OCTOBER 9, Genesis 7:1-10

Remember you read in the previous day’s reading that the earth was like a perfect air-conditioned greenhouse before the flood? Those were days when men lived very long. Most of them lived hundreds of years! That is because the perfect air-conditioned atmosphere protected humans from any harmful rays of the sun and was able to prolong life.

That is why we read in today’s text that Noah was already 600 years old when God told him to go into the ark. How many entered the ark? Eight: four men (Noah and his three sons) and their wives.

The animals also got into the ark. How did they? God brought them. Noah took them inside. He did not have to round them up. Two of each kind, from big to small, came and entered the ark. That was a miracle of God as He could control the animals. The wicked could see this wonder of the animals obeying God, but yet they did not repent. Imagine this – even animals obeyed God but these men did not.

God shut the door of the ark. He shut the door and stayed right there to guard Noah and his family and keep them safe. Noah and his family were not going on a nice boat trip but they were going through a terrible flood that would shake the earth and God went along. He would keep them safe inside.

Then, God caused rain to fall for the first time. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights. Child, think about it carefully. It rained a lot and for a long time. God made the fountains of the deep below the earth’s surface to break up and from the top, a canopy of water firmament that protected the earth to open up. So water from the sky fell and water from below the ground surged forth. The whole earth was completely covered by water! This was God’s judgment on the wicked world. There could have been tremendous earthquakes for the waters below to break forth and all land creatures both man and beasts and fowls of the air that were not inside the ark died.

But, inside the ark, God’s people, very small in numbers, were saved.

It was a miracle. God was keeping His people safe.

Thought: As God protected Noah and family, God can protect me!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for always keeping me safe just like You kept Noah safe inside the ark. I am always safe because You are always with me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.