Chapter Two/ Noah - "Make for Yourself an Ark"

One day, Noah's life changed forever, Jehovah spoke to his beloved servant and told him of His purpose  to bring the world of that time to an end.  God commanded Noah: "Make for  yourself and ark out of wood of a resinous tree." - GENESIS 6:14.

This ark was not a ship, as some assume.  It had neither bow or stern, keel nor rudder-no curves. It was basically a great chest, or box.  Jehovah gave Noah the precise dimensions of the ark, some details regarding its design, and directions to coat it inside and out with tar.  And he told Noah why: "Here  I am bringing a deluge of waters upon the earth . . . Everything that is in the earth will expire." However, Jehovah made this covenant, or formal agreement, with Noah: "You must go into the ark,  you and your sons and your wife and your son's wives with you." Noah was also  to bring representatives of all kinds of animals.  Only those aboard the ark could survive the coming Deluge! - GENESIS 6:17-20.

Noah faced a gigantic task.  This ark was to be enormous-some 437 feet (133 m) long, 73 feet (22 m) wide, and 44 feet (13) m) tall. It  far larger than the greatest seagoing wood ships built even in modern times. Did Noah back off from this assignment, complain about its challenges, or alter the details to make it easier on himself? The Bible answers: "Noah proceeded to do according to all that God had commanded him.  He did just so." - GENESIS 6:22.

The work took decades, perhaps 40 - 50 years. There were trees to fell, logs to haul, and beams to hew, shape, and join. The ark was to have three stories, or decks, a number of compartments, and a door in the side. Evidently there were windows along the top, as well as a roof that likely peaked in the middle and slight pitch so that water would run off. - GENESIS 6:14-16.

Next time: Chapter Two / Conclusion of "Make for Yourself an Ark"

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