The early world · before and after the flood
Noah in the Bible
The Righteous Man Who Built the Ark. Name meaning: “Rest”; at his birth, his father Lamech said, “This same shall comfort us” (Gen 5:29)
A descendant of Adam through Seth, Noah is the only righteous man in a corrupt and violent generation. At God’s command, he builds the ark that saves his family and the animals from the flood, then becomes the new father of humanity, with whom God makes a covenant under the sign of the rainbow. Hebrews 11:7 holds him up as a model of obedient faith, and Jesus compares his own return to “the days of Noah” (Matt 24:37).
Key moments
- Noah finds grace in the eyes of the LORD Genesis 6:8
- God commands him to build the ark Genesis 6:14
- He does all that God commands Genesis 6:22
- The LORD shuts the door of the ark Genesis 7:16
- The dove brings back an olive leaf Genesis 8:11
- First altar and burnt offerings after the flood Genesis 8:20
- The bow in the cloud, sign of the covenant Genesis 9:13
- Death of Noah at 950 Genesis 9:29
Strengths
- Faith
- Total obedience
- Righteousness and integrity
- Perseverance
- Worship
Weaknesses
After the flood, Noah gets drunk and lies uncovered in his tent (Gen 9:21): even a man who “walked with God” can fall in a moment of letting down his guard. His fall opened the door to Ham’s sin and the curse on Canaan (Gen 9:22-25).
Lessons for today
- The obedience of faith shows in the details: Noah did “according to all that God commanded him” (Gen 6:22).
- You can remain righteous in a corrupt generation: the majority is not the measure of truth (Gen 6:9; Heb 11:7).
- Jesus says his return will catch the world by surprise, just as the flood did: we need to be ready now (Matt 24:37-39).
- A great victory does not make you immune to a fall: stay watchful, even after the greatest deliverances (Gen 9:21; 1 Cor 10:12).
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
People around Noah
- Lamech — Father, son of Methuselah
- Enoch — Great-grandfather, who “walked with God”
- Shem — Son, ancestor of Abraham
- Ham — Son, father of Canaan
- Japheth — Son, blessed along with Shem
- Abraham — Descendant through Shem
Stories with Noah
Quiz: how well do you know Noah?
How many people were saved in the ark?
Peter recalls that in the ark “few, that is, eight souls were saved by water”: Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives. 1 Peter 3:20
Which bird came back to Noah with an olive leaf?
“The dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off.” Genesis 8:11
What is the sign of God’s covenant with Noah?
“I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.” Circumcision would be the sign given to Abraham. Genesis 9:13
There are many more questions like these in Bible Academy, each with its explanation and verse. Start your free trial.