Genesis 7: 15-16: “So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the Lord closed the door behind him.” [New American Standard Bible]
In the generations leading up to Noah, lawlessness had taken over. People had become corrupted and God’s creation ultimately paid the price. The Lord saw that mankind was on a collision course; to prevent complete annihilation of the human race God initiated the great reboot.
Meanwhile the building project slowly took shape. After a year of tireless construction work Noah’s ark had grown 45 feet high. Comprised of lower, middle and upper decks, the bulky vessel was topped by a sturdy roof. It amounted to 450-foot length and 75-foot width. “What are we doing with all that space?” Shem asked his father one day as they were studying the blueprints. “The ark is a place of refuge for our family and members of the animal kingdom”, Noah replied.
Pre-flood, vegetation had been fed by undercurrents from deep below. A flow would regularly well up from the ground and bring water to the surface. Nobody had ever seen a single cloud in the sky – until the day when the great rains came.
Out of nowhere a water drop hit Noah’s face. His wife stretched out her hands and caught a few more. They both gazed to the skies above and noticed a thick wall of darkness coming to them from the horizon. A gust of wind swept through the fields while the rain drops started multiplying. Alarmed Noah’s wife asked: “What’s this?” Noah took her hand and urged: “We have to get our family on board the ship – right now! This is just the beginning.”
The ark stood out in comparison to other vessels of the ancient world. With the exception of one small opening for daylight, the ship was entirely enclosed. Noah had built the ark sturdy and strong according to the Lord’s specifications. Sealed with tar inside and out, the ship was equipped to survive the worst rainstorm the world had never seen.
In weeks preceding, the animals had arrived, pair by pair, male and female and migrated into the ark to Noah. Evening approached and the rains hit hard as Noah’s family moved in. And the Lord Himself shut the door behind them.
Outside the ark all hell broke loose. Rain fell in mighty torrents from the sky while simultaneously the underground waters erupted. Noah and his family would never forget the screams of the dying. It was a long night. By morning the ark was afloat – the beginning of an unprecedented journey.