Our Family Time with God

Oct. 23, 2009

WHY DID

HE DO IT?

Scripture Reading--Genesis 6:14, 22

"Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark,

and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch....

Thus did Noah; according to all

that God commanded him, so did he"

( emphasis added ).

God gave Noah an overwhelming job when He commanded him to build the ark. The ark was 300 cubits ( 450 ft. ) long, 50 cubits ( 75 ft. ) wide, and 30 cubits ( 45 ft. ) high. Imagine building something so huge! Researchers have estimated that the ark would have weighed 44,000 tons. Why did Noah do it?

Yesterday, we studied Noah's character and discovered that he lived to please God. Therefore, he obeyed God's command to build the ark. Anyone who desires to please the Lord must be living a life of obedience. Hebrews 11:7a records that Noah also built the ark because of ( 1 ) his faith, ( 2 ) his fear of God, and ( 3 ) his family. "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house" ( emphasis added ).

When God said He would destroy the earth with a great flood ( Gen. 6:17 ), Noah believed Him. Because he feared God ( knew he was accountable to God for everything ), he obeyed him. Because he say his family as his most precious earthly possession, he worked many years to provide the ark for their protection from the flood.

From Noah, we learn the importance of doing whatever is necessary to protect our families from the flood tide of evil that threatens to destroy them. Parents must be willing to make radical decisions and to take drastic steps to ensure their families are safe and secure. May God help us to be as committed as Noah was.

ACTION POINT: List and discuss specific ways you are protecting your family. Share with them the reasons.

--Jack Palmer--