Timeline of Humanity

Countdown to the Flood begins (-2468)

Years until the Flood	Event	Bible Reference
120	Countdown to the Flood begins	Genesis 6:3
100	Noah has Japheth, the first of his sons, when he was 500 years old.	Genesis 5:32; Genesis 10:21
98	Noah has Shem who was 100 two years after the Flood.	Genesis 11:10
? Perhaps 95 or 96 the same time between Japheth and Shem.	Ham was the youngest one born to Noah and was aboard the Ark, so he was born prior to the Flood.	Genesis 9:24; Genesis 7:13
? Perhaps 20–40 years for all of the sons to be raised and find a wife	Each son was old enough to be married before construction on the Ark begins.	Genesis 6:18
~ 55–75 years (estimate)	Noah was told to build the Ark, for he, his wife, his sons, and his sons’ wives would be aboard the Ark.	Genesis 6:18
Ark Completed
?	Gather food and put it aboard the Ark.	Genesis 6:21
7 days	Loading the Ark.	Genesis 7:1–4
0	Noah was 600 when the floodwaters came on the earth.	Genesis 7:6

	Source: answersingenesis.org

The timeline of the Flood (-2348)

Building the Ark (by Tissot)

According to the Old Testament, Noah was warned by God of a Flood and ordered to build a large box-shaped ship to save himself, his family and the land animals. The Flood lasted one calendar year and 10 days. Even the mountain tops were covered with water (Gen 7:10-24 EU and Gen 8:1-14). The flood is described in several phases:

- In Noah's 600th year, the flood began on the 17th day of the second month.
- 40 days the flood lasted on earth. After a total of 150 days of swelling, the waters subsided.
- On the 17th day of the seventh month, the ark was stranded in the mountain Ararat.
- On the 1st day of the tenth month, the first mountain peaks became visible.
- On the 11th day of the eleventh month, Noah opened the window and let a raven fly: It flew out and in until the water on the earth dried up.
- In Noah's 601st year, the water had dried up on the 1st day of the first month.
- Noah left the ark on the 27th day of the second month.

Changes before and after the Flood (-2467)

Rainbow after the Flood as a sign of God's covenant of peace with mankind

One possible difference in the world before the Flood was the water above the earth. During the second day of creation, the Bible says, God separated the water above the earth from the water below the earth.

According to Genesis, 1:6-8, "And God commanded, "Let a vault be formed in the waters to separate the waters!" So it happened: He made a vault and separated with it the water above from the water that covered the earth. The vault he called "heaven."

This could be interpreted as a water steam sky (baldachin) enveloping the earth and creating a greenhouse effect. This would lead to the fact that on the whole world a moderate temperature prevailed. This could explain the rich vegetation and the long life of the inhabitants.

Rain clouds

Others believe the firmament was made up of rain clouds and refer to Psalm 148:4-6: "Praise him, you heavens of heavens, and your waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he has commanded it and they were created. He has also established them from everlasting to everlasting; he has made decrees that will not pass away."

No rain?

The Bible may teach that there was no rain at all before the Flood:

Before any plant of the field was on the earth, and before any herb had grown in the field. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth ... but a mist went up from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. (Genesis 2:5,6).

However, it is not clear here if after the Fall the climatic conditions were still the same. Likewise, it is not clear if there were seasons at all until the time of the Flood or if the climate was much more balanced globally. A hint that the seasons adjusted after the flood is the following hint:

As long as the earth endures, sowing and reaping, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night shall not cease. (Genesis 8:22)

Longevity

Before the Flood, people lived much longer according to the Old Testament. It was only a few generations until the flood and although sin entered the universe, degeneration was not yet so advanced and made the long life possible.