Noah was the grandson of Methuselah (the oldest man that ever lived – 969 years), his father was Lamech. After Noah was five hundred years old, the Bible tells us that he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
In the day of Noah man’s wickedness was so great; the earth was filled with violence and corruption. Yet Noah did not allow the evil around him deviate him from walking intimately with God. God was so grieved with the violence and corruption in the world that He decided to wipe mankind from the face of the earth to start a fresh. However, Noah found favor with God. Noah was a righteous man and blameless among the
people of his day; and he walked with God (Genesis 6:9).
Because Noah walked faithfully with God, God discussed His intention with him; God told Noah that He was going to put an end to every creature that has the breath of life in it.
God then gave Noah instructions concerning the construction of an ark (a huge boat) for the survival of Noah and his family from floodwaters that was going to destroy every creature. Noah believed God and obeyed Him; and did everything just as God commanded him (Genesis 6:22). The Bible listed Noah among the heroes of faith in Hebrew 11:7: “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”
While Noah was building the ark, he continued to preach God’s judgment and mercy, warning the people of what was coming, but they did not pay attention to him (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5). When the ark was ready, God told Noah to enter the ark with his whole family. And he took into the ark pairs (male and female) of all kinds of animals including birds.
Noah was 600 years old when the flood started. It rained continuously for forty days and forty nights. All the mountains were covered, and the water rose more than fifteen cubits (about 23 feet). The flood remained for 150 days and every living thing died under the floodwaters.
After the water receded, Noah and his family came out and all creature that were in the ark. Noah now built an altar to the Lord and sacrificed a burnt offering unto Him. God was pleased with his offering and He promised Noah that He will never again destroy all living creatures with flood (Genesis 8:20-21). Establishing the rainbow as a sign of His promise (Genesis 9:12-17). God also blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). The same blessing God pronounced on Adam and Eve in the beginning (Genesis 1:22, 28).
The Lord Jesus would later in the New Testament referred to the days of Noah as a sign for His second coming (Matthew 24:37-39). In the days of Noah, the people were warned of the impending judgment, but they never took him seriously, but they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until suddenly the flood came, and they perished.
Jesus is coming back again to take those who believe in Him as their savior, but some do not take His return serious. And it will be too late if you do not repent and believe in Him now.
Questions:
How old was Noah when the flood started?
How many people survived the flood?
Name the children of Noah………………….
How long did the rain fall …………………?
Jesus compared His return as in the days of Noah, what were people doing in the days of Noah?
When should you be ready for the second coming of the Lord?