God’s Persistent Presence

 Genesis 6: 11-22

“11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters 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. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.”

Humanity had become corrupt. And this corruption had spread even to the earth. So, God determined to destroy all of humanity as well as the earth.  The only exception to this destruction was Noah and his family, and the animals that God sent into the ark.

Noah was faced with the daunting task of building a huge ark exactly to the specifications that God had given him. Once that was done, he was to collect two of every living thing and put them onto the ark.

Scholars estimate that it took Noah somewhere between 75-100 years to build the ark.  We are not told if Noah had ever built even a small boat, but even assuming that he had, I am sure he had never built anything like the ark.  

And I am certain that Noah was not familiar with the care and maintenance of all of the animals that were going to show up on his doorstep once the ark was complete. 

But, God is a personal God.  He is involved.  He does not call us into a task and then abandon us.  He continues to lead us and guide us in the task to which He called us.  

Noah had the help of the greatest boat builder and zoologist of all time.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)