By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Hebrews 11:7

Hebrews 11 is sometimes referred to as the Bible’s “hall of faith” as it runs through the biblical record giving example after example of those who demonstrated their faith in God through their actions. Each of these biblical characters heard a message from God and, since they believed it to be true, acted on that revelation.

Noah was warned by God that judgment was coming upon the whole world because of sin. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Although it had never rained on earth before that time (Genesis 2:6), when God told Noah to build an ark to preserve both human and animal life from a catastrophic flood He was sending, Noah obeyed.

Many people today reject the idea of Noah’s ark and a global flood. But then, so did most people in Noah’s day. Only he and his family lived to record that dramatic event, yet their descendants migrated around the world after the flood, taking with them versions of the story that, while distorted over time, testify to its reality. Another powerful testimony to the fact of a global flood is the fossil record. Since fossils are only formed through catastrophic events that suddenly cover creatures with mud that hardens under extreme pressure into rock, and since fossils are found all over the earth, a global flood provides the most reasonable explanation for their abundance.

The biblical dimensions for the ark are approximately 450 feet long by 75 feet wide by 45 feet high and it has been estimated that it would have taken 50 to 80 years for Noah and his sons to build it. This huge spectacle must have been the source of great curiosity and endless ridicule from his contemporaries, but he believed and acted upon God’s Word and was saved from watery destruction by that active faith.

Faith in God and His Word is not always easy. But it is the pathway to ultimate safety and blessing.

DNW

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