Noah had never seen rain. No one had ever seen rain. That was a new word with an unknown meaning to them. You see, it didn't rain in Noah's days.
Genesis 2:6- But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
When Noah started telling people that drops of water were going to fall from the sky in such abundance that it would cover everything on Earth, people probably thought he was going crazy!
But, God had told Noah what He was going to do, and He told Noah to prepare an ark to save his family and two of every kind of land animal. And Noah believed God and obeyed Him!
Genesis 7:1-4- And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
How do you suppose that all those animals got to the ark? Do you think Noah had to go hunt them down, capture them, and carry them back to the ark? I think that God told the animals to go the ark.
Genesis 7:9- There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
You see, everything obeys God- the wind, the seas, even animals. Only man disobeys God. And remember, every time we disobey God there are consequences.
Genesis 7:5- And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.
Noah and his family were saved because Noah obeyed God! Do you think God would have saved Noah if the ark never got built? Do you think God would've said, "Oh well, I guess I'll make Noah float!" I don't know what would've happened, but I'm sure glad that Noah obeyed!
Now, the boat was all ready. There was food inside for the long journey ahead. All the animals were tucked neatly into place. Noah and his family were on board. What next?
Genesis 7:16- And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.
The Lord closed the door of the ark. When the Lord closes a door no one can open it, and when the Lord opens a door no one can shut it. Noah had preached to the people of the coming flood for 120 years! No one listened or obeyed, so God shut the ark up tight and wouldn't let anyone else in.
Genesis 7:6, 11, 12- And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
I wonder how the people felt when the first drops of water began to fall. Perhaps they felt it hit their faces, and looked over at the ark. The door was shut. They had been told for a long time what would happen and yet they didn't listen. Now, they were doomed! God always gives us time to see our sins and to ask for forgiveness and stop sinning. But, when we don't listen He has to punish us. And sometimes, it's too late to do right anymore!
Genesis 7:17, 19-22- And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
That's so sad! Everyone had the opportunity to be saved, yet only 8 people took the offer! God will always provide a way out, but it's up to us to take it!
