Noah's Big Boat Adventure: A Story of Faith and Rain!

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Journey back in time with Noah as he shares his incredible story of building a giant ark to save his family and all the animals from a great flood, just as God commanded! Dive into this true story of obedience, trust, and a whole lot of rain for children aged 3 and up.

Noah and the ark bible verses - Genesis 6: 5 - 22.

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 from 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 and 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.

Noah introduces himself

Hello, little ones! My name is Noah, and my father's name was Lamech. I was born before the Great flood that destroyed the earth, and I have a most amazing story to tell you. Read on to learn more.

A World Full of Busyness, But Not Always Goodness

Now, we were busy in those day, and we loved our families, but something sad was happening in the world. God, who made everything – the sun, the moon, the stars, and even you and me – looked down and saw that people were not always kind to each other. Their hearts were often full of naughty thoughts and plans, much like when you might feel a little grumpy or want something all to yourself. But this was much, much bigger than a little grumpiness. It was as if everyone had forgotten how to be good and loving.

God saw how much mischief and meanness filled the world. People were doing very bad things. It made God very, very sad. Have you ever felt sad when someone wasn't kind? God felt that way, but even more so. He looked at all the people He had made, and He wished He had never created humans.

God's Big Decision To Destroy The Earth

And so, God decided that He would start fresh. He planned to send a great flood, a huge amount of water that would cover the whole earth. The flood would wash away all the bad things and give everyone a new beginning.

But guess what? There was one person, one family, who still loved God and who did not practice evil. That was me, Noah, and my family!

God Speaks to Noah

One day, while I was probably working in my field, God spoke to me. Can you imagine hearing God's voice? It was an awesome! He told me about His plan for the flood, and then He gave me a very special, very important job.

He said, "Noah, I want you to build a great big boat, an ark!" Now, I had never built a boat before, let alone one big enough to hold my family and lots of animals!  Building a boat was a very, very unusual thing for me to do. 

The Plans for the Ark

God didn't just tell me to build a boat; He gave me very detailed instructions, like a blueprint or a recipe. He told me exactly how big it needed to be.  He told me to "make the ark 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high," He said. Now, a "cubit" was the length from your elbow to the tip of your middle finger. So, this boat was going to be really, really, really big! Can you stretch out your arm and imagine a boat that many, many, many arms long?

He also told me to make it out of gopher wood. This was a special kind of wood, strong and sturdy. And then, He said, "You must cover it inside and out with pitch." Pitch was a gooey, sticky substance, a bit like tar, that would make the ark watertight, so no water could get in! It was like putting a super-duper seal on everything to keep it safe and dry. Pitch is really asphalt, the same substance that is used to make roads.

Rooms for Everyone!

God said the ark should have many rooms, like a big house with lots of bedrooms! He told me to build three decks, one on top of the other, so there would be plenty of space for everyone. He wanted a door in the side of the ark, and a window near the top, to let in light.

Imagine building something so big! It was a huge task, but I knew God would help me. I told my sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and my wife, about God's amazing plan. We all knew that God's word was true, and we trusted Him.

Trusting God's Plan

So, what did I do? Did I say, "Oh no, God, that's too much work!" No! Even though it was a very strange request, and no one around me had ever seen a boat like it, I obeyed God. The Bible says, "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." That means I listened carefully and did exactly what God asked.

And that, my little friends, is just the beginning of our big boat adventure!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What did people eat in Noah's time? 

A1: They mostly ate food they grew themselves, like bread from wheat and barley, fruits like grapes and figs, and vegetables. They did not eat meat products until after the flood.

Q2: How long did it take Noah to build the ark? 

A3: The Bible doesn't say exactly, but many believe it took a very long time, perhaps even 100 years! It was a huge project!

Q3: What is "gopher wood"? 

A4: We're not entirely sure exactly what kind of tree "gopher wood" was, but it was likely a very strong, durable wood, perhaps similar to cypress or cedar, that was good for building.

Conclusion

So, little ones, we have learned that Noah was a man who listened to God, even when God asked him to do something very big and very unusual. He trusted God completely. Just like Noah, when we listen to what is right and try our best to be kind and loving, we are following God's plan for us too.

Can you imagine helping Noah build that big boat? It took a lot of hard work and faith! What do you think happened next? We will find out more in the next part of our story!

Call to Action

What are some ways you can be like Noah and show obedience to God? Read  the bible to discover more. 

References

Block, D. I. (1998). The New American Commentary: Judges, Ruth. Broadman & Holman Publishers. (While specifically for Judges/Ruth, this series often provides insights into ancient Near Eastern customs and daily life that are broadly applicable to the biblical period).

Matthews, V. H., Chavalas, M. W., & Benjamin, D. C. (2000). Old Testament Parallels: Laws and Stories from the Ancient Near East (3rd ed.). Paulist Press. (Provides primary source material and context for ancient Near Eastern societies, including customs and legal practices).

Walton, J. H., & Matthews, V. H. (1997). The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Genesis–Deuteronomy. InterVarsity Press. (Offers cultural, historical, and geographical background relevant to the biblical text, aiding in understanding daily life and customs).

Wright, C. J. H. (2004). Old Testament Ethics for the People of God. InterVarsity Press. (Discusses the ethical framework of the Old Testament, which implicitly touches upon societal norms and beliefs).