The account of Noah begins with God observing the wickedness and corruption prevalent among humanity at the time. Deeply grieved, God decides to bring a catastrophic flood to cleanse the earth and start over. However, Noah finds favor in the eyes of God, as he is described as a righteous and blameless man, and God chooses him to build an ark in order to save his family and a representative pair of every animal species.
The features
The story of Noah’s Ark is one of the most iconic and beloved narratives in the Bible. It tells of a righteous man, Noah, chosen by God to build an ark to save himself, his family, and a representative sample of Earth’s creatures from a catastrophic flood. This story, found in the book of Genesis, resonates with themes of faith, obedience, divine judgment, and renewal. In this blog post, we will explore the account of Noah in the Bible, examining its significance and the enduring lessons it imparts to believers.
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1. The story of Noah is told is chiastic parallelism (or chiasmus), a figure of speech in which the order of the terms in the first of two parallel clauses is reversed in the second. If you assign the letters A and B to the first appearance of the key words or phrases and A’ and B’ to their subsequent appearance, they follow what is commonly referred to as an A-B-B-A pattern.
A chiasm in the story of Noah and the flood (Genesis 6.10-9.19):
A Noah (10a)
B Shem, Ham, and Japheth (10b)
C Ark to be built (14-16)
D Flood announced (17)
E Covenant with Noah (18-20)
F Food in the Ark (21)
G Command to enter the Ark (7.1-3)
H 7 days waiting for flood (4-5)
I 7 days waiting for flood (7-10)
J Entry to ark (11-15)
K Yahweh shuts Noah in (16)
L 40 days flood (17a)
M Waters increase (17b-18)
N Mountains covered (18-20)
O 150 days waters prevail (21-24)
P GOD REMEMBERS NOAH (8.1)
O’ 150 days waters abate (3)
N’ Mountain tops become visible (4-5)
M’ Waters abate (6)
L’ 40 days (end of) (6a)
K’ Noah opens window of ark (6b)
J’ Raven and dove leave ark (7-9)
I’ 7 days waiting for waters to subside (10-11)
H’ 7 days waiting for waters to subside (12-13)
G’ Command to leave the ark (15-17)
F’ Food outside the ark (9.1-4)
E’ Covenant with all flesh (8-10)
D’ No flood in future (11-17)
C’ Ark (18a)
B’ Shem, Ham, Japheth (18b)
A’ Noah (19)
2. Based on 18 inches to a cubit, the total cubic volume of Noah’s ark would have been 1,518,000 cubic feet, the equivalent to 250 single-deck railroad stock cars. Since the average stock car can carry 80 180 lb. sheep or to 160 50 lb. sheep per deck (2.5 – 5 sq ft per animal), it’s estimated the ark could carry 20,000-40,000 sheep size animals.
3. From Ancient Near Eastern records to nautical practices as recent as the 19th century, sailors the world over used doves, ravens, and other birds to help them find and navigate toward land. A raven will fly directly toward land, so it’s line of flight can be used as a guide. Doves have a limited ability for sustained flight, so they can be used to determine the location of a landing site. As long as the dove returns, no landing site is in close range.
4. Noah and his family were on the ark for a total of 370 days. Noah’s first recorded act on leaving the ark is building an altar to the Lord (Gen. 8:20).
5. The Bible says the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (a mountain range in Turkey) but does not specify which mountain.
6. Noah became the first drunk recorded in Scripture, resulting in immoral behavior and family troubles (Genesis 9:20-26).
7. The only time Noah is recorded as speaking is when he curses his grandson Canaan and blesses his sons Shem and Japeth. At all other points in his story, God does the talking and Noah does the listening.
8. At 950 years of age, Noah had the third longest life recorded in the Bible (after Methuselah (969) and Jared (962)).
9. Besides the book of Genesis, Noah is also mentioned in eight other books of the Bible (1st Chronicles 1:4, Isaiah 54:9, Ezekiel 14:14; 20, Matthew 24:37-38, Luke 3:36, 17:26-27,Hebrews 11:7, 1 Peter 3:20, and 2 Peter 2:5) as well as in the Book of Enoch (10:1-3) and the Qur’an (Sura 71).
A Divine Account of Salvation and Renewal in the Bible
The Tale of Noah and the Great Flood:
The story of Noah unfolds primarily in Genesis chapters 6 to 9 and can be summarized in several key events:
- Divine Commission: God chose Noah, a righteous man in his generation, to build an ark. He instructed Noah to build the ark to specific dimensions and gather pairs of every kind of land animal and bird to preserve them from the impending deluge.
- The Flood: In response to the wickedness and corruption on Earth, God sent a flood to cleanse the world. It rained for 40 days and nights, flooding the entire Earth and covering even the highest mountains.
- Noah’s Ark: The ark that Noah constructed served as a refuge for his family and the animals. They were sheltered inside the ark as the floodwaters raged.
- The Rainbow Covenant: After the floodwaters receded, God established a covenant with Noah, symbolized by a rainbow. God promised never to destroy the Earth with a flood again.
Key Themes and Lessons:
- Faith and Obedience: Noah’s unwavering faith and obedience to God’s instructions are central to the narrative. His faith in God’s word and his obedience in building the ark serve as a model for believers.
- Divine Judgment: The flood represents God’s judgment on the corruption and wickedness of humanity. It underscores the consequences of sin and the need for repentance.
- Salvation and Renewal: The ark becomes a symbol of salvation and renewal. Just as Noah and his family found safety in the ark, believers find salvation through their faith in God.
- Covenant and Promise: The rainbow covenant signifies God’s promise to never again destroy the Earth with a flood. It reminds believers of God’s faithfulness and mercy.
Enduring Legacy:
The account of Noah’s Ark has left an enduring legacy in religious, cultural, and artistic traditions. It continues to inspire awe and wonder, encouraging believers to reflect on their own faith, obedience, and the need for redemption.
Conclusion:
The story of Noah’s Ark is a compelling narrative that speaks to the human condition, the consequences of sin, and the enduring promise of God’s grace and mercy. It serves as a powerful reminder of faith, obedience, divine judgment, and the potential for salvation and renewal in the midst of life’s storms. Noah’s story endures as a testament to God’s love and the hope for a brighter future even in the face of life’s greatest challenges.
