This is a subject that arouses disbelief and incredulity. Many adults consign it to the realm of children’s stories. They believe it is a fable; but you and I, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Why do people want to disbelieve the account of Noah and his ark? What they really don’t want to believe is that God sent a universal, worldwide flood to destroy mankind; except for Noah and his family. The flood was judgement for the evil, wicked lives the people of that time lived. You can read the account for yourself in Genesis chapters 6 to 8.
We will now look at a few significant verses. Genesis 6:5-7, 11, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, ’I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them’...The earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence.”
Genesis 6:8-10 tells us, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.” Noah was given instructions by God to build an ark of gopherwood, make rooms in it and cover it inside and out with pitch. It was to have a window and a door in the side of the ark. It was to have three decks; a lower, second and third storey.
Genesis 6:17, 18 states, “And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark – you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” Verses 19 to 21 tell us how he was to bring the animals, male and female, into the ark. Noah was also to take all types of food to feed his family and the animals. Verse 22 tells us that Noah did as God commanded him.
Let’s go back to Genesis 6:3 for a moment. “And the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years’.” God’s patience with Noah’s evil generation would run out in 120 years. Noah had 120 years to build his ark. There is a common misconception that the ark was pointed at both ends. If we look at the instructions given to Noah we will see that the ark was rectangular in shape. Genesis 6:15 states, “And this is how you will make it; the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.”
A cubit measured 18 inches, or one and one half feet in length.
300 cubits = 450 feet = 137 metres
50 cubits = 75 feet = 23 metres
30 cubits = 45 feet = 14 metres
Noah’s ark was 137 metres long, 23 metres wide and 14 metres high. If each storey was evenly divided it would be approximately 4.5 metres high.
The ark built by Noah and his sons was not a small vessel! It was covered inside and out with pitch (tar). The ark was completely black inside and out and completely waterproof. Let’s try and put the size in perspective. The ark was longer than an American football field and nearly as long as a Rugby football field. It was approximately half as wide as an American football field.
Try to imagine it, longer than a football field, half as wide, and three stories high! It took Noah and his sons 120 years to build the ark. The people of his generation did not listen to Noah’s message that God would send judgement on the earth.
When the ark was finished God said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” (Genesis 7:1). God then determined another seven more days while the animals entered the ark. Genesis 7:4 states, “For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.”
Verse 10 to the end of the chapter gives us a graphic account of the flood that prevailed 15 cubits (6.8 metres) over the highest mountains. Every living creature that drew breath died! Verse 23, “...Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.” In Genesis chapters 8 and 9 we read the account of the aftermath of the great flood; and how God made a covenant with Noah and his descendants to never again bring a universal flood in judgement. The rainbow in the sky was given as the sign of this covenant.
What is the significance of this to you and me? God continued the race of mankind through Noah and his sons. Every man, woman and child on the face of the earth is a descendant of Noah! You are living proof that he existed!
Since the 1850’s, there have been numerous sightings of Noah’ ark on Mt Ararat, in north eastern Turkey. For centuries Mt Ararat has been known as the forbidden mountain. The ark rests in a glacier. On rare occasions when the ice begins to thaw out some of the ark becomes visible.
So do we believe God, or those who consider Noah’s ark and the great flood as a myth? Strange isn’t it that sea shells and marine fossils are found high up on mountain sides; all sorts of theories are postulated as to how they could have gotten there. The Scriptures give us a very clear indication as to how this came about.
Let’s be very clear as to why the great flood came. God saw the “...wickedness of man was great.” Although the word man is in the singular, the context shows us that God is speaking of mankind in general; except for Noah. Are we better than that generation? Job 5:7 tells us, “Yet man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards.” Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6: 23 states, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Out eternal destiny is in our hands, each one of us has freedom of choice; to be safe like Noah, or perish in the judgement of God.
[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version.]
Jon Peasey
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