As generations passed after Adam and Eve, the world became increasingly corrupt. Humanity had turned its heart toward evil, violence filled the earth, and people lived with no regard for God. The Creator, heartbroken over the wickedness of mankind, decided to cleanse the earth with a great flood—but not without a plan of mercy.
Among the darkness, one man stood out—Noah. He was righteous, blameless among his generation, and walked faithfully with God. So the Lord gave Noah an extraordinary assignment: to build a massive ark, a vessel of salvation for his family and for pairs of every living creature on earth.
The ark was to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high—an enormous wooden structure with rooms and a roof, coated with pitch inside and out to make it waterproof. Though the world around him mocked or ignored him, Noah obeyed. He gathered food, supplies, and animals, just as God commanded.
When everything was ready, God invited Noah, his wife, his three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—and their wives into the ark. Along with them came two of every kind of animal, bird, and creeping thing. Then the Lord Himself shut the door.
The rains came. For forty days and forty nights, water fell from the sky, and the fountains of the deep burst open. The entire earth was flooded. Every mountain was covered. Every living thing outside the ark perished.
But Noah, his family, and the animals were safe inside the ark. They floated on the waters, sustained by God’s hand.
After 150 days, the waters began to recede. The ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Noah waited patiently, sending out a raven, then a dove. When the dove returned with an olive leaf, it was a sign of new life. Eventually, the land was dry, and God told Noah to come out of the ark.
Noah’s first act was worship. He built an altar and offered sacrifices of gratitude to God. The Lord was pleased and made a covenant—a sacred promise—with Noah and all creation. Never again would He destroy the earth with a flood.
As a sign of His promise, God placed a rainbow in the sky. Every time the rainbow appears, it reminds us of God’s mercy, faithfulness, and the new beginning He gave humanity.
Noah’s story is one of obedience, judgment, salvation, and covenant. It teaches us that even in the midst of widespread corruption, one person’s faith can make a difference. And it reminds us that no matter how high the waters rise, God always makes a way for redemption.