ve torn Him from His throne of justice.
While many were blaspheming and cursing their Creator, others were
frantic with fear, stretching their hands toward the ark, pleading for
admittance. But
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this was impossible. God had closed the door, the only entrance, and shut
Noah in and the ungodly out. He alone could open the door. Their fear
and repentance came too late. They were compelled to know that there
was a living God who was mightier than man, whom they had defied and
blasphemed. They called upon Him earnestly, but His ear was not open
to their cry. Some in their desperation sought to break into the ark, but
that firm-made structure resisted all their efforts. Some clung to the ark
until borne away with the furious surging of the waters, or their hold was
broken off by rocks and trees that were hurled in every direction.
Those who had slighted the warning of Noah and ridiculed that faithful
preacher of righteousness repented too late of their unbelief. The ark was
severely rocked and tossed about. The beasts within expressed, by their
varied noises, the wildest terror; yet amid all the warring of the elements,
the surging of the waters, and the hurling about of trees and rocks, the ark
rode safely. Angels that excel in strength guided the ark and preserved it
from harm. Every moment during that frightful storm of forty days and
forty nights the preservation of the ark was a miracle of almighty power.
The animals exposed to the tempest rushed toward man, choosing the
society of human beings, as though expecting help of them. Some of
the people bound their children and themselves upon powerful beasts,
knowing that they would be tenacious for life, and would climb to the
highest points to escape the rising water. The storm did not abate its
fury—the waters increased faster than at first. Some fastened themselves
to lofty trees upon the highest points of land, but these trees were torn up
by the roots and carried with
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violence through the air and appeared as though angrily hurled, with
stones and earth, into the swelling, boiling billows. Upon the loftiest
heights human beings and beasts strove to hold their position until all
were hurled together into the foaming waters, which nearly reached the
highest points of land. The loftiest heights were at length reached, and
man and beast alike perished by the waters of the Flood.
Anxiously did Noah and his family watch the decrease of the waters.
He desired to go forth upon the earth again. He sent out a raven which flew
back and forth to and from the ark. He did not receive the information he
desired, and he sent forth a dove, which, finding no rest, returned to the
ark again. After seven days the dove was sent forth again, and when the
olive leaf was seen in its mouth, there was great rejoicing by this family
of eight, which had so long been shut up in the ark.
Again an angel descended and opened the door of the ark. Noah could
remove the top, but he could not open the door which God had shut. God
spoke to Noah through the angel who opened the door, and bade the family
of Noah go forth out of the ark and bring forth with them every living
thing.
Noah’s Sacrifice and God’s Promise
Noah did not forget God, who had so graciously preserved them, but
immediately erected an altar and took of every clean beast, and of every
clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar, showing his faith in
Christ the great sacrifice, and manifesting his gratitude to God for their
wonderful preservation. The offering of Noah came up before God like a
sweet savor. He accepted the offering and blessed Noah and his family.
Here a lesson is taught all who should
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live upon the earth, that for every manifestation of God’s mercy and love
toward them the first act of all should be to render to Him grateful thanks
and humble worship.
And lest man should be terrified with gathering clouds and falling
rains, and should be in continual dread, fearing another flood, God
graciously encourages the family of Noah by a promise. “And I will
establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any
more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood
to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant
which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with
you, for perpetual generations: I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall
be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come
to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen
in the cloud.... And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon
it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every
living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.”
What a condescension on the part of God! What compassion for erring
man, to place the beautiful, variegated rainbow in the clouds, a token of
the covenant of the great God with man! This rainbow was to evidence
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the fact to all generations that God destroyed the inhabitants of the earth
by a flood, because of their great wickedness. It was His design that as the
children of aftergenerations should see the bow in the cloud and should
inquire the reason of this glorious arch that spanned the heavens, their
parents could explain to them the destruction of the old world by a flood,
because the people gave themselves up to all manner of wickedness, a
