#56.4 Noah and the Ark
In this lesson you will read the story of Noah and the Ark, discuss why there were different types of animals and how many of each were brought onto the ark, and think about and share your ideas on why Noah was considered a “righteous man of his time.”
#1 READ: The Story of Noah’s Ark
In the days when people didn’t know how to be kind to one another on the earth, there was one good man who became God’s favorite. His name was Noah.
God spoke to Noah. “Soon I will send a great flood to wash over the earth, but you will be my partner in making a new world.” God said, “Make an ark – a huge wooden boat. Bring into the ark two of every living thing – male and female, to stay alive.” And Noah started building an ark as God commanded.
One day, God said to Noah, “In seven days’ time, I will make rain fall. It will rain for forty days and forty nights. Go into the ark, you and all your family. And take all the animals, as I told you, to keep them with you.” And Noah did all that God commanded.
Seven days later, the fountains of the deep burst and the windows of the skies opened and rain fell. For forty days and forty nights the rain poured down on the earth. The flood of waters covered all the land – from the smallest hill to the highest mountain. Every living thing on the earth was disappeared under the water. But Noah and his wife and children and all the animals with them in the ark, rode safely upon the waves on top of the waters.
The waters covered the earth one hundred and fifty days, and then God remembered Noah and the ark. God made a wind to blow across the earth and the waters began to go down. The fountains of the deep were stopped up, the windows of heaven closed, and the rain stoped falling from the skies. Another one hundred and fifty days passed before the ark came to rest on top of a mountain called Ararat.
Finally, Noah opened the window of the ark. He sent out a black bird, the raven. But the raven could find no place to rest, for the trees were still covered with water. Then Noah sent out a dove. But the dove could find no place to rest, and it returned to the ark. Noah waited seven days more, and sent the dove out again. As night was falling, the dove returned. In its beak, it carried a small branch of an olive tree. Seven more days passed, and Noah sent the dove out once again. This time it did not return, so Noah knew that it was safe to leave the ark.
God spoke to Noah, saying, “Come out of the ark. Bring your family and all the living things with you.”
Then Noah opened the door of the ark, and all the creatures came out: elephants and geese, camels and goats, mice and giraffes, turtles and wolves – together with all the young ones they had while on the ark.”
And Noah put stones together as an altar to God and thanked God with a burnt offering. And God smelled the pleasant odor of Noah’s sacrifice and said, “From now on, summer and winter, day and night shall never end. Whenever it rains and you see a rainbow, it will be a sign.”
An so God promised never again to send a great flood to wash over the earth, and gave us the rainbow as a reminder.
#2 WATCH: Noah – A Righteous Man of His Time
#3 WATCH: What Happened on the Ark?
#4 READ & DISCUSS: Why a Rainbow as a Sign of the Covenant?
“God further said, “This is the sign that I set for the covenant between Me and you, and every living creature with you, for all ages to come. I have set My bow in the clouds, and it shall serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living creature among all flesh, so that the waters shall never again become a flood that wash over the earth.”
#5 Review and Response
Now that you have studied some interesting things about Jewish History, please respond to these top 4 questions. Good luck!
1. What was the name of the thing God wanted Noah to build and how many of each type of animal should he make sure were on this thing?
2. The raven and the dove had a single purpose, what was the purpose and how did they each carry it out differently?
3. Can you figure out how many days Noah and his family were on the ark? Why do you think it took so long for them to leave?
4. Do you think a rainbow is a good symbol of the covenant between God and all the living things on earth? Why or why not?