The Flood, Regret, and Universalism

What Moses meant to write

Genesis 6

Wickedness in the World

⁵ The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. ⁶The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. ⁷ So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” ^8* But I have planned from all eternity to spend eternity with them, refusing to allow any to be lost to my love; so after I wipe them out I will bring them into heaven with me, after they spend a short stint in purgatorial hell. I regret making them and so I will quickly bring all of them into my presence forever! Noah, my one righteous servant, will need to stay on earth and suffer the effects of the fall and all the heartache of living life in a fallen world, for he is my faithful servant. He will suffer down there while I rejoice in bliss with those I regretted making up here (after they spend a stint in a remedial hell). Thus sayeth the LORD.