The Command to Prepare for the Flood (Genesis 6:14-22)
‘Make yourself an ark of gopher wood, make rooms (or alternatively ‘reeds' - which involves the same consonants, but different vowel signs which were a later addition) in the ark and cover it with pitch both inside and out. And you will make it like this, the length of the ark three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. Make a slit for the entry of light for the ark, and finish it to a cubit in height. And set the opening of the ark in the side of it, and make the ark with first, second and third storeys (or first, second and third layers (of logs)).'
The ark (probably meaning ‘box' or ‘chest') was well made. It was made of timbers and pitch, possibly mingled with reeds. The slit around the top of about one cubit upwards, which could of course be covered when necessary, enables a view outside when required, keeps the ark safe from too much water entering in the cataclysm to follow, and yet means that no one need see outside while the cataclysm is going on.
An opening in the side was necessary for entry, and would require special sealing. Thus we are told in Genesis 7:16 that ‘Yahweh shut them in'. How this was done we are not told, but it stresses that God ensured that the ark was secure. Whether it had ‘rooms' and ‘three storeys', or whether it was made with ‘reeds' and ‘three layers' (of logs), is open to question. Either way the threeness again represents completeness.
The measurements will not be literal. In the days when Noah lived number words were not in use. But his account (and God's instructions) would use some method to describe the size of the ark and this is ‘translated' into number words by the compiler (or earlier).
All the numbers are adjectivally significant, three (hundreds) and three (tens) both representing completeness. It is possible, as later, that five (tens), the number of fingers on the hand, was seen as the number of covenant (hand action was often involved in sealing covenants just as we shake hands on things), or it may have further represented completeness as in ancient Egypt where five certainly had the latter meaning. (Later the flood will be split into two periods of five moon cycles (150 days)). The ark was thus a testimony to the faithfulness of God.
We do not know what shape it was, but it was clearly very large (about five hundred feet or 160 metres long by eighty feet or 26 metres wide at the bottom by fifty feet or 16 metres in height if taken literally) and if its shape narrowed towards the top like a tent it has been demonstrated by using models that it would be unsinkable, except by collision.
The whole point about the measurements was that they were large, that they were God-ordained, and that they expressed a sense of sufficiency and completeness. This was not a boat but simply a huge ‘carrier'. It had no method of steering and was made for only one purpose, preservation.
‘And I, behold I, am bringing a cataclysmic flood of waters upon the earth (or land) to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath (ruach) of life, from under heaven. Everything that is in the earth (or land) will die.'
God outlines the method He will use to destroy the sinful world in which Noah lived, a ‘cataclysmic flood of waters' for the purpose of blotting everything out, and especially man.
And He emphasises that it would be His work, and His alone - ‘I, behold I', which is emphatic. It is difficult for us to understand the depths to which mankind must have sunk for this to be necessary, and had it not been for the taking over of mankind by demonic activity we might even have questioned whether mankind could have sunk so low. The words express totality of destruction, but only in the area to which they apply. (Later ‘every living thing of all flesh' (Genesis 6:19) can be seen as signifying those within Noah's purview).
‘But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you and your sons, your wife and your sons' wives with you.'
We are reminded again that this is a covenant record. This terrible disaster is to be the beginning of a new relationship between man and God. A covenant will be established which will be permanent for mankind, and this account is the background to it (see Genesis 8:16 to Genesis 9:17).
Only eight people are to be saved from the flood. They are those who have kept themselves pure from demonism and excessive violence, in readiness for the reception of the new covenant. But many of Noah's brothers and sisters will die in the flood along with the rest of mankind, for presumably they too have fallen prey to these evils. We note that, in contrast to Lamech of the line of Cain, Noah is monogamous.
‘And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort, you will bring into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort will come to you, to keep them alive. And you shall take to yourself of all food that is eaten, and gather it to you, and it will be food for you and for them.'
Two of ‘every living thing of all flesh', male and female, were to be taken into the ark, of birds, animals and creeping things ‘according to their kinds'. This can only refer to the creatures within Noah's vicinity as he could hardly go on a world-wide safari to search out unknown species such as kangaroos.
There is no suggestion that they came of their own accord. God is concerned to protect Noah's environment, and Noah collects up all those of which he is aware. This again acts as a warning that these superlative descriptions such as ‘every living thing' have to be interpreted from Noah's point of view. Also food of every kind is to be taken in, and stored up, to serve as food for men and beasts.
‘Noah did this, he did all that God commanded him'.
How much can be said in a small sentence. This verse covers a considerable number of years and includes the planning and building of the ark, the laying in of food and water, and all the preparations for what lay ahead, including the gathering of the living creatures that were to enter the ark, which must certainly have stretched his ingenuity somewhat. But the stress is on the fact that Noah obeyed God. This fact is stressed again and again (Genesis 7:5; Genesis 7:9; Genesis 7:16). He proved himself righteous.
While he was no doubt discreet about how he went about it, such work could not have gone on totally unnoticed, and he was no doubt at first faced with much questioning and derision, and possibly antagonism, but later he was probably written off as a harmless crank not worthy of notice. Perhaps this was why he was left alone by the men of violence. However, he persevered because God had told him to do so, until at last the work was done. He proved himself worthy.