The answer is: 600

Gen 7:6 - He had been around for quite sometime before the flood waters came!

When the floods overtook the earth, Noah was indeed 600 years old, an impressive age by any standard! Imagine all the experiences, wisdom, and histories he had gathered by that point. It's interesting to note that contemporary norms around longevity are vastly different. Noah's age reflects an earlier biblical tradition where long lifespans were common, like his forefathers Methuselah, who famously lived to be 969.

Now, why is aging so significant in this story? Noah’s advanced years symbolize not just endurance but also the weight of responsibility placed on him as he prepared for the cataclysmic event. He was tasked with building an enormous ark, collecting pairs of animals, and ensuring the survival of life after the flood—a monumental undertaking regardless of one’s age!

Furthermore, Noah is often viewed as a type of Christ—both serve as figures that symbolize salvation in critical times of divine judgment. This resonates starkly across various cultures within scripture reflecting flood myths, from Mesopotamia's Epic of Gilgamesh to stories from indigenous cultures around the world. Each has common themes of divine wrath and intervention.

So, while Noah’s 600 years remind us of a significant past, they also entice us to look towards the impactful role prepared for him, and the hope every great flood might carry for humanity thereafter.