Genesis 7
1 The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.
2 Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate,
3 and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth.
4 Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.”
5 And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.
6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, 9 male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13 On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. 14 They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. 15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. 16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.
17 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. 18 The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered.
20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits. 21 Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died.
23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
24 The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.
Genesis 7 (NIV)
At this time humans had become wicked and their hearts were filled with evil. This vexed God so much that He decided to eradicate the whole human race as well as the other creatures that walked upon the earth.
However, there was one man who was righteous in God’s eyes: Noah. God decided to spare Noah, his family and some other living creatures by ordering that Noah build a huge ark out of cypress wood for them all to stay in throughout the rainy days and the flood.
Noah did exactly as the Lord had commanded. The flood came, everything on earth was destroyed, but Noah and his family were spared. Thank God for Noah who obeyed.
Lessons from Genesis 7
- If you are faithful to God, He will take care of your family: God did not only save Noah, He preserved the whole family on account of one man’s faithfulness.
- When God gives an assignment, He makes grace available to complete the task: As I read the earlier verses of Genesis 7, I couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of Noah, a man in his old age running around trying to catch birds to place them in the ark ðŸ¤. However, in Genesis 7:9, the Bible tells us that the animals came and entered the ark. This is a great reminder that when God gives us a task, He makes a way for the work to be completed and well done. Ours is not to ask questions and figure out the intricate details, ours is but to trust and obey, doing exactly what God says. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 KJV).
- God can protect you even in the midst of chaos: in the same way God protected Noah and his family and every living being aboard the ark, God can protect you even in the midst of the most chaotic situations that can come about. So, when trouble comes, instead of panicking, run to God for counsel and declare the power of the blood of Jesus over you and yours.
- The time factor: when Noah and his family and all the other occupants of the ark got in, the rain didn’t immediately start. The floodwaters came after 7 days of waiting. I wonder why it was so. 7 days is a long time to wait, a lot can happen in 7 days: Noah’s wife, children and children-in-law probably started to nag him (everyone always turns on vision bearer when things are not going as expected), anxiety and doubt probably started to brew “hmm why is nothing happening? Did we really understand these instructions right? Is it really God who spoke to Noah?”. Well thank God the door had been sealed and no one could leave. Waiting can be hard but trust God in your seasons of waiting. Hold on to the promises God made to you and do not waver in unbelief, wait in faith. In due time, you will see the promises of God come to pass. Amen!
- When the floodgates open, every ounce of doubt drowns: it is very likely that in those days while Noah was building the ark, people made fun of him. Surely no one believed in Noah’s convictions enough to take shelter with him and his family before the flood came. However, as the days went by and 1 rainy day became 2, then 3, then 40 – as the waters steadily rose, persuasions started to change… but at this point it was too late, the ark had been closed and sealed shut. So shall it be when Jesus comes to take His people. Atheism may seem like an okay stance to take but let me tell you, when that time comes and the truth is laid bare before everyone, so plain it is irrefutable – when the reality becomes apparent and doubt is completely dissipated, there will be no turning back. If you are standing on the wrong side, you will be destroyed just like everyone on the outside of the ark. Eternity is not a matter to be played with, the choices you make now will determine what comes next for you. That day you may be looking forward to – when all doubt is eradicated and you can see heaven and hell before you – on that day when you finally believe, it just might be too late for you. Faith is now.
- The wrath of God: God is Lord, to all of us that are His children, He is ABBA [Father, Daddy, Papa, Dada]. But there is also such a thing as the wrath of God and when it comes, there is no escaping. The good news is that if you obey God and live according to His ways, you will never experience His wrath. Which side do you choose?
Reflection
- When God looks at you, can He declare you righteous in His sight?
- Where do you stand in your walk with God, inside the ark or on the other side?
Further reading
- Deuteronomy 30:19 [‘This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ‘]
- John 14:6 (NIV) [Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”]
Prayer
Do you Know Jesus? Do you want to rededicate your life to God? Do you want to experience peace in your life? You too can begin a NEW LIFE with JESUS CHRIST Today. We invite you to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life by praying this prayer:
“O Lord God, I come to You in the Name of Jesus Christ. I believe with all my heart in Jesus Christ, Son of the living God. I believe He died for me and God raised Him from the dead. I believe He’s alive today. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from this day. Through Him and in His Name, I have eternal life; I’m born again. Thank you Lord, for saving my soul! I’m now a child of God. Hallelujah!”
Congratulations! You are now a child of God.
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God bless you!
