Earth was just 1600 years old when it became corrupt, filled with violence, and great wickedness. Every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually. All flesh had corrupted their ways on earth. (Genesis 6)
The Lord grieved in His heart. He was sorry that he had made man meaning the Lord desired so much from humanity and was overwhelmingly disappointed.
BUT Noah…in this contrast lies the hope of all subsequent human history. Because Noah was righteous in God’s sight, God said to Noah, “The earth is filled with violence through all flesh. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself and ark.” God then gave Noah exact dimensions, layout, and the type of wood to build the ark. Noah was to take two of every kind of animal on earth into the ark, along with his wife, his three sons and their wives.
Noah and his three sons worked 120 years building the ark. They endured taunting, mocking, and ridicule from the people. Noah pleaded with them to turn from their wickedness and turn to God to be saved from the coming judgment, but to no avail.
The deluge of rain came and the fountains of the great deep gushed out for 40 days and nights. (40 is a number that represents a special fullness of time.) The earth was flooded, but Noah and his wife, Emzara, his three sons and their wives were safe in the ark.
Last week, my husband and I, along with one of our daughters and her family, traveled to Ark Encounter – a full scale model of Noah’s ark located in Williamstown, KY. The ark measures 510′ long, 85′ wide, and 51′ high. Clearing the 800 acre parcel of land began late in 2012. It officially opened on July 7, 2016 – the date (7/7) corresponds to Genesis 7:7 when Noah and his wife, his 3 sons, Shem Ham, and Japheth, and their wives entered the ark. Note: Jesus is descended from Noah’s son, Shem.
We stood in awe at first sight of the huge ark. We were constantly amazed at the exactness of Ark Encounter with its 132 bays – each standing 18′ high arranged on three decks. Bays on the first deck contain models representing “kinds” of animals in their wooden cages. We saw how the sanitation system worked, how fresh water was collected, and how eight people fed and watered thousands of young animals daily. We saw the modest living quarters and a small work shop. Seeing the ark in person brought the Biblical account of the flood to life!
Centuries after the flood, great wickedness ran rampant once again. BUT God, who is rich in mercy gave His son for us while we were yet His enemies, and He determined that those who have faith in His son Jesus, would sit in heavenly places with our Savior for all eternity. (Ephesians 4:2) We are saved by grace (the means) through faith (the channel).
In retrospect, I went from WONDER of the ark to the REASON for the ark – and the reason for His Son. And I stand amazed at God’s love, His mercy, and His grace towards sinful people. His willingness to provide a means for us to escape His holy judgment is amazing.