for the reception of different animals were so made that the
window in the top gave light to all. The ark was made of the cypress
or gopher wood, which would know nothing of decay for hundreds of
years. It was a building of great durability, which no wisdom of man
could invent. God was the designer, and Noah His master builder.
After Noah had done all in his power to make every part of the work
correct, it was impossible that it could of itself withstand the violence
of the storm which God in His fierce anger was to bring upon the earth.
The work of completing the building was a slow process. Every piece
of timber was closely fitted, and every seam covered with pitch. All that
men could do was done to make the work perfect; yet, after all, God
alone could preserve the building upon the angry, heaving billows, by His
miraculous power.
A multitude at first apparently received the warning of Noah, yet did
not fully turn to God with true repentance. There was some time given
them before the Flood was to come, in which they were to be placed upon
probation—to be proved and tried. They failed to endure the trial. The
prevailing degeneracy overcame them, and they finally joined others who
were corrupt in deriding and scoffing at faithful Noah. They would not
leave off their sins but continued in polygamy and in the indulgence of
their corrupt passions.
The period of their probation was drawing near its close. The
unbelieving, scoffing inhabitants of the world were to have a special sign
of God’s divine power. Noah had faithfully followed the instructions God
had given to him. The ark was finished exactly as God had directed. He
had laid in store immense
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quantities of food for man and beast. And after this was accomplished,
God commanded the faithful Noah, “Come thou and all thy house into the
ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me.”
The Animals Enter the Ark
Angels were sent to collect from the forest and field the beasts which
God had created. Angels went before these animals, and they followed,
two and two, male and female, and clean beasts by sevens. These beasts,
from the most ferocious, down to the most gentle and harmless, peacefully
and solemnly marched into the ark. The sky seemed clouded with birds
of every description. They came flying to the ark, two and two, male
and female, and the clean birds by sevens. The world looked on with
wonder—some with fear, but they had become so hardened by rebellion
that this most signal manifestation of God’s power had but a momentary
influence upon them. For seven days these animals were coming into the
ark, and Noah was arranging them in the places prepared for them.
And as the doomed race beheld the sun shining in its glory and the
earth clad in almost its Eden beauty, they drove away their rising fears
by boisterous merriment, and by their deeds of violence seemed to be
encouraging upon themselves the visitation of the already awakened wrath
of God.
Everything was now ready for the closing of the ark, which could
not have been done by Noah from within. An angel is seen by the
scoffing multitude descending from heaven, clothed with brightness like
the lightning. He closes that massive outer door, and then takes his course
upward to heaven again.
Seven days were the family of Noah in the ark before the rain began
to descend upon the earth.
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In this time they were arranging for their long stay while the waters should
be upon the earth. And these were days of blasphemous merriment by the
unbelieving multitude. They thought, because the prophecy of Noah was
not fulfilled immediately after he entered the ark, that he was deceived
and that it was impossible that the world could be destroyed by a flood.
Previous to this there had been no rain upon the earth. A mist had risen
from the waters, which God caused to descend at night like dew, reviving
vegetation and causing it to flourish.
Notwithstanding the solemn exhibition they had witnessed of God’s
power—of the unnatural occurrence of the beasts’ leaving the forests and
fields, and going into the ark, and the angel of God clothed with brightness
and terrible in majesty descending from heaven and closing the door; yet
they hardened their hearts and continued to revel and sport over the signal
manifestations of divine power.
The Storm Breaks
But upon the eighth day the heavens gathered blackness. The
muttering thunders and vivid lightning flashes began to terrify man and
beast. The rain descended from the clouds above them. This was
something they had never witnessed, and their hearts began to faint
with fear. The beasts were roving about in the wildest terror, and their
discordant voices seemed to moan out their own destiny and the fate of
man. The storm increased in violence until water seemed to come from
heaven like mighty cataracts. The boundaries of rivers broke away, and the
waters rushed to the valleys. The foundations of the great deep also were
broken up. Jets of water would burst up from the earth with indescribable
force, throwing
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massive rocks hundreds of feet into the air, and then they would bury
themselves deep in the earth.
The people first beheld the destruction of the works of their hands.
Their splendid buildings, their beautifully arranged gardens and groves,
where they had placed their idols, were destroyed by lightning from
heaven. Their ruins were scattered everywhere. They had erected altars in
groves, and consecrated them to their idols, whereon they offered human
sacrifices. These which God detested were torn down in His wrath before
them, and they were made to tremble before the power of the living God,
the Maker of the heavens and the earth, and they were made to know that
it was their abominations and horrible, idolatrous sacrifices which had
called for their destruction.
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The violence of the storm increased, and there were mingled with the
warring of the elements, the wailings of the people who had despised
the authority of God. Trees, buildings, rocks, and earth were hurled in
every direction. The terror of man and beast was beyond description. And
even Satan himself, who was compelled to be amid the warring elements,
feared for his own existence. He had delighted to control so powerful a
race, and wished them to live to practice their abominations, and increase
their rebellion against the God of heaven. He uttered imprecations against
God, charging Him with injustice and cruelty. Many of the people, like
Satan, blasphemed God, and if they could have carried ou
