In the Beginning - God's Covenant with all Creation - Genesis 9:1-17

In the Beginning

God's Covenant with all Creation

Genesis 9:1-17

[Intro:]

Last time we studied how God caused the rain and springs to cease from pouring forth water to flood the earth. God protected all life within the ark during the year and ten days they were on the ark. As soon as Noah exited the ark he built an altar and worshiped the Lord through sacrifice. This is evidence of the righteousness of Noah. He desired to exalt God for His divine protection and provision.

This time we are going to learn some very important details that God communicated after the flood. The things that God said attack the foundations of the following views and practices:

• evolution – abortion, euthanasia, racism, slavery, ethnic cleansing

• premeditated murder

• feminism

• male chauvinism

• modern interpretations of history

Moses writes to describe for the nation of Israel what God promised and instructed after the flood-judgment. This gives necessary instruction for how man is to live after the flood.

[Message:]

#1 – Man's authority, food, and precious nature (1-7)

God instructs Noah and his sons to repopulate the earth (1). This command is described as a blessing from God. Man is instructed to fill the earth. Man is informed that animal life will be under his authority. In this instance God says that animal life will fear man (2). In God's earlier description of the created order there was no mention of fear, only of man's authority (cf. 1:26-28). Sin has made things different. This includes what man and animal life will eat (3). Before sin entered the human race, man and animals did not eat meat (cf. 1:29-30).

Man is instructed not to eat meat while its blood is still in it (4). Scripture describes blood synonymously with life (Lev. 17:10-14). This informs us of the significance of Scripture discussing Christ's blood so often. It refers to His life being given in death for sin. Pagans would drink/eat blood with the hopes that they would gain strength and life from it. This is untrue and satanic in origin.

God introduces the precious nature of man's life in the following verses (5-7). God declares that every animal which kills a human must die (5a). The principle is reiterated under the Mosaic Law (cf. Ex. 21:28-32). Not only that, but every man who kills another man must die (5b). The person who kills another man must be put to death by another man (in this case, a relative – kinsman redeemer). Under the Mosaic Law, individuals who were guilty of premeditated murder were to be executed without question (cf. Ex. 21:12-14; Num. 35:16-32; Rom. 13:3-4; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). God is establishing the principle that man's life is precious and murder shows contempt toward the victim and ultimately toward God (6). God is the life-giver and murder is taking something that only the Creator has the right to decide. Life is not precious because it is fragile or unique. It is not precious because man is an intelligent being or has strength. Human life is precious because man is made in God's image.

Noah and his sons are called to repopulate the earth (7). Then God gives them a positive affirmation not to take the life of another man.

#2 – God's covenant with all creation (8-17)

God declares that He is establishing a covenant with all men, animals, and the earth (8-11). Noah, his sons, and all of his descendants are included in this covenant (9). God also includes all animal life in this covenant (10). The covenant states that God will never again destroy all flesh with a flood (11). This is a gracious promise from a merciful God. Scripture tells us that one day God will judge the earth with fire (2 Pet. 3:1-7, 10-13).

God states that the sign of His covenant with all creation would be a rainbow (12-15). When a covenant was established there was always a visible seal and reminder of the agreement. In this case it was a rainbow; for Abraham it was circumcision; and for Israel under the Law it was the sabbath. Many people theorize that water baptism is the sign of the covenant between God and the Christian. This is the reason for why Presbyterians, Lutherans, and Methodists baptized babies. This is an un-biblical practice. More likely, the sign of the covenant between God and the Christian is Spirit-baptism; that is, the sign of one being a true believer is that he possesses the indwelling Holy Spirit (cf. Eph. 1:13-14; Rom. 2:29; 8:9-11). The rainbow will be a continual reminder to God not to destroy all flesh again with a flood. God describes this covenant as everlasting (16-17). God will keep His word.

[Conclusion:]

#1 – Man's authority, food, and precious nature (1-7)

#2 – God's covenant with all creation (8-17)

God judged sinful man with the flood, wiping out all but eight people. Noah's survival was based on his righteousness through faith in God's promises. God would use Noah, through his son Shem, to bring about the birth of the Messiah – Jesus (Lk. 3:36; cf. v. 23). God's redemptive plan was not halted by: Cain's murder of Abel (birth of Seth), nor by the corruption of mankind (Noah), nor by the sons of God impregnating human women (the flood), nor by the Nephilim, fallen ones (the flood). God wiped out wicked man through the flood. God chose to continue His redemptive plan through Noah's son Shem.

Man's life is precious because he is made in the image of God. When sinful man denies this truth it leads to such wickedness as: abortion, euthanasia, and premeditated murder. Evolutionary thought leads to racism, slavery, and ethnic cleansing. According to Scripture there is only one race – human (Gen. 9:18-19). Remember this truth, human life is precious because he is made in the image of God.

In the Beginning - Genesis 8:1-22

In the Beginning

Genesis 8:1-22

[Intro:]

Last week we studied Genesis 7:1-24. In that passage we learned details of God's judgment on man's sinful rebellion against Him through the floodwaters. During this judgment God wiped out all of mankind and animal life. The only people and land animals that were saved were on the ark. This is evidence of God's holiness and justice that He judged man's sinful rebellion. The ark is evidence of God's mercy and grace.

This evening we are going to study Genesis 8:1-22. This chapter will describe for us the end of the flood and also God's gracious promise which He has made. We must understand that God is not only merciful and gracious, but He is also equally holy and just. God will only allow people to rebel against Him for so long before He will deal with them. “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain." (Ex 20:3-7). God is entirely holy. Listen to what Moses said to Aaron, " Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the Lord spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.’ ” So Aaron, therefore, kept silent." (Le 10:1-3). Let's look at the results of the flood judgment.

—     The wide distribution of humankind: Even with the most literal interpretation of Scripture that the Flood occurred just 10 generations after Adam—there would have been at least 10 million people on earth, and their nomadic ways could have taken them far beyond the Middle East. Some estimate a pre-Flood population of more than 2 billion.

—     Widespread Flood traditions: The early aborigines of nearly every part of the world have preserved records of a great flood, suggesting that the entire earth was repopulated by Noah’s descendants.

—     Discoveries of marine fossils on mountaintops: How did they get there, if not by a flood that covered those mountains?

• 
  
  How could there have been room for all the animals in the ark? The ark was approximately 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. With its three decks (6:16), it would have had a total deck area of 101,250 square feet, equal to 21 basketball courts.¹
  
  
  

[Message:]

#1 - God causes the floodwaters to begin to recede (1-5)

You read in the text that God remembered Noah (1). This doesn't refer to God forgetting about Noah for a period of time. This refers to God's concern for Noah, His loving care for him. God knows they are on the ark. He is about to do something for them. The thing that God does for them is that He causes the water to stop flowing. God is the one who causes a wind to pass over the earth. God deliberately let's us know He is the one who brought the flood (cf. 7:4) and He is the one who ended the flood (1). God stops the rain and closes the springs below the ocean floor (2). The heaven rains from the sky and the water bursting forth from the springs below the ocean floor continued for 40 days (cf. 7:4, 12). The prevailing waters (which covered everything, including the mountains) were at their highest level on the 40^th day and then over a period of 110 days God caused the prevailing waters (which covered everything, including the mountains) to decrease (they had been 22.5 feet above the highest mountains – cf. 7:20). This led to the uncovering of the mountains of Ararat.

And the waters surged on the earth 150 days. God remembered Noah, as well as all the wildlife and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water began to subside. The sources of the watery depths and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky stopped. The water steadily receded from the earth, and by the end of 150 days the waters had decreased significantly. The ark came to rest in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. Gen 7:24-8:4 (HCSB)

On the 17^th day of the 7^th month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (4). This was exactly 5 months after the flood began (cf. 7:11).

“Mount Ararat consists of two volcanic peaks in extreme eastern Turkey, near the border with Armenia and Iran, on which the ark rested after the Flood subsided. The name Ararat is the Hebrew form for Urartu, the Assyrian name of an Assyrian-Babylonian kingdom that flourished between the Aras and the Upper Tigris rivers from the 9th to the 7th century b.c. Ararat is a sacred place to the Armenian people. The Persian people call it Koh-i-nuh, “Noah’s Mountain,” and have a legend that refers to Ararat as the cradle of the human race.

From the lowlands of the Aras River, Ararat rises to a height of nearly 17,000 feet. It has two conical peaks: Little Ararat and Great Ararat. Except for a 7000-foot spur on the northwest that merges with a long ridge, the mountain is completely isolated by surrounding plains that rise about 2500 to 4500 feet above sea level. From an elevation of about 8800 feet, Little Ararat rises to 12,840 feet, and Great Ararat rises to 16,854 feet. (Three encyclopedias give different elevations for both mountains. They list Little Ararat from 12,782 feet [3896 meters] to 12,840 feet [3925 meters], and Great Ararat from 16,804 feet [5122 meters] to 16,854 feet [5137 meters]).

Above the 14,000-foot level, Great Ararat is covered with perpetual snow. Considering the high elevations of the areas surrounding the peaks, the region is remarkably fertile and pasturable. Some archaeologists believe that Ararat received more rainfall in biblical times than it does today. If so, the pasturable areas may have been even more productive in ancient times.

The first successful climb of Great Ararat in modern times was in 1829 by a German, Johann Jacob von Parrot. On July 2, 1840, an earthquake struck the mountain and tore off great masses that avalanched down and destroyed a village, a convent, and a chapel—the last settlements on the mountain. In the summer of 1949, an American expedition ascended Mount Ararat in an unsuccessful attempt to search for evidence of the existence of Noah’s ark. Recent expeditions, one headed by a former American astronaut, have reported finding timbers that some believe came from the ark.

Modern Mount Ararat, however, is neither excluded nor specifically identified in the Scriptures as the resting place of the ark. The phrase, “came to rest on the mountains of Ararat,” places it in the range of mountains in which Ararat is located. It’s not wrong to attempt to discover the location of the ark, or whatever remains of it, but the truth of Noah’s Flood doesn’t depend upon locating the ark or its remains. The Scriptures are sufficient evidence in themselves.”²

The water level continued to decrease and on the 1^st day of the 10^th month the tops of the mountains became visible on earth (5). So at this point at least 22.5 feet of water has receded from the earth (cf. 7:19-20).

#2 - Noah seeks to learn the level of the floodwaters (6-12)

40 days after the mountaintops became visible Noah inquires as to the level of the floodwaters (6). They have been on the ark for over 6 months (5 months 41 days). Noah sent out a raven (7). The earth was still not habitable, so the raven flew back and forth for at least 14 days (cf. 8:10, 12). Scholars say that likely the raven would land on-top of the ark or mountaintops. After Noah sent out the raven, he sent out a dove (8). In the case of the dove the text mentions that Noah sent it out to determine the level of the floodwaters. The release of the raven does not mention this as its purpose. Some attempt to spiritualize the identity of the birds. We need to be cautious about doing such things.

The dove didn't find the earth habitable (9). The dove returned to Noah because the floodwaters still covered the entire earth. Noah waited another 7 days and sent out the dove again to determine the level of the floodwaters (10). This time the dove returned with an olive leaf in its mouth (11). This revealed to Noah that high floodwaters were gone from the earth. The reason for this is that olives don't grow at high elevations. The modern symbol of peace has its origin in this biblical event. In 7 more days Noah sent the dove out of the ark again (12). This time the earth was habitable, so the dove did not return.

#3 - God causes the earth to be dry and the ark is abandoned (13-19)

In the 601^st year of Noah's life in the 1^st month on the 1^st day we are told by the text that the water had dried up from the earth (13). This informs us that there was no longer visible floodwater on the earth. Noah looks out for himself and sees that there is no visible water on the earth. We are told that in the 601^st year of Noah's life in the 2^nd month on the 17^th day that the earth is completely dry (14). So the effects of the flood lasted 1 year and 10 days (cf. 7:11).

It is at this time that God speaks to Noah (15). This is the first time that God has spoken since He instructed Noah to get onto the ark 1 week before the flood judgment came (cf. 7:4). It is possible that God spoke to Noah while he was on the ark, but it is not recorded. God instructs Noah to take his family out of the ark (16). God told Noah when to get onto the ark and He tells Noah when to get off.

God also instructs Noah to let all of the animals off the ark (17). God says that the animals would again multiply and fill the earth (cf. 1:20-26). This glorifies God as they multiply the way that He created them to do so. Noah obeys and he gets off the ark (18). Noah's wife and family accompany him as he exits the ark. The animals also exit the ark and they left according to their kind (19). God brought them to the ark and now He causes them to exit the ark (cf. 6:20).

#4 - God promises to never flood the entire earth again (20-22)

As soon as Noah gets off the ark he builds an altar (20). He builds an altar for the purpose of offering animal sacrifices to the Lord in worship. Noah offered some of each of every clean animal and clean bird. The principle of worship through sacrifice is established very early in Scripture (cf. 4:3-5). Noah is taking something that God has given and he is offering it back to God in worship. When the Mosaic Law is given it centers on sacrifice given to cover sin (Lev. 1:3-9). The burnt offering was entirely consumed by the fire and therefore, God is the only one who “benefits” from it.

The Lord smells the soothing aroma and said that He would never again bring a worldwide flood on the earth (21). God declares the inclination of man's heart to be evil from a very early age. This is God's evaluation of fallen man (cf. 6:5). God adds that the times and seasons will never cease until the New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven (cf. Rev. 21:10, 22-24). The sun and moon won't shine in the New Jerusalem because the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb (Rev. 21:23).

[Conclusion:]

#1 - God causes the floodwaters to begin to recede (1-5)

#2 - Noah seeks to learn the level of the floodwaters (6-12)

#3 - God causes the earth to be dry and the ark is abandoned (13-19)

#4 - God promises to never flood the entire earth again (20-22)

After they get off the ark life starts anew. The earth, its terrain and environment, was effected by the floodwater. It was God's grace the mankind continued to exist at all. Noah's existence continues the line of the promised Messiah (Gen. 3:15; Lk. 3:23, 36).

1Willmington, H. L.: Willmington's Bible Handbook. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 1997, S. 11

2Freeman, James M. ; Chadwick, Harold J.: Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed.]. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998, S. 13.

Genesis 7:1-24

In the Beginning

Genesis 7:1-24

[Intro:]

In our previous message we looked at how God spoke with Noah about how He was going to judge man for his sinful rebellion against God. Noah was found by God to be righteous and therefore would escape the coming judgment. Noah's household was also spared because of God's acceptance of Noah. Noah was to build an ark which was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. He is instructed by God that 2 of every animal on earth would come to him and enter the ark to be saved. Noah was to build the ark and gather food for the animals and humans to eat.

Tonight we jump back into our Genesis study with the actual event of the flood coming on the earth. There is grace and mercy to be found in this account and also holiness and justice.

1-5

This chapter begins by God instructing Noah in what he is to do now that the ark has been completed (1). Noah and his household, which includes his wife, three sons and three daughters-in-law. The reason why they are entering the ark is that God sees Noah in this way, "Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time." (Ge 7:1). Noah and his family are being saved from the judgment of the flood because God has viewed Noah as righteous. Noah is the only human on earth at this time that was viewed by God as righteous.

God instructs Noah to take 7 pairs of every clean animal onto the ark (2). God's earlier instruction had been to take 1 pair of every animal onto the ark with him, clean and unclean (cf. 6:19-20). There is a purpose for God including 6 extra pairs of clean animals. First, extra clean animals will be needed for making sacrifice to God (cf. 8:20). Second, extra clean animals will be needed for food (cf. 9:3). After the flood is over God allows humans to eat clean animals for food. God also instructs Noah to bring 7 pairs of the clean birds, which would also be used for food and sacrifice (3). Even at this early time in human history God is distinguishing between clean and unclean (cf. Lev. 11:1-23). So before the Law was given God indicated to Noah (through how many pairs of each animal came) which animals were clean and unclean.

The Lord communicates to Noah that 7 days from that moment He will bring rain on the earth for 40 days and nights (4). He even communicates the reason for which He is bringing the rain. God is bringing this rain to kill all living things. Remember, this is judgment for sinful rebellion against God. During this period mankind is guided by their conscience. They are failing miserably. We are left with Moses' statement that Noah obeyed God (5).

6-12

In verse 6 we are given a frame of reference for the time of the flood (6). The text tells us that Noah was 600 years old when the flood hit. Remember Noah was 500 years old when he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth (cf. 5:32). Noah and his family enter the ark because God had warned that 7 days from that time the flood was coming (7; cf. 7:4). All of the animals came to Noah to enter the ark (8-9). There were 7 pairs of the clean animals and there was 1 pair of the unclean animals (cf. 7:2). They came just as God said they would and they entered the ark (cf. 6:20).

After the 7 days were complete (cf. 7:4) the flood came upon the earth (10). Verse 11 gives us a bookend by which to date the length of the flood and its consequences (11). On the 17^th day of the 2^nd month in the year that Noah was 600 the fountains of the great deep burst open and the floodgates of the sky were opened. So this is our timing by which we are able to determine the length of the flood and its consequences. The text mentions that the fountains of the great deep burst open. James Freeman in his book on Manners and Customs in the Bible said,

“So everything in the verse indicates that there were two great sources of the flood waters: a massive downpour from above the earth, and gigantic geysers shooting up from within the earth. Rather than it being only a simple rain pouring down from above, the Flood was also a violent upheaval of the earth that undoubtedly caused extensive changes in the geographical structure of the earth.”¹

Answers in Genesis teaches that there was a great volcanic upheaval that caused this water from underground springs to shoot out of the ocean floor. This is very possible. The rain was falling heavily from the sky and the water was rising from below. The rain fell for 40 days and nights just as God said it would (cf. 7:4).

“The ark had a ratio (length x width x height) of 30 x 5 x 3. According to modern shipbuilders, this ratio represents an advanced knowledge of shipbuilding since it is the optimum design for stability in rough seas. The ark, as designed by God, was virtually impossible to capsize—to do so, it would have to be tilted over 90 degrees.”²

13-16

Verses 13-24 give us a more detailed description of the events preceding the flood judgment. The text tells us that Noah, his family, and animals entered the ark on the same day (13-14). Verse 14 mentions 4 of the 5 categories of animal life mentioned in the creation account (cf. 1:21-25). The only category of animal life not mentioned was the sea creatures, who could remain alive outside of the ark.

“With the shorter cubit the ark would have an internal volume of 1,518,750 cubic feet, or the equivalent of 569 standard railroad boxcars. If the average sized animal was the size of a sheep it means the ark could hold over 125,000 sheep. (Assuming the shape of the ark to be rectangular there would have been over 100,000 sq. ft of floor space!).”³

The animals entered the ark in pairs (15). Again, it is worth mentioning that the animals came to Noah. He didn't have to gather them. Each pair consisted of one male and one female (16). The animals entered just as God had commanded Noah. There is an interesting contrast made in this verse. God is described as commanding Noah, but the Lord is described as shutting the door. The contrast is made to highlight His role of redeemer as Lord.

17-24

The flood came and it lasted 40 days (17). The effects of the flood lasted longer than 40 days, but the flow of water ended after 40 days. The water increased to the point that it lifted the ark causing it to float. The water covered the earth (18). This was not a local flood effecting only the Middle East. It was global. The water continued to increase till covered all of the high mountains worldwide (19).

Harold J. Chadwick the editor of the work entitled Manners and Customs of the Bible wrote the following, “Some years ago during a trip to the Smoky Mountains, my family and I visited the Sequoia Caverns in northern Georgia, just across the border from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Inside the caverns, the guide pointed out fish bones of all sizes that were pressed into the ceiling of a passageway between two caverns. He said the same kind of fossils could be seen in the ceiling of the main cavern, which was about 50 feet high. Among the fish fossils in the passageway was the imprint of the bottom of a human foot. The guide, a strong Christian who used the tour to proclaim Christ, said that nothing could have pressed the fish and the human foot into the ceiling except the pressure of a tremendous flood of unprecedented depth. That flood, he said, could only have been Noah’s Flood.”⁴

After the water had covered the highest mountains it increased another 15 cubits (or 22.5 feet). The ark itself was 30 cubits high (or 45 feet; cf. 6:15). This made the water deep enough so that the ark wouldn't run aground.

The text leaves us with some important comments on the flood judgment (21-24). Every land animal, bird, and human being was killed by the flood (21-22). The only survivors were found on the ark (23). There was a movie recently created that portrayed flood survivors who weren't on the ark. This is fiction. Only 8 people survived the flood and they were inside the ark (Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5). The water level stayed the same for 150 days (24). This means that the entire earth, including the highest mountains, were covered for this 150 period. After the 150 days the water level began to decrease (cf. 8:3).

[Conclusion:]

In the account of the flood judgment we are given understanding about how God dealt with the mankind in ancient times. They continually rebelled against Him and He eventually judged them for their sin. God being gracious and merciful provided a means a escape for Noah who was the only righteous man on earth during that time.

There is a time of judgment coming on the earth again. God is going to deal with man's sinful rebellion against Him at a future time (2 Pet. 3:1-10). As believers we need to be warning the lost of the coming judgment and how to avoid it. The gospel is man's ark in our time.

1Freeman, James M. ; Chadwick, Harold J.: Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed.]. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998, S. 11

2Freeman, James M. ; Chadwick, Harold J.: Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed.]. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998, S. 9

3Freeman, James M. ; Chadwick, Harold J.: Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed.]. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998, S. 10

4Freeman, James M. ; Chadwick, Harold J.: Manners & Customs of the Bible. Rev. ed.]. North Brunswick, NJ : Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998, S. 12

Genesis 6:11-22

In
the Beginning

Genesis
6:11-22

Intro:

Last
week we studied 6:5-10. We learned of God's anger over the
wickedness of mankin. This resulted in God giving mankind a grace
period of 120 years to repent (6:3). The text tells us that God
regretted creating mankind because of his sinfulness. After the 120
years God promises that He will wipe out man and animals. This
brings to mind God's promise of a Redeemer (3:15). Noah is announced
as being pleasing to God and walking with Him. Noah will be used to
preserve the family line and one of his descendants will be the
Redeemer (Lk. 3:23. 36-38).

This week we
will be introduced to God revealing to Noah His displeasure with the
wickedness of mankind. God has observed how man is living and He
cannot stand their sin any longer. God reveals that He is going to
bring a worldwide flood, which will wipe out mankind and animals.
God is going to judge sin and the only way to avoid that judgment is
to choose God's means of rescue.

Message:

God
examines the earth and describes it as corrupt (11). He also
describes it as being full of violence. The reason for this is the
presence of a sinful nature in mankind. It is interesting to note
that God is described as “looking on the earth” as though He were
an eyewitness to the corruption of humanity. The Hebrew word
translated corrupt
means “to be ruined or rotten.” All of mankind had become
morally rotten (12).

God
addresses Noah, who had been described as “walking with God” and
tells him what He plans to do (13). God has determined to wipe out
mankind because of his wickedness. The earth is described as being
filled with
violence
as a result of man's sin (cf. v. 11). God says that He is going to
wipe out man using the earth. God can only endure unrepentant sin
for so long.

God instructs
Noah to build an ark made of gopher wood (14). This Hebrew word is
only used in one other account to describe what Moses' mother placed
him in to preserve his life (cf. Ex. 2:3, 5). We are unsure of what
type of wood this refers to. Some say it was pine, and others say
cypress. The ark was to contain rooms and the ark was to be covered
with pitch inside and out. The pitch was to ensure that the ark
would be watertight. The ark was to be 450' long, 75' wide, and 45'
hight (15). A cubit equals approximately 18”.

Noah
is to make a window (the word could be translated roof)
for the ark (16). He was to finish the ark to within 18 inches of
the top. This is fine because the water wouldn't get that high. He
was also to make a door in the side of the ark which would allow
people and animals to enter. There were to be three decks on the
ark.

God
emphasizes that He is the one who is brining the flood to judge man's
sin (17). He will destroy everything that has the breath of life in
it (cf. 2:7, 19). Everything on earth will perish, including man and
animals. But God has chosen to establish a covenant with Noah (18).
Noah wouldn't learn the full extent of this covenant until after he
exited the ark (cf. 9:8-17). As a result of God entering into this
covenant with Noah, Noah will enter the ark and be rescued from
judgment. Along with Noah will be his wife, his sons, and the wives
of his sons. They are spared because they are related to Noah. This
is much like Lot being spared because he was related to Abraham (cf.
19:1-29).

Noah
is also to bring two of every animal onto the ark with him (19).
They would be preserved in this way from the flood judgment. Since
there would be one male and one female this would ensure the
re-population on the animals on earth. This included birds, land
animals, and creeping animals (20). The animals will come to Noah.
Noah never had to go find the animals. This is contrary to what Bill
Maher said earlier this year in an interview to promote his
documentary Religulous.
He said, “Come on, can we really trust a book that says some 800
year old man went around and found two of every animal on earth to
get them on the ark. Can you really be intelligent and believe that
Noah did that?” First of all, Noah was only about 600 years old
when the flood began. Second of all, the animals came to Noah.

God
instructs Noah to take some of all edible food onto the ark (21).
Remember, that at this time man and animals were still not meat
eaters (cf. 9:1-4). The food that Noah took onto the ark would be
for the people (8 including Noah) and the animals. Noah did
everything that God asked him to do (22). This is a comment on the
kind of man that Noah was (cf. 6:8-9; 7:1).

Conclusion:

Here
are some interesting things to note from the passage:

#1 – God
notices how mankind lives

#2 – God
will eventually judge sin

#3 – God is
holy and righteous

#4 – God is
gracious and merciful

#5 – God
rewards obedience