Genesis 6:13-22 – “So God said to Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is full of wickedness through men; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.¹⁴ Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark and daub it without and within with pitch.¹⁵ And this is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.¹⁶ And you shall make a window in the ark, and to the width of a cubit shall you finish it above; and the door of the ark you shall make in its side; with lower, second, and third decks you shall make it.¹⁷ And, behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh that has the breath of life in it from under heaven; and everything that is

 on the earth shall die.¹⁸ But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall enter into the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your son’s wives with you.¹⁹ And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every kind bring into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.²⁰ Of fowls after their kind, and of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind shall enter with you, that they may live.²¹ And you must take a supply of all food that is eaten, and you shall store it by you; and it shall be for food for you and for them.

²² Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

Recently, my kids planned and provided a trip to Kentucky to take me to something I have desired to see – The Ark Encounter.  We flew to Cincinnati, Ohio Airport, which is in Northern Kentucky, and visited the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter.  The Ark spoke volumes to me that I continue to download in my spirit, heart, and mind.  It was beyond impressive; it was awesome! 

One of the things that moved me was the intricate details, planning, logistics, and preparation that Noah had to do.  When you read the directions of God in Genesis 6, much is left out of the details.  God said, “Build an Ark.”  He specified the type of wood, the number of decks, and a few other details.  He specified that of the animals, the number of each “kind” to bring onto the Ark. 

The logistics and provisions of water and food were a colossal assignment.  Not only did he have to secure the provisions, but he had to provide containers and space for them to be kept.  Cages for the animals, living quarters for him and his family, the ability to repair the cages, etc.  A system of food and water distribution as well as waste removal.  It was an endeavor that was no small feat.

God had to give Noah the wisdom and skills to build the Ark and link him to people who could help.  The vessels for water, food, etc., that had to be manufactured or purchased are in the thousands.  Shipbuilding would not have been a naturally learned skill of Noah.  Farming was involved.  The understanding of how to care for the various animals had to be divinely taught or revealed.  The miraculous in the entire process is incredible.  There is so much more involved than ever crossed my mind when I read, “God said, build an ark.” 

If we realize that they were in the ark for an entire year, that magnifies the issue.  Water had to be onboard before the flood or captured during the 40 days and 40 nights of rainfall.  All the water after that would not have been potable, or it would seem unlikely that it was.  The Ark Encounter an artistic recreation has cisterns and water jars, but the requirement of water for eight humans and over 6,000 animals is in the hundreds of thousands of gallons.  This is a miracle far beyond the vessel itself.

This highlights and reveals the intricate detail and care God, gives with every command.  The logistics of Moses taking Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land is an example.  We have example after example in the Bible that speaks to God’s attention to detail.  It speaks to man’s need to listen and carefully obey each step in the process.  Noah could take no shortcuts, omit nothing, and had to be fully persuaded that God had directed and trust God who directed him to ‘build an ark.’ 

What is your ark?  What has God told you to do that is beyond your known capacity or ability to perform?  What dream or vision has He given that seems implausible and impossible?  What urging in your heart seems so far-fetched that you have relegated it to fantasy? 

Remember the words of Jesus, “With man, it is impossible, but with God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!”  We either believe the Bible and trust God, or we do not.  Years ago, I heard of a little lady in a church who walked in incredible faith with incredible exploits.  Someone came to her and asked about her willingness to do whatever God said.  She said, “If God tells me to jump through the hole in the wall, it is my business to jump and His to make the hole.”  That is apropos for Noah, Moses, Abraham, Daniel, and many others in the Bible and it is the key for us today. 

Trust and obedience are the keys!  If we want to walk in God’s fullness, we must learn to trust Him completely and be swift to obey.  It does not matter how far-fetched or implausible it is; IF He said it, then do it!  God is not a man that He should lie or the son of man that He should repent.  If God said it, God will do it!  God is God, and His word does not fail.  If there is failure, it is not God! 

Of course, we may mishear or misunderstand the directive, but if we know that we know that God said it, THEN DO IT!  The earth is His, and everything in and on it belongs to Him.  If He needs to send ravens to feed us, He will.  The gold and silver are His.  The air we breathe is His.  The food is His.  Everything is His, so we need to learn to be like Noah, Moses, Abraham, David, Paul, and Jesus and do what He says when He says it and the way He instructs. 

This is just a tiny portion of what I am downloading in my spirit from the Ark Encounter.  What a Mighty God we serve!   One day that same LORD is coming back for us, and the eternal dwelling place He has prepared will be occupied by you and me.  Lord, help us to trust You and obey You in everything all the time!

God bless you as you continue your journey through this thing called life, and I pray He will help us to be fully surrendered and confident in Him.   Have a Great Day!