THE GREAT DELUGE
Four years later, a grandson was born to
Methuselah, the son of Enoch. He always carried the boy along as he taught the
people the creation story, urging them to live righteously.
By the time the boy was eight years old, he
could tell these stories as much as Methuselah did. One story he loved most was
the ascension of Enoch. He wanted very much to be like his ancestor. Six
hundred years later, he made history as the first man to build a sailing
gigantic ship. His name was Noah.
THE GREAT DELUGE 2
By this time the world was full of people
with wickedness. From heaven, the LORD looked down and saw that, the
imagination of the thought of man was only evil continually and it grieved GOD
that he had made man.
God spoke to Noah instructing him to build an
ark to the specifics. All animals of every kind would be camped in it. A great
flood that would destroy every living thing would come. Those who believe and
repent will be saved. Those who believe
not will be condemned.
THE GREAT DELUGE 3
Early the next day, word was spread round;
Noah had an important message to deliver. These people love gossip, so they all
flocked to Methuselah’s house to hear the message.
Noah gave the word. He urged the people to
turn a new leaf. Serious argument began, with the philosophers taking the lead.
What kind of speech is this, they argued. Rain? Who ever heard such a thing as
that? Who had ever seen one fall? (Rain had not yet fallen on earth from the
time it was created, till their own
time of existence). It is just a figment of the imagination. So saying, they
dismissed Noah, making him look like a fool.
RETROSPECT.
How often do we hear arguments along these
lines today? Tell people the truth. That the soul that sin it shall die and be
put into a lake of fire for all eternity and you receive scolding.
Hell?
Does such a place exist? Who had ever been there? What are the
constituent molecules of its composition? Is it not uttermost foolishness to
throw away the pleasures that you see, for the realities of the unknown? So on
and on they argue to their own hurt.
BUILDING THE ARK 1
Undaunted, Noah proceeded to build the ark.
Having only his three sons and their wives as crew, they labored hard to build
the ark. Without the aid of modern equipment, it was not an easy task to build.
Resting only to eat and preach more,
gradually the ship took shape amidst being scorned by onlookers. Some out of
jest brought foodstuff, that Noah might have to feed the animals, but they
never participated in the building process, nor did they have any intention of
ever entering the ark.
The women faithfully dried and preserved the
foodstuff.
BUILDING THE ARK 2
Not once through this trying time did God
speak, talk more of visiting Noah. Many a time, he felt like giving up. Did God
really speak to him, or was this an hallucination after all? Finally, at the
end of one hundred years, the ark was completed.
THE GREAT DELUGE 4
The people gathered in mass to view the completed
ship. It was a masterpiece, they agreed. Out of concern, one asked, “but Noah,
is it not foolishness to build so grand a ship, where there is neither river
nor sea?
Seizing the opportunity, Noah replied that it
is no foolishness to obey God’s word. He spoke so passionately that many were
touched. However, because of other people, they could not openly admit for God.
Thus they missed the opportunity for salvation at the last minute.
THE GREAT DELUGE 5
Suddenly they heard a sound behind them.
Their heart sank as they beheld the spectacle. Birds of all kinds flew in pairs
into the ark. Likewise animals came from the forest and mountain top, walking
in pairs straight into the ark. Oh, what a sight it was to see these animals
parade themselves into the ark in proper animal fashion without any person
ordering them. Not even the slowest of animals: the Tortoise and the Snail were
left out for with great perseverance the snail reached the ark. This was more
than they could bear as tears flowed freely from their eyes.
News rushed in that Methuselah was dead. Many
left to go pay their last respect to this grand old man. That night, the LORD
locked Noah and his family inside the ark.
Early the next morning, the worst rain that ever was since time began,
started falling. Forty days and forty nights, it fell. Every living thing upon
the surface of the earth died.
THE GREAT DELUGE 6
The down pour of rain was very heavy and
characterized with strong winds that uprooted trees and caused much damage to
buildings. Animals in great fear ran down from the surrounding mountains and
forest to the civilized society seeking help from man.
Little children cried out to their parents
for help but the parents themselves were at a loss, for they knew not what to
do. They in turn ran to the great philosophers who hitherto had being most
vociferous in proposing hypothesis and postulating theorems to prove Noah
wrong. They too could not propound any theorems to explain this great
phenomenon neither did they divine any solutions to this great disaster
occasioned by this rainfall.
THE GREAT DELUGE 7
In their predicament they all remembered
Noah. Yes, he alone possessed the answer to their quest for survival. In one
accord they all ran to his ark remonstrating with him to the intent that haven
realized their error, they were now willing to make atonement for their souls.
It was very painful; most of these people
were his relatives. He wanted to help, but it was no longer in his hand to do
so. It was too late. For a hundred years, he had cried, pleading with them to
turn around, they refused. Now they were ready, but it was too late, too late,
too late, and too LATE. Learn more
