Genesis 6 (Listen)
6:1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.
Devotional:
Two of everything-from the birds according to their kinds, from the livestock according to their kinds, and from the animals that crawl on the ground according to their kinds-will come to you so that you can keep them alive. (Genesis 6:20 CSB)
Did you ever wonder how Noah captured all the animals? He didn’t have to hunt them down, search for them, or set traps to catch them. Scripture tells us that God made the animals go to him. When God puts His plan into action, He will assure the “how to’s” are taken care of; the details fall together. Noah simply had to obey. Noah was following and trusting in God’s promises for humankind to be good stewards of His creation. Have you ever worried about how you were going to make something happen instead of trusting God? Have you ever been on the other end, experiencing God’s plan unfold and can now testify to the details being taken care of in ways you would have never imagined?
Pray it: Father, help me to trust in your plan like Noah even when I can’t see or understand how it will unfold or when it seems crazy in the eyes of this world. Thank you for the way you have preserved your people through the ages, may that encourage me to trust you more and more each day. Amen.
Share it: Who is someone you can share a verse or thought from this passage with?