Saturday, October 17, 2009

Noah, Ark and Animals


Genesis 6-7; Moses 8Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. Genesis 6:22
During a time when almost everyone on the earth was wicked, the Lord called Noah to teach people the gospel. Noah told them to repent and be baptized or they would be destroyed by floods, but the people would not listen. Some of them were so angry with Noah that they wanted to kill him, but the Lord protected him. (See
Genesis 6:5; Moses 8:1826.)
When the people would not repent, the Lord told Noah that He would "bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh" (
Genesis 6:17). To protect Noah and his family from this great flood, the Lord commanded Noah to build an ark. The ark was to have three levels, many rooms, a window on the top, and a door in the side. Noah was to use pitch, or tar, to make the ark watertight, and the ark would be about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. (See Genesis 6:1416.)
Noah and his sons built the ark according to the Lord's instructions (see
Genesis 6:22; Genesis 7:5). The Lord told them to take at least one male and one female "of every living thing of all flesh" (Genesis 6:19). They also had to take food for the animals and for themselves (see Genesis 6:21).
When the ark was finished and everything was ready, Noah and his family boarded the ark along with the animals (see
Genesis 7:7). Noah was now 600 years old, and the flood waters were about to come upon the earth (see Genesis 7:6). Noah had obeyed the Lord in preaching the gospel, building the ark, and gathering the animals.
Summary
Noah and his family were righteous persons who lived at a time when nearly everyone on the earth was wicked. The Lord called Noah to teach the gospel to the people. Noah warned them that if they did not repent, floods would come to destroy them. When the people would not repent, the Lord told Noah to build an ark to protect his family and at least two of every animal during the Flood. Noah obeyed, and when the Flood came Noah's family and the animals were safe aboard the ark.
Artist, Harry Anderson
© 2002 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA
Genesis 6:1221; Genesis 7:211; Genesis 8There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. Genesis 7:9
Because of the wickedness of the people during Noah's time, God caused a flood to cover the entire earth with water. Noah and his family were righteous, so God spared their lives. He commanded Noah to build an ark so they would not drown. He also commanded Noah to save the animals so that they would not be destroyed. (See Genesis 6:1219.)
Noah built an ark big enough to take at least two of every animal on board. He was commanded, "Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female ... and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Genesis 7:23, Genesis 7:8).
Noah and his family lived on the ark with the animals for over a year (see Genesis 7:11; Genesis 8:14). When the earth had recovered from the Flood, Noah brought the animals out of the ark so they could "be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth" (Genesis 8:17).
Summary
Because of the righteousness of Noah and his family, the Lord told Noah to build an ark so that his family would be safe during the flooding of the earth. The Lord also commanded Noah to gather each type of animal, male and female, so that they would not be destroyed. All kinds of animals, birds, and creeping things went into the ark. The rains and floods lasted many days. When the water had gone down and the land was dry again, Noah brought the animals out of the ark to multiply upon the earth.
Artist, Clark Kelley Price
© 2002 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA

Enoch was Noah's Great-grandfather. Noah was probably just a young man when Enoch and his city where taken from the earth. But even if Noah didn't know Enoch he certainly would have know Enoch's son Methuselah (Noah's Grandfather) as Methuselah lived 969 years (the oldest person recorded.) Again think what knowledge would have past to Noah from these Patriarchs. Noah preached for 120 yrs. for the people to repent or be destroyed. I wonder if it took him that long to build the ark and get it prepared?

ASSIGNMENT: Ponder: Does Heavenly Father destroy without reason? Does He punish just because He has the power too? If you have children, why do you "punish" them.....power trip or instruction because you love them and want what is best for them? What were the benefits of the wicked being destroyed while preserving all the animals and a few righteous people?
Remember: God is Love....He operates out of love for us! Practice remembering this when times are difficult.

2 comments:

  1. okay seriously I had no idea that people lived so long back then! I cant get over that! I cant imagine living that long. it makes our life now seem really short!

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  2. Yeah...we really have no time to waste. We are told we are here to have joy. Joy comes in the smallest ways! Yesterday I had joy when I found my house full of grandsons. Jake would say (after winning in wii) "I kicked your trash, hehe!" That would put a smile on my face.

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