Noah and the Ark: God’s First Solution to Sin

Noah and the Ark helped save mankind from extinction – God is still gracious even though we deserved damnation instead of His mercy. Noah was one of the most well-known characters in the Bible. He was the son of Lamech and father to Shem, Ham and Japheth. He was born during a time when the world was full of sin. Noah walked in faith with God and lived a righteous life.

God decided to start a new earth together with Noah and his family since the wickedness of man had covered earth. When Noah was about 600 years old, the Lord told Noah to build an ark in preparation for a great flood that would destroy earth and all living things. Noah obeyed the Lord without hesitation, even though building an ark would require much time and labor. Noah and the ark became the most famous flood story in all literature!

The ark was big enough to accommodate himself, his wife, his three sons and their wives, as well as seven pairs of clean animals, one pair of unclean animals and seven pairs of every bird, (one male and one female), on the earth. After 40 days of rain, the flood did not subside for 150 days, wiping out every living thing on earth. The ark came to rest on Mt. Ararat as the earth began to dry out. After Noah and his family were able to disembark from the ark, Noah immediately built an altar and gave burnt offerings, from a clean animal, as a sacrifice to God. God was so pleased with Noah that He made a covenant with him never to destroy all living creatures again.

Noah was a righteous and blameless man who lived to be 950 years old. God favored him because he loved and obeyed God although everyone around him was falling into sin. His life is a good example for all generations. He was truly a hero of faith. You can read about Noah and the Ark in Genesis 6: 9-8 and Genesis 19.