4. Noah's Ark

For many years after Cain murdered his brother Abel, evil continued to spread throughout the earth. More and more people chose to displease God by living their lives apart from him.

Only one man seemed eager to do God's will. His name was Noah. God came to Noah one day and told him what must be done.

"There is so much evil in the world that I can no longer save it," God said. "I will send a flood so deep that everything living on earth will be destroyed. You must begin building a giant boat or ark so you and your family can survive."

Noah listened to God's instructions. The ark should have room for Noah and his wife as well as his three sons and their wives. Also, Noah must make space for two of every living creature God had created.

Noah started to work right away. He collected the wood and tar for the ark. He set aside smaller pieces of lumber to make pens for the animals.

After he finished the ark, Noah began to gather a male and a female from many of the animals. God wanted to be sure that new creatures would be born on the earth when the flood was over.

Noah and his family collected enough food to last many days and put it on the boat. Then God came to Noah and told him the time had come to load everyone up. A week later, the rain started to come down. It rained all day and all night for many days.

Water began to pour over the roads. It raced through people's houses, covering everything in its path. Many weeks passed and the water grew deeper until only Noah's ark was left floating on the water.

Noah and his family stayed in the ark for nearly six months before the rain stopped. Slowly, the flood water went down until one day they felt the boat stop on solid ground. They were sitting on the mountains of Ararat, but they stayed in the boat because God had not told them it was safe to come out yet.

For six more weeks they waited. Finally, Noah set free a raven. It flew in circles around the boat. Then he sent a dove. It flew for a while, but came back to settle on the ark.

The next week, Noah let the dove out again. She flew off into the distance and came back carrying an olive branch. The next time Noah sent the dove out, she did not come back. That was a sign to Noah and his family that the land was dry enough to live on again.

God told Noah, "It is time to leave the boat now. The flood is gone."

Now Noah set all the animals, birds, and insects free. They hurried away to find new homes on the land. Everyone was happy to be out of the boat for they had been inside it nearly nine whole months.

Noah and his family built an altar so they could offer gifts to God and thank him for keeping them safe in the flood. God blessed them and told Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth to have many children. Then God made a promise to Noah. He said that no matter how badly people behave, he would never again destroy everything on earth by a flood.

"I will send you a sign so you will always remember my promise," God said. "When the rains come down, don't be afraid. Look up and see my rainbow with many beautiful colors. Then you will know you are safe."

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