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Well let's first notice who God wanted to destroy and/or not destroy. It was to wipe off man, beast, creeping thing me birds. But Noah finding Grace...(Genesis 6:7-8) What other methods could have been used to destroy ALL living creatures of that land while at the same time SPARING Noah and his family? Let's not go so far as to look to Science Fiction, but a flood was the perfect means -- for what it SYMBOLIZED. Rain down fire,and you're in danger of destroying Noah and his family, and not to mention the animals that God commanded him to save. Or, a MAJOR Tornado of colossal means, or MASSIVE Earthquake -- all these would not be fitting for what it symbolized and what the future Judgment would be -- Gods will was not to COMPLETELY destroy the Earth but to LITERALLY and figuratively WASH THE EARTH (not to mention that "creeping things" can't really be destroyed in an earthquake or by strong winds). Yes, God says the Earth was corrupt, being corrupted by the violence of men on the earth. But through Noah, he would preserve the earth and Mankind. (Genesis 6:17-18). The building of an ark, to be saved from the flood, would be a figure of Christ. This figure being: "...in the ark, only a few people, eight in all, were "saved by water", and this water SYMBOLIZES BAPTISM that now saves you" (1 Peter 3:20-21) Noah and his family were "saved by water" which symbolizes Christ baptism. Yet, Christ baptism deals with a cleansing, refining, judging, and spiritual fire. Matthew 3:11~ I (John) indeed baptize you with water...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and FIRE Malachi 3:2 ~ “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderers’ soap. Isaiah 4:4 ~ When the Lord has washed away the filth..purged the blood...by the spirit of JUDGMENT and by the spirit OF BURNING, So just as they were "saved by water", everyone's evil works judged and tried in fire shall be BURNED, but the person HIMSELF, Shall be saved, yet so as BY FIRE. (1 Corinthians 3:13-15) Flooding the earth to destroy the wicked yet saving His elect by an Ark is a TYPE and figure of the saints in Christ bringing the final and necessary judgment to the world through its baptism of fire 1 Corinthians 6:2 ~ Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?... Revelation 20:4 ~ And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them... those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus... they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. And just as the building of the Ark was for for Noah's salvation, the foreordained coming of Jesus Christ, him dying for the sins of the World, is not only ours, but the Worlds ultimate Salvation. So just as their Judgment was a Flood, and Noah's salvation was the Ark. In Christ, all shall be made alive their and out Judgment is Fire, their and OUR Salvation is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.. 1 Timothy 4:10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
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