Transcendence

Two: Noah Builds an Ark

Noah obeyed God exactly. He used cypress wood to the exact measurements God had directed and began work on the huge ark, a task that would take many years to finish.

Noah's trust in the Lord went beyond what he saw or how he felt. Though God talked to the folks of that day directly, people around Noah were sinning and not understanding Noah's desire to build a boat so far from water. They mocked him and ridiculed him, saying he was crazy for spending so much time and energy on something useless. Noah didn't care that he appeared to be ridiculous to others and continued building on the Ark. Their concerns and confusion never distracted him from the job God set him to do. Noah kept his faith, and knew he was preparing for a flood, even though he saw no signs of it coming, and had no idea when it would come.

(Life lesson: Noah spent many years working on the ark, all the while being mocked by men who couldn't understand his desire to build the massive boat. Keeping faith for so long must have been hard. Building as the years kept passing by with no sign of rain, much less a flood would have been confusing and could have caused anyone else to give up. But Noah pushed through, his faith proved to be unbelievably strong and ultiamatly proved God always shows up, in his own time, which is exactly right on time. This teaches us that no matter how long it takes , God's plan is perfect, and we must continue to believe even though it may seem like we are crazy, or it is simply taking way too long. Just hold on a little longer, God always delivers on his promises!)

Sure enough, many years later, when Noah was 600 years old, the flood waters came just as God said they would. Noah was prepared. He led the animals, two of each kind, and his family safely inside the Ark. The flood gates of heaven opened up and the rain poured down for forty days and forty nights. Noah, his sons, and all their wives, along with all the animals were safely inside the ark, and the Lord shut them in.

The flood waters lifted the ark high above the earth. The ark floated along the surface of the water. Every living thing outside the ark perished - birds, livestock, wild animals, insects, vegetation, and all mankind. The waters rose and covered the mountain tops. Every living thing was wiped out, everything, and everyone except Noah and the others safely inside the ark. The waters continued to flood the earth even after the rain stopped. The flood lasted 150 days.

When he was ready God sent a wind over the earth. The springs stopped overflowing and the water receded steadily. Finally the ark came to rest on the mountain of Ararat. Sometime thereafter the tops of the mountains became visible. After forty days more Noah sent out a raven but the raven flew back and forth not finding land. After more time, he sent out a dove, but it found no land to rest it's feet and it returned to Noah in the ark. After waiting seven more days Noah sent out the dove again. When the dove returned to him that evening, there in his beak was a freshly plucked olive branch. Noah knew then that the water had receded from the earth in the lower elevations where olives grow. He waited seven more days before sending the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.

( Life lesson: The dove returning to the Ark with an olive branch was a sign to Noah that God was done flooding the earth. He was ready to restore peace among the land. The old saying 'Extend an olive branch' means to accept an apology, or offer forgiveness. The olive branch in the dove's beak stood as a symbol of peace, referring to this account of restored peace between God and his creation.)

In time God told Noah it was safe to come out of the ark. He told Noah to allow the animals out, to roam free and multiply, be fruitful, and increase in number.

Noah and his family was very happy to finally be safe on dry land. He built an altar to the lord and took some of the clean animals and sacrificed a burnt offering. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and decided then he would never again destroy the earth and all living creatures, saying as long as the earth endures, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night with never cease.

God then told Noah and his sons to live in happiness, go and increase in number and fill the earth. He told them every living creature is food for them, just as the green plants he had given them. However He gave them the strict orders to never eat meat that has its lifeblood still still in it. God insisted they reverence life, both man and animal. Also, that human life has a special significance, and murderers who destroy a human life actually attack the image of God, for humans were made in his image. Therefore God demanded an accounting of each man and the life of his fellow man.

God then established a covenant with Noah and his sons, along with all their descendants after them, promising to never again destroy the earth with waters from a flood. God set his rainbow in the clouds as a sign of the agreement he made. (Whenever rainbows appear in the clouds it should be a reminder of this everlasting covenant, or promise, between God and all living creatures of every kind on earth.)

Years went on and peace was again restored on the earth. God was pleased with Noah and his children, grand children, and in time many generations beyond that.

Noah was a man of the soil, and so proceeded to plant a vineyard. Throughout many years the vines grew and produced perfect fruit which he then turned into wine. When he drank of the wine one night, Noah became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. Ham, his son, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and ran and told his brothers. Ham announced Noah's nakedness as a weakness and wanted to make it known. His brothers, however, knew that their father would not want his nakedness known. Embarrassed for their father, Shem and Japheth took a garment, tossed it across their shoulders, walked into the tent backwards- so they couldn't see Noah - and covered their father. They protected him from embarrassment rather than exploit him.

When Noah woke the next day and found out what his youngest son had done, he was furious and cursed Ham. He told Ham that because of his menacing way of handling the situation his son Canaan will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers. Then he blessed both Shem and Japheth and their families. (Life lesson: It is sometimes best to save face than to shout out the offenses of others. Making someone's problems known instead of helping them can reflect worse on you.)

After the flood Noah lived 350 more years. Altogether, he lived 950 years. Noah's descendants grew in number, and from his sons- Ham, Japheth, and Shem- came the people who were scattered over the earth.

(Life question : God's power to do as He wishes throughout history is remarkable. God is in control - he wants us to trust him and have faith that he can do everything! It is simple for him to even take a man who is alive away from earth, as he did Enoch. What are you trusting Him to do?)