The Flood

Scripture:

Genesis 6:5 - 7:24


Summary:

This passage tells us the world was full of evil and wickedness and that God was sorry that He had made man; the ESV uses the phrase “it grieved Him to His heart.” That is an intense sorrow! As a result of the evil in the world, God planned to wipe out His creation, except for Noah. Noah had “found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”

God told Noah to build an ark. Keep in mind this was at a time in history when it had not rained, so the idea that it was going to rain so hard that the entire earth would be flooded and the only way to survive would be to build a boat and live in it would have required a lot of faith! Essentially, God told Noah to get ready, because He was going to do something that Noah had never, ever seen before, and the only way to survive would be to follow God’s instructions. That would be terrifying! Yet Noah was willing to listen and to obey the command of God, even when it didn’t make sense!

Noah did what God commanded. He built the ark. He entered the ark with his family and all the animals that God commanded him to take (two of some kinds, fourteen of other kinds). And then Noah lived in the ark with his wife, sons, daughters-in-law, and scores of animals! It rained — heavily — for forty days and forty nights. And everything that breathed on the earth (any living thing that was not in the ark) died.

The earth was covered with flood waters for one hundred fifty days. Noah and his family lived in the ark with the animals for over six months!


Speculation:

I can only imagine how bad it was to have caused God to be “grieved.” And can you imagine the kinds of things Noah’s family said to him? The kinds of things Noah’s friends and neighbors said to him? Yet he endured, faithfully following the call of God!

I have often wondered what kept Noah so faithful, when circumstances around him did not support what God was saying to him, and this time as I read I saw something I don’t recall having noticed before. I realized the first half of chapter six verse eighteen says, “But I will establish my covenant with you.”

BUT. The word that erases what was said before it. BUT. Even though everything that is on the earth will die, I, God, WILL establish My covenant with you, Noah. With those words, God gave Noah hope for the future.

I imagine, during the dark times, Noah held on to what God said to him. I can picture Noah meditating on God’s words, repeating them to himself over and over, as an ongoing reminder that God had better things in store for Noah. Noah believed God, no matter what the world around him looked like.

Noah gives us an important tool to help us hold on to our faith in a hostile world. Meditate on God’s Word, and keep holding on!


Supplication:

Dear God, thank You for having plans for me and for giving me a future and a hope! And thank You for giving me Your Word to meditate on. Forgive me for the times I have taken it for granted. Help me to continue to walk in the path You have laid out for me! In Jesus’ Name, amen.