 3:20; 2
Pe. 2:5). The people refused to repent and perished in Second, the fact that Noah was required to gather two
the Flood. each of the animals proves that it was a worldwide flood.
If the flood were regional, this would have been a futile

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 259