CHAPTER IV. THE FLOOD. CAIN had a great many children; Seth had a great many children. At last Adam and Eve died, and Cain died, and Seth died; but still there were a great many people in the world. Were the people good or wick ed? At first some were good, but at last they all grew wicked, except one man: his name was Noah.* The spirit of God was in his heart, and he loved God. God was very angry with the wicked people, and he determined to punish them. God said to Noah, "I will make it rain so much that all people shall be drowned, except you, and your wife, and children." your Then God told Noah to make a great ark. What is an ark? It is like a boat, or a ship. Noah made a very great ark, which would swim upon the top of the water, when God should drown the wicked people. Noah made the ark of wood. Noah cut down many trees, and cut boards, and fastened them together. He made one door in the ark, and one little window at the top. Noah told the people that God was going to Noah, a preacher of righteousness.-2 Peter. ii. 5. drown the world and advised them to leave off their wickedness. But they would not mind. Still they went on eating and drinking, and not thinking of God, nor trying to please him.*. God did not choose that all the beasts, and birds, and insects should be drowned; so he desired No ah to get some birds of every sort, and some beasts of every sort, and some insects of every sort, and to bring them into the ark. God could make all these animals go quietly in the ark. Noah put corn, and fruit, and grass into the ark for them to eat when they were in the ark. So Noah got some birds of every sort; some doves, some ravens, some eagles, some sparrows, some larks, some goldfinches, and many others, and they flew in at the window. Noah got some beasts of every kind, some sheep, some horses, some dogs: and he got some insects of every kind; some butterflies, some ants, some bees. All these went into the ark; for God made them gentle and obedient. Then Noah himself went in with his wife, his three sons, and their wives. How many people where there in the ark?-eight people. But Noah did not shut the door: God shut the door, and Noah knew that he must not open it till God bade him. Then it began to rain. It rained all day and "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.-Luke xvii. 27. all night. What did the wicked people think now? How they must have wished that they had minded Noah! If they climbed trees, the water soon reached to the tops; if they went up high mountains, as high as the clouds, the water rose. as high as they; for it rained forty days and forty nights. All beasts and birds, and men, and children died, except those that were in the ark. At last nothing was to be seen but water, and the ark floating upon the top of the water. How long did Noah live in the ark? Almost one whole year. A long while after it had left off raining, Noah wished to know whether the waters were dried up. He went among his birds, and chose a raven, and let it out of the window. A raven is a fierce bird. It did not like the ark; though there were no trees to be seen, nothing but water, yet the raven would not go back to Noah, but went on flying night and day over the water. Noah put it out at nothing but water, When Noah saw that the raven did not come back, he went among his birds, and chose a dove. A dove is a very gentle bird. the window; and when it saw the dove came back to the ark. his bird came back, (perhaps it pecked at the window,) and he put out his hand and pulled it in. Noah knew when Noah waited seven days, then Noah sent the dove out again; and this time the dove saw some trees: yet the dove did not stay, but plucked off a leaf with its beak, and came back to Noah. Noah must have loved his good little dove. Noah waited seven days more, and then he sent out the dove again, and this time it did not come back. Now Noah knew that the earth was dry, but he waited in the ark till God told him to go out. At last God said, "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, your three sons, and their wives, and the birds, and the beasts, and the insects, and all the creeping things." When the door was open, the beasts came out. How glad the sheep must have been to lie down again upon the soft grass, and the goats to climb the high hills! When the window was open, the birds flew out. How glad they must have been to perch again. among the trees! Noah saw all the green hills and fields again; but where were all the wicked people? he would never see their faces again. Noah remembered God's goodness in saving him from being drowned. He made a heap of stones for an altar; he took some beasts and birds, and offered a sacrifice to God. God was pleased with this sacrifice. Then God made a very kind promise to Noah. He said, "I will never drown the world again. When it rains, do not think there will be a flood. Look up in the sky after the rain, and you will see a bow. That shall be the sign that I remember my promise." Have you seen a rainbow, dear children? How large it is! What beautiful colours it has! It puts us in mind of God's kind promise not to drown the world any more. You know why God made this kind promise. It was because the Lord Jesus had promised one day to die for people's sins. At last Jesus did come down and die: and one day he will come again, and then he will burn the world. I hope we shall then be saved as Noah was; but if God should find us caring only for eating and drinking, and playing, and not trying to please him, we shall be burnt up.* O tell me how the nations passed The day before the flood: O! did they know it was the last? In merriment Their time is spent ; And dance away; They eat and drink, And little think They stand on endless ruin's brink. Some rear the walls Of sumptuous halls; Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be over. charged with surfeiting, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.-Luke xxi. 34. |