Genesis 7-10

Welcome to The Safe Space! Where we last left off in the Bible, Noah had completed the ark exactly as God commanded. The earth was filled with violence and corruption, but Noah had found favor with the Lord. Now the time had come for God’s judgment. God told Noah to enter the ark with his family and bring the animals with him. Seven days later, the flood began. Rain poured from the heavens for forty days and forty nights. The waters rose until they covered even the highest mountains. Every living thing on dry land perished, but Noah, his family, and the creatures inside the ark were preserved. For 150 days, the floodwaters covered the earth. Then God remembered Noah. A mighty wind swept across the earth, the waters began to recede, and eventually the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Noah waited patiently. He sent out a raven, then a dove. At first, the dove returned, but later it came back carrying a fresh olive leaf. The earth was beginning to emerge. After another seven days, Noah released the dove again. This time, it did not return. When God finally commanded Noah to leave the ark, Noah, his family, and every creature came out. The earth was ready for life to begin again. Noah built an altar and offered sacrifices to the Lord. God was pleased and made a promise: never again would He destroy every living thing with a flood. The seasons would continue, and the earth would remain. Then God blessed Noah and his sons, commanding them to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. He gave humanity authority over the animals and permitted them to eat meat, while forbidding the eating of blood. God also established a covenant with Noah and every living creature. As a sign of His promise, God placed His rainbow in the clouds. Whenever it appeared, it would remind Him—and humanity—of the everlasting covenant that the waters would never again become a flood to destroy all life. But even after the flood, humanity’s struggle with sin continued. Noah became a farmer and planted a vineyard. One day, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his brothers. Shem and Japheth responded differently, respectfully covering Noah without looking at him. When Noah awoke and learned what had happened, he pronounced a curse concerning Canaan and blessed Shem and Japheth. Noah lived another 350 years after the flood, reaching 950 years before he died. The story then turns to Noah’s descendants. Shem, Ham, and Japheth became the ancestors of the nations that spread throughout the earth. Their families multiplied, forming different peoples and territories. Among their descendants came powerful rulers, warriors, shepherds, musicians, and craftsmen. From Ham’s line came Nimrod, a mighty warrior and ruler whose kingdom included Babel. And Babel would soon become the center of another great turning point in humanity’s story. The flood had cleansed the earth, but it had not removed the sin within the human heart. The nations were multiplying, the earth was being filled once again, and humanity was moving toward another moment that would change the course of history. Verse of the Day: Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Question of the Day: What do you really love to do?