One of the things we battle as believers is people who don’t…believe.  There is a lot of speculation about Noah and the ark.  Along with the chapters from Genesis 1-11, some say these “stories” are just that…stories.  Poor mistaken people!  They even include the creation story in their criticism of scripture.  Well, I choose to believe ALL of the Bible, every single word of The Word. 

In fact, the best testimonies about Noah and the ark come from other writers in scripture, all of which was inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Scripture confirms scripture.  So, if you don’t believe in Noah, ask Isaiah.  He records the Lord speaking of Noah in Isaiah 54:9. Ask Ezekiel who records the Lord pointing out the prayer power of three great men in scripture: Daniel, Job and Noah.  Ask The Chronicler.  In 1 Chronicles 1:4, Noah is listed in the major genealogy which is also recorded in Genesis 5. 

You might say, well that’s the OLD Testament.  So, then, ask Peter.  In 1 Peter 3:20, Peter speaks of the patience of God in the days of Noah and records the salvation of eight souls aboard the ark…Noah, Mrs. Noah, their three sons and their wives.  In 2 Peter 2:5, Noah is called a preacher of righteousness.  The writer of Hebrews gave Noah top billing in the Rollcall of the Faithful in Hebrews 11:7. 

Oh, yes.  Would you believe it if Jesus Himself told you?  Well, He DID!  Noah is listed in the family line of Jesus in Luke 3:36.  In Matthew 24:37-38, Jesus speaks of the days of Noah to His disciples.    Well, I don’t know about you, but I put full credit in anything Jesus declares.  He is Truth.  Noah was a real person.  He did build a floating boat. The boat was built by Noah and My Three Sons Ark-hitect Firm. 

Continuing in our study of covenant promises, we see how God dealt with Noah in the aftermath of the flood.  God came to Adam and Eve.  God also came to Noah.  God spoke to Noah and said three things that He had already said to Adam and Eve: be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth. The “subdue the earth” and “have dominion over the earth” were not mentioned.  The relationship with man and all things of earth was now marred by sin.  Animals, sea creatures, birds—all were now in a more adversarial role with man. In the plant world, man now had to work by the sweat of his brow to bring forth fruit from the land. 

Sin changed everything.  In fact, three chapters of scripture later, God brought a global flood upon the earth and destroyed every living thing except the ark occupants.  Now in Genesis 9, God is reestablishing His covenant with Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth.  In the direct line of Seth, Genesis 12 will introduce us to Abram and set things in motion for the birth of the Hebrew nation.  Through Shem’s line would arise Jesus the Messiah. God was keeping His covenant with Adam by making covenant with Noah.  This covenant will continue with Abra-HA-am. 

Now, in addition to plants for food, Noah and his descendants would also be meat eaters.  God made sure to delineate the fact that animals should not be eaten WITH the blood still remaining IN their bodies.  Life is in the blood.  God had shed blood of an innocent creature and made covering garments for Adam and Eve.  The picture of the shed blood of Jesus, the One and Only Sinless Innocent, was already coming into focus. 

God gave a sign of the covenant to Noah.  He pledged that He would never destroy the entire world by flood ever again.  This was not a local flood being spoken of here.  Many of our friends and loved ones have experienced storms and localized flooding causing the loss of life and limb and property and homes.  The Noah flood came from the waters of the earth beneath as well as the clouds in the sky above the earth.  The duration of the rain and flooding were more than catastrophic.  Even the non-believers use the words “biblical proportions” when describing the flood. 

In this promise, God provided a sign that He could see and that people on earth also could see.  It was the rainbow.  We see rainbows after rain as sunlight is seen through water lingering in the air.  The prism of colors assures us of the promise of God then and now.  We also should think of a BOW in the cloud as representing the weapon of war.  Notice that the (rain) bow is laid down with the string on the earth and the rounded part of the bow pointing towards the sky.  I have a bow and a set of arrows.  The arrow nocks (is set) on the string and is pulled back thus bending the bow in order to be released.  The arrow is pointed toward heaven!!!  I like to think that God took the arrow of our sin upon Himself through the death of Jesus.  The bow is set or “laid down” because God provided a way for us to defeat sin. 

What a promise!  Notice the use of “every living creature” and “all successive generations” as they are repeated through the message from God to Noah.  That means God’s message continues to this day…for we are successive generations.  Our faith and our obedience join with that of Noah and his God-declared righteousness. 

In Genesis 8:20, we see that Noah built an altar and worshipped the Lord.  We have the responsibility and privilege of worshipping God as well.  Every day we should thank God for His grace and mercy towards us in this promise of preservation.