CHAPTER FIVE: FLOOD!

Next Part God caused animals to line up and go aboard the great ark.

Fighting, killing and war were everywhere. Each generation became more selfish and greedy than the one before it. Towns and small cities sprang up across the land. Instead of seeking God for protection, people looked to strongmen and mighty warriors. These rulers of cities waged bloody battles with other cities. Each ruler wanted to get more people, land, goods and possessions for himself.

The earth was quickly becoming a giant battlefield.

This was because Satan the devil inspired mankind to commit horrible acts of evil and cruelty, by constantly sending wrong thoughts and bad attitudes into their minds. People followed their carnal nature (Ephesians 2:2).
Carnal nature is the opposite of God’s holy, righteous character.

Godly character is the way of love—putting God first and treating other people the way you would like them to treat you (Galatians 5:22-23). Carnal nature is the way of putting self first before others (Gen 5:19-21). Carnal nature always harms others and leads to heartache and misery.

Turning their backs on God, people worshipped false “gods.” They bowed down to idols—handmade statues and carved images, which were usually shaped to look like snakes, calves, birds and other animals—and forced others to worship them, too. This led to even more wars and bloodshed.

Witnessing generation after generation of people breaking His laws, God decided that He had had enough.
Out of all the millions and (possibly) billions of people on earth, God found that only one man faithfully obeyed Him. His name was Noah (Genesis 6:9).

God Speaks to Noah
When Noah was about 480 years old, God spoke to him: “Every thought and desire of man is continually evil. I am sorry I ever created him. He has rejected all of My laws, which would have given him happiness and peace. The lives of people are so horrible and unhappy, I am going to take their lives away. I will give them back much later.

But for now, I cannot allow them to continue in their evil ways.”
Noah was speechless. But he knew that God was right.

“As for you, Noah,” God continued, “You have obeyed Me. You have practiced keeping My laws and have trusted Me to show you right from wrong, good from evil. I will spare you and your family. But as for the rest of mankind, I will destroy everything on the face of the earth: people, animals and the birds of the air.”
Noah felt grateful and very relieved. But he knew that God had more to say.

“Before I act, I will give mankind 120 years. During that time, I will use you to warn the people. Tell them that because of their evil ways, I will fill the earth with a great flood—so great that even the highest mountains will be underwater. Noah, you have 120 years to warn mankind of the great punishment I will unleash upon the earth” (Genesis 6:3, 5-8).

Then God commanded Noah to build a huge ship, called an ark. It was to be made of gopherwood and sealed watertight with pitch. About 450 feet long and three stories tall, God wanted the ark to be shaped like a giant, hollow chest so that it would not tip over during the rough flood storms (Gen 5:14-21).

Also, God wanted the ark to be large for another reason. He told Noah, “Take seven pairs (male and female) of every clean animal. One pair (male and female) of each unclean animal. Also take seven pairs (male and female) each of birds of the air. This will keep all those animals alive during the Flood” (Genesis 7:2-3; New King James Version).

Building the Ark
Noah began the huge task of building the ark. He hired a team of men to go to the forest and find the right kind of trees to use for wood. After chopping some down, they used oxen and carts to pull the trees to the ark’s building site. Some years later, Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth (Genesis 5:32). They grew up to help their father build the great ship. Many years passed as they gathered enough of the wood, pitch and other materials they needed.

As the frame of the ark slowly began to take shape, Noah’s friends and neighbors began to take notice. So they began to wonder among themselves.

One man said, “What is Noah doing?”
“Looks like he’s building some kind of big boat,” said another.
“A boat? But there’s no water around here for miles. Where’s he going to sail it? How will he get it there?”

More and more people watched with growing interest as Noah and his sons continued to build.
Whenever and wherever he could, Noah preached to anyone who would listen. Year after year, he warned them about the great flood that God said would soon come. Noah told the people that God was going to send the flood because their way of life was wrong. Their thoughts and actions were contrary to—opposite—what God had intended.

“It’s too late for this world,” he preached. “But it’s not too late for you. You have a way of escape.”

But they would not believe Noah. They thought that their world would continue.
Some shouted, “You’re crazy! Only a madman would build an ark in the middle of land!”

Many teased and insulted Noah as he and his sons worked diligently on their massive project.

Wild Animals Line Up
Before the 120 years of warning had ended, the ark was finished. After it was filled with one year’s worth of food for eight people and thousands of animals, God said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and your family. The rest of mankind will perish in the flood” (Genesis 7:1, 4).

Noah thought about all the people who had heard his warnings but would not change their lives. He began to feel sorry for them as he and his family entered the ark (Gen 7:13).

A crowd gathered around the ark as Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives entered it. Many laughed and shouted insults at them.
An old man said, “Where is this flood you’ve been preaching about, Noah?”

Next Part God caused animals to line up and go aboard the great ark.

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