The Flood

The Flood: A Deeper Look at the Story We’ve Been Told

By Glenn Coggeshell III/Malachi/The Artist ONE

Ever since I was a child, I’ve questioned the traditional telling of the Great Flood. I could never fully accept the idea that all the different races and nations of people came from just eight individuals on the ark.

Now let me be clear—I absolutely believe Noah and his family were righteous and untainted by the sins of the fallen angels, just as Genesis 6 says. But I also believe God’s mercy runs deeper than many people realize. I’ve never believed that He completely wiped away all humanity except Noah’s direct descendants.

This understanding also sheds light on how the giants—the Nephilim—were still around after the flood. Genesis 6:4 says:

“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that…”

If the flood destroyed everyone except Noah’s family, how do we explain that? Let’s take a closer look at what the Scripture actually says.

“All Flesh” Doesn’t Just Mean Animals

Let’s start with Genesis 6:19:

“And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark…”

The term “all flesh” in Scripture is often used to refer to human beings—our mortal, physical nature, and even our tendency toward sin.

Then in verse 20, the text says:

“Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind…”

See the distinction?

• Verse 19: “all flesh” – humanity

• Verse 20: birds, cattle, creeping things – animals

Moses appears to make a conscious distinction between people and beasts. That means Noah may have brought not just his family, but others into the ark—people from different tribes or nations that had not corrupted themselves.

Not Just Two by Two

We’ve all seen the picture books of animals walking two by two onto the ark—but that’s not the full story. Check out Genesis 7:2–3:

“Of every clean beast…take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two…”

“Of fowls…by sevens, to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.”

God’s instructions are more complex than we were taught. Clean animals were taken in sevens, likely for food and sacrifice. And yes, there were also animals taken by pairs—but the important point is, it wasn’t only two by two.

Then comes Genesis 7:9 and 7:15:

“There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark…”

“And they went in…two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.”

“All flesh.” Once again, we’re talking about humanity—not just animals. The breath of life is the same phrase used in Genesis when God made Adam.

Flood Myths Across the World

If you’ve studied history or mythology, you’ll notice something fascinating—nearly every ancient culture has a flood story. This isn’t coincidence. It’s confirmation.

• Mesopotamia:The Epic of Gilgamesh—a man is warned by a god to build a boat and save life from a coming flood.

• Greece: Zeus sends a flood to destroy mankind. Only Deucalion and Pyrrha survive.

• China: A myth of a great flood, with Fuhi and his family surviving to repopulate the earth.

• Mesoamerica: The Popol Vuh tells of a primordial flood before the creation of the world.

• Others: Aboriginal Australians, the Hopi, Yoruba, and Incas all have versions of the flood.

Different names, different details—but the core truth is the same: humanity was spared, not wiped out completely.

The Line of Ham and the Lie of Racism

One teaching I’ve heard over and over is that the Black race came from the line of Ham—and that somehow this meant they were cursed. Let me say this loud and clear:

That is a lie.

The idea that racial diversity came solely from Noah’s three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—is a simplification that ignores Genesis 6:19, where Noah is told to bring “all flesh” onto the ark.

All means all—not just animals, and not just his direct bloodline. Other peoples were preserved. Other races already existed and were part of God’s creation. God said it was good. Every race, every people.

God didn’t wipe out all of humanity and start from scratch. He cleansed the Earth but saved what was good—just like baptism.

The Number 40: A Symbol of Birth and Rebirth

The rain lasted 40 days and 40 nights—but Noah was actually on the ark for about a year. The number 40 in the Bible symbolizes testing, trial, or preparation.

• 40 years in the wilderness

• 40 days Jesus fasted

• 40 weeks in a pregnancy

This flood wasn’t just a cleansing—it was a rebirth. A global baptism.

And yes, during that time, new births could have occurred. Life continued. That also helps explain how population growth happened so rapidly, and how rulers and cultures emerged soon after.

Final Words (For Now)

I plan to dive deeper into the lineages of Noah’s sons in another post—and we’ll get into Adam and Eve as well. But for now, I want to challenge the so-called Bible scholars:

Stop reading the Bible through the lens of tradition. Start reading it with understanding.

Stop assuming everything came from one bloodline. Stop erasing the diversity God created and called good. Don’t let racism or cultural supremacy twist the truth of Scripture.

All races were created by God. And even those deceived by the fallen angels—God found grace for them, too. The flood was judgment, yes—but also salvation. A global reset with divine mercy at its heart.

Thanks for reading.

Let’s keep digging deeper. Share this if it sparked something in you. Comment if you disagree—iron sharpens iron.

Next time: Let’s talk about the real story behind Noah’s sons.