Read with Me
Genesis 7:1-10 (HCSB)
Then the LORD said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before Me in this generation. You are to take with you seven pairs, a male and its female, of all the clean animals, and two of the animals that are not clean, a male and its female, and seven pairs, male and female, of the birds of the sky—in order to keep offspring alive on the face of the whole earth. Seven days from now I will make it rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe off from the face of the earth every living thing I have made.” And Noah did everything that the LORD commanded him.
Noah was 600 years old when the flood came and water covered the earth. So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives entered the ark because of the waters of the flood. From the clean animals, unclean animals, birds, and every creature that crawls on the ground, two of each, male and female, entered the ark with Noah, just as God had commanded him. Seven days later the waters of the flood came on the earth.
Listen with Me
Noah, with God’s guidance and empowerment, had finished the construction of the magnificent boat. He had loaded it with all the food and fresh water that would be needed by his family and by all the animals that would show up to be loaded onto the ark. Everything was ready.
At that moment, God informed Noah that the flood waters would show up first in the form of torrential rain in seven days. God repeated his instructions to Noah to load the animals on the ark as they came, clarifying that not only were the animals to be loaded in breeding pairs, but also that seven pairs of clean animals, animals acceptable for use in sacrifices, as well as seven pairs of birds, were to be accepted and loaded onto the ark. (The term “clean” at that point only referred to acceptability as sacrifices, not as food, since people were not yet allowed to eat meat – Genesis 1:29.)
Noah, as was his habit, immediately obeyed the word he had received. Animals began to show up, and he loaded them onto the ark, making everything ready for the horrific events that he knew were on the way.
Noah also had his wife, his three sons who would go on the ark, and their wives all get on board as well. There was no waiting until the last minute to get on board. God’s word was sure, and Noah knew that the timing he had specified, seven days, was exact. The rain would come right on schedule, so there was no need to wait for the first drops to fall before getting on board.
Some wonder how it would be possible for eight people to care for thousands of animals on the ark. But three considerations answer all objections. The first is that Noah and his family were highly motivated to succeed. Your ultimate survival depended on their obedience and their faithfulness.
Second, the people of Noah’s day, including Noah and his extended family, were far from primitive. They were very intelligent and had developed a high degree of technology since Adam’s creation in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:27, 4:20-22). Thus, they were eminently able to design solutions and solve problems.
Finally, and the key to it all, was the fact that they had God’s guidance in designing the solutions that would be needed to effectively and efficiently care for all the animals. And they had the powerful hand of God on them and on the animals for the whole time they were on the ark, ensuring that everyone and everything not only survived but thrived.
Pray with Me
Father, I’m afraid that far too many Christians have pictures in their minds regarding Noah and his family that see them as primitive people with no technology or skills. And they see the ark as a small, primitive craft, an image taken from children’s picture books that has never left their mind. But that was not the case at all. During his 600 years of life, Noah had grown skilled and wise, and was able to follow your directions to the letter in order to make this ocean-liner-sized boat, complete with everything needed to be successful. And, as you said, he had You. And with You, everything would work. Thank you, Lord, for this clear reminder of who You are and what You can do. Amen.