Verses five to seven states, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him to His heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them,'” (ESV).

   I want to draw your attention to these particular words, “the wickedness of man was great in the earth” and “every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” This was what induced the Lord to destroy man and the other living things on the earth. The questions here are these: one, why should the Lord destroy the animals since they had not sinned? And two, were they destroyed due to the supremacy of the flood over the Earth as there was no place of escape?”

   In attempting to answer these two questions, we must first realise that the Lord has several ways to execute (the) man who had sinned without destroying the other creatures. Secondly, we must also understand that as God has pointed out the sins of man, He would have also pointed out that of the other living creatures; that is if there were any.

   My deeper review on this matter indicates that the reason why God destroyed those innocent creatures is simply because they were created for man’s domination and his use, as mentioned in Genesis 1:26, 29; 9:3. Hence, those beasts, livestock, creeping things, and birds would have been useless, unprofitable, and wasted if they remain while man was destroyed. However, the two of each kind of animal, birds, creeping things, etc. which were sent into the ark were kept alive for the use of Noah and the future generation.  This principle has been repeated severally in the Old Testament time. I will briefly speak about three instances for deeper understanding.

  1. The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible reveals that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. When the outcries against them became great on the earth, the Lord rained down fire and brimstone on them. Thus, God demolished Sodom and Gomorrah together with all the living things in their territory

   2. The inhabitants of Nineveh. When the Lord wanted to overthrow the city of Nineveh because of their wickedness, He sent Jonah the prophet to the city to preach and to declare His terrifying Judgement. The Bible indicates that when the message reached the people and their king, they believed in the Lord and repented. Then, the king and his nobles proclaimed a fast throughout Nineveh, and commanded that man nor beast, herd nor flock should neither eat nor drink water. So they fasted from animals even to the greatest person to turn away the fierce anger of the Lord, so that they may not perish.

   The animals fasted not that they had sinned, but that the people were aware of the principle that the lives of the living things in their territory were anchored in their existence; hence, they will not be left out when they are executed.

   3. The sin of Achan. The book of Joshua reveals that Achan and all that belongs to him (oxen, donkeys, sheep, etc.) were stoned and their bodies burned with fire by the children of Israel as a punishment for his transgression which brought disaster on the house of Israel.

   In the above illustrations, we have seen how the creatures in certain vicinities died together with the inhabitants due to their wickedness (the wickedness of the inhabitants). They also show us how the Lord’s kindness to some people became salvation to the creatures in their territory. 

   In accordance with these instances from the Old Testament, it is clear that the creatures depend on man’s existence for their survival. God gave man authority and lordship over everything. Man is truly the centre of God’s creation.