Once upon a time, in the earliest days of mankind, the earth was enveloped by chaos and sin. God had created a beautiful world, full of diverse and breathtaking landscapes, and filled it to the brim with an abundance of glorious creatures. However, the crown of all his creations, humans, had started to walk a wrong path. They were misusing their free will and committing grave sins. Their wickedness was like a stark and unpleasing blemish on God’s perfect canvas.
As humans multiplied on the face of the earth so did their wickedness and evil acts. The daughters of these men were beautiful, and they caught the eyes of the sons of God. These divine beings took them as their wives, choosing freely from among those they desired. This holy union between heavens and earth gave birth to individuals of great renown, mighty heroes of old.
However, these developments were not pleasing in the sight of God. Mankind’s wickedness had seeped deep into their hearts and minds, marring every thought with evil. Observing the extent to which humanity had fallen, God grieved in His heart. The world hadn’t turned out the way He had envisioned, His children, whom He had made in His image were now tainted by moral corruption and wanton disobedience.
In response to the prevailing wickedness of man, God made a disheartening yet necessary decision. He decided to limit the number of years a human being could live to 120 years. This decision represented a reduction in lifespan compared to previous generations, with the intention of curbing the impact of man’s wickedness.
At the peak of this epoch of corruption stood an individual named Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless amongst the people of his time. Unlike the others, Noah walked faithfully with God, practicing a life of devotion and humility. He had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who were being raised under the guiding virtues of their father.
One day Noah received a divine message. God, in His righteousness, had decided to bring an end to humanity because of its unrepentant wickedness. However, His love and mercy shone upon Noah and his righteous life. God decided to spare Noah and his family. He instructed Noah to build an ark.
The instructions were precise – the ark was to be built from gopher wood, with rooms inside. It was to be covered with pitch, both inside and outside. The ark was to have three decks and a door in its side. The dimensions were enormous, intended to house Noah, his family, and pairs of every kind of living creature on earth.
Although intimidated by the enormity of his task, Noah faithfully followed God’s command. He started building the ark, ignoring the mocking laughter and taunts of those who found his endeavour foolish.
Meanwhile, God set about choosing pairs of every living creature, both male and female. He guided every pair from the tiniest insects to the largest beasts to the ark. Among birds, domesticated animals, and wild animals, each pair found its place in the ark.
When Noah finished building the ark and the animals were safely inside, his family entered. God shut the door behind them. Then it started to rain. It rained continuously for forty days and forty nights, flooding the entire earth. Every living thing that moved on the earth perished–from birds to livestock to wild animals, and every creature that swarms on the earth, and every human being.
However, safe inside the ark, Noah, his family, and the pairs of animals survived. This ark was like a glimmer of hope, bobbing on the destructive waters, carrying the promise of a new beginning. When the time was right, God stopped the rain and let the waters recede. Noah, his family, and the animals exited the ark onto dry land, stepping into a world washed clean of its former wickedness.
God made a covenant with Noah and all the earth that He would never again destroy life on earth with a flood. As a sign, He set a rainbow in the clouds, a beautiful reminder of His promise.
Thus, amidst general chaos and sin, one righteous man called Noah, chosen by God, became humanity’s beacon of hope. This remarkable story echoed across generations, teaching mankind about the severe consequences of wickedness and the glorious rewards of righteousness.
