If God used the great flood to kill sinful humans, why did the innocent animals have to die?

Question

It seems so very cruel to wipe all but a select few animals off the face of the Earth just to spite humanity

Couldn't he just kill the sinful humans only?

Answer 1

Dear His4Life,

When sin manifested itself into society as it had before the flood, it permeated almost everything. Even the ground had to be cleansed from all the bloodshed. That's why the flood covered all the way to the mountaintops. It was even about a year before they were out and about on dry land again. Some people think that it was simply 40 days and 40 nights. It wasn't.

The innocent animals were being slaughtered, sacrificed to foreign gods, sexually abused, etc...There had to be a thorough cleansing. The ones on the ark had not been defiled.

Answer 2

I'm with "tasty morsel" I believe the whole earth had to be cleansed. Also, if all the animals were allowed to live, there would be way more of them than people after the world started to be repopulated, and that may not be a good thing. I think God wanted everything pure again. Just like in the end, when He will destroy the heavens and the earth, and there will be a new heaven, and a new earth. The old earth is under a curse.

Also, God couldn't find anyone else righteous, like Noah left on the earth, so all the people had to perish.

Answer 3

I think this question is so cute!! You care for animals and I respect that. However no where in the bible does it say that animals have souls. Therefore their innocence or guilt does not matter in this situation. The logical reason for all the animals to be wiped out is probably because there are too many on this earth. Can you imagine putting every single creature roaming the earth on an ark?

Answer 4

The Great Flood of Noah was simply a literary device to illustrate the lesson that with God's grace good will triumph over bad. Don't worry too much about it. Just enjoy the rainbow.

Answer 5

are you from PETA or something?:)) well, He chose Noah from all humans, cause he was worthy to live. now, i bet (at least it's not in the Bible) that He didn't actually saved the most righteous from the animals, though... cause... you see the point... there are no choices to make within that... He allowed dogs&cats&deers to die, as He also allowed lizzards&pigs&crocodiles... i don't know from what leather your purse is made, but i'm sure you ate a pig once...:)) and no, animals don't go to Heaven... i know we love them, but in creation they're equal with the rest of the world... and you did step on the grass a few times, right? why no one's asking about the tropical forrests that were destroyed back then?

Answer 6

Animals are neither sinful or innocent since they lack the intellectual capacity to make moral decisions. I personally don't believe the great flood was sent by God, (even though I believe it was a historical event) but even so animals aren't humans, and thus can't be classified as good or evil.

Answer 7

If you believe in reincarnation, some animals may reincarnate into humans. Obviously God tried to eliminate all roots of evil.

Well, we still have evil people today. So God did not accomplish his mission. A lot of animals died for nothing.

Answer 8

If god sent floods to kill sinful humans, the recent tsunami also of that type?

Answer 9

Because they stole it from am older religion like they did with Easter eggs, Yule, and most of there faithful.

Besides It wasn't god it was a Meteor that hit in the Indian Oceans.

Big Rocks aren't god/s they are just big rocks

Answer 10

Yes He could have. But there were some animals he did not want to survive. What makes you think they were innocent? And where would all the oil come from if He hadn't?