by Timothy W. Burnett
Genesis 2:5-6 reveals that plants were watered by a mist that came up from the ground. We would call it dew. The mist provided water over the whole ground and must have been much more significant than the dew that we see in the early morning hours. It also says that rain had not fallen on the earth.
As we read through Genesis, we find no record of rain until the record of Noah. During his life, something cataclysmic happened on the earth. It rained�and rained�and rained�and rained for forty days straight.
It seems that up to this event, all of mankind only knew water to exist as oceans, seas, rivers and dew. What is beautiful about this story is how Noah meekly did as God commanded even without fully understanding. It�s possible he knew about the mass of water above the firmament because of the words passed down from Adam.
Hebrews 11:7 shines more light on Noah�s knowledge of rain, �By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with reverence, prepared an ark to the saving of his house�� God warned Noah about something he had never seen before�rain.
God�s word describes the rain as, ��all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened� (Genesis 7:11). The word deep literally referred to deep abysses of oceans or rivers, and was figuratively used in the context of the true source of the rain that was located above the firmament.
The word firmament helps to understand the significance of this event. According to the Crosswalk.com Bible Study tool, the word was used for an extended solid surface, expanse such as a flat base or a support, or a vault supporting the waters.
Therefore, the mass of water was suspended above the earth by a supporting canopy like entity, and the volume of water was described as that of a great abyss of an ocean. This information alone can help to understand the extent of the first rainfall in the history of earth.
According to Genesis 7:24 the waters stayed upon the ground for 150 days. One way I�ve heard this story explained is by slowly dumping water from a big bucket or bladder of water unto a bunch of small bugs. Even the biggest Texas rainfall doesn�t even come close to the first one.
It appears the earth has not experienced any other major changes since the great flood during Noah�s time. Plants still grow. Animals, birds and fish still exist. People still exist. Rain still falls. The sun, moon and stars still shine. Yet, there are scriptural records that reveal some major changes to the earth in the distant future.
Acts 2:20 says, �The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord comes to pass.� A more extensive scriptural study of the sun and moon might shine more light on what this is about. If we start with basic common sense, it could be that the sun will shut down and stop burning.
According to Revelations 8:7, 11:19 and 16:21, the earth will be bombarded by an astounding storm described as hail from heaven. The word �heaven� in 16:21 literally refers to the open expanse of the universe. The storm will likely burn up a large part of the earth�s trees and all the grass.
Finally, there is scriptural reference to the earth no longer existing as seen in Revelation 21:1, �And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away. And there was no more sea.�
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