The story of Noah and the ark is one of the first Bible stories many children learn, with its pictures of animals going in two by two and a rainbow at the end. But Genesis 6–9 is far more than a children's tale. It is a serious account of human sin, God's judgement, his grace to one family, and a covenant that still stands today.
Why the flood happened (Genesis 6:1–13)
After the fall, sin spread rapidly. By Noah's time, "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5, KJV). The earth was "filled with violence" (6:11).
The Bible describes God's response with deep emotion: "it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart" (6:6). God's judgement is not the anger of a careless ruler; it comes from grief over a world that had turned against him.
Noah found grace
In the middle of this darkness, one verse stands out:
"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:8, KJV)
Noah is described as "a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God" (6:9). He was not sinless — later chapters show his failings — but he trusted and obeyed God.
Building the ark (Genesis 6:14–22)
God told Noah to build an ark — a huge wooden vessel — giving exact measurements: 300 cubits long, 50 wide and 30 high (6:15). A cubit was roughly half a metre, making the ark around 135–150 metres long. Noah was to bring his family — his wife, his three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth, and their wives — and pairs of every kind of animal, with seven pairs of the clean animals (7:2).
Building such a vessel would have taken many years and required great faith. The New Testament says Noah was "a preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5), suggesting he warned others as he built.
"Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he." (Genesis 6:22, KJV)
The flood (Genesis 7–8)
Noah's family and the animals entered the ark, and "the LORD shut him in" (7:16). Rain fell for forty days and nights, and the waters covered the earth. All life outside the ark perished.
Then "God remembered Noah" (8:1). The waters gradually went down, and the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat. Noah sent out a raven and then a dove; when the dove returned with a fresh olive leaf, he knew the land was drying. When the earth was dry, God told Noah to leave the ark.
Worship and covenant (Genesis 8:20 – 9:17)
Noah's first act was to build an altar and worship God. God then made a covenant with Noah, his descendants and every living creature:
- God promised never again to destroy all life with a flood.
- He renewed his blessing: "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" (9:1).
- He affirmed the value of human life, because "in the image of God made he man" (9:6).
- He gave the rainbow as the sign of this covenant: "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth" (9:13).
Every rainbow is a reminder that God keeps his promises.
After the flood
The story does not end with a perfect world. Noah plants a vineyard, becomes drunk and is shamed by his son Ham (9:20–27). Sin was not washed away by the flood; it remained in the human heart. The world still needed a deeper rescue.
Lessons from Noah
- God takes sin seriously. The flood shows that evil and violence matter to God.
- God provides a way of salvation. The ark was God's provision for those who trusted him.
- Faith shows itself in obedience. "By faith Noah… prepared an ark to the saving of his house" (Hebrews 11:7).
- God remembers his people even in the storm.
- God keeps his covenant promises — the rainbow still speaks.
Noah in the New Testament
- Jesus compared the days before his return to "the days of Noe", when people carried on with life unaware of coming judgement (Matthew 24:37–39).
- Peter saw the flood as a picture of baptism and salvation through Christ (1 Peter 3:20–21).
- Hebrews lists Noah among the great examples of faith (Hebrews 11:7).
Many Christians see the ark as a picture of Christ: just as the family was saved by being in the ark, believers are saved by being in Christ.
Teaching the story to children
When telling Noah's story to children, it is good to include both the joy of the animals and rainbow and the deeper message: God is holy, God saves, and God keeps his promises. Browse our Kids Bibles for well-illustrated versions.
Continue with Abraham: the father of faith, or read about the main covenants in the Bible.