Genesis 7, Summary

Genesis 7

Summary

The LORD instructs Noah to enter the ark which he has built, and to bring with him all of his family. In addition, he is to bring in seven pairs of each clean animal, a pair of each unclean animal, and seven pairs of all birds. God tells Noah that he will cause it to rain for forty days and forty nights, and that every living thing that He has made, He will destroy (save for those that are inside the ark, see verse 23).

Seven days later, Noah obeys, the LORD shuts them into the ark (v. 18), and on that day the flood waters are upon the earth, apparently from “the fountains of the deep” and “the windows of heaven” (v. 11). The rain fell for the next forty days and nights. Subsequently, “all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died” (v. 22). The waters abounded on the earth for 150 days.

Observations and Comments

In verse one, the LORD tells Noah, “I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” This is similar to the pronouncement in Hebrews 11:7, which states that Noah “became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Faith in God is the only thing that will help us in our relationship with God. Noah believed on faith in a coming savior, and it was accredited to him as righteousness. We, in our day, have the revelation of that Messiah, Jesus Christ, and only through true faith in Him as our atonement can we have fellowship with God the Father.

Thank you, Jesus, for making a way for one vile as I!