11-12 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. And rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. 16 And the Lord shut him in.

17-18 The flood continued for forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19-20 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits (approximately 22 ft) deep. 21-23 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth for 150 days. Genesis 7:11-24 English Standard Version

Unlike modern day media which gives endless descriptions of what, sometimes, are insignificant events, today's verses sum up in brief what was the greatest cataclysm the world has ever known. In vs 11-12 we see what caused such a great flood that the whole world was covered. Some scientists suggest the earth was originally covered by a water canopy in the atmosphere, and it was from this that the 40 days of torrential rain came. But when we think today of Mount Everest, can vs 19-20 be true?

I think Psalm 104:5-9 provides the answer. Speaking of God's awesome power it says: “You set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.” It's very likely that the high mountains of today were not as high in Noah's day, but were pushed up in the cataclysm during the period of the flood. That would’ve also created the basins and valleys into which the flood waters later flowed.

In the midst of this description of the worldwide catastrophe that took place, did you spot the lovely passing detail mentioned in vs 16?

The Lord, as it were, closed the door into the ark. During the week this happened Noah and family must've been very busy organizing the animals and birds God had brought to them. It kept them busy till the very day the heavens broke and the rain began to fall. It may be that the door to the ark had also been the large gangplank for even the elephants to use. We don't know the details, but vs 16 implies that there was a special act of God involved in securing the safety of those He saved. Jesus told a parable to show that we need to be ready for His return. Some servants waiting for the bridegroom to arrive ran out of oil for their lamps and had to hurry off to buy some more. “And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterwards the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:10-13)