Knowing that the Days of Noah present a pattern for the End Times, I want to look at the timing of the flood. Particularly, I want to look at three proposals.
Mourning Methuselah
Methuselah died in the same year as the flood. The flood began in the second month, on the 17th day of that month (Genesis 7:11). Methuselah, therefore, had to die within 2 months and 16 days of the flood. Methuselah as not on the ark (Genesis 7:7).
Did God wait for the mourning for Methuselah to send the flood? While the flood may have begun after the traditional 7-day mourning period, that period is not what God was waiting for before sending the flood.
120 Years
The LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also [is] flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Genesis 6:3
Does God set a 120-year timer before the flood (Matthew Henry)? Some say the building of the Ark began at the beginning of this timer.
Did God choose to limit the lifespan of mankind to 120 years (ESV Global Study Bible)?
Did the corruption of humanity speed up during a 120-year period (Jamieson, Faucett, and Brown)?
Still, we’re left wondering what was the timing of the flood, aside from God’s possible120-year forbearance?
Building the Ark
Scripture does not reveal to us the time building the Ark required. Also, The Bible does not specify whether Noah had outside contractors helping with the construction project.
We can find a suggestion of the time in the extra-biblical book of Jasher:
In his five hundred and ninety fifth year Noah commenced to make the ark, and he made the ark in five years, as the Lord had commanded.”
Jasher 5:35
I’m unsure as to the accuracy of the Book of Jasher. What do you think? If Noah built the Ark in 5 years, he probably had hired helpers for its construction. Building the Ark was a massive undertaking.
We know, however, that God’s judgment, as the Flood, came only after the Noah finished building the Ark.
God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1 Peter 3:20
God didn’t wait for Methuselah’s mourning period to expire. He did not wait for the expiration of 120 years (unless Noah took 120 years overseeing the construction of the Ark). God waited for the completion of the Ark to send the Flood.
Completing the Ark was the only event God waited for.
Relevance
How does the fact that God waited for the completion of the Ark to send the Flood have relevance to us right now? Does the timing of building the Ark matter?
Since the Days of Noah present a pattern for us in the Last Days, we can assume the judgment of God will not fall upon Earth until the completion of the means for the saving of righteous souls.
One more thing. God has already prepared the means for rescuing the righteous from His judgment upon the earth:
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 1:10
Those who have accepted God’s salvation through faith in Jesus have already received deliverance from the coming wrath of God. We are already “in the Ark,” ready to escape the judgment of God.
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