Noah Opens the Window of the Ark!
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Join Noah as he tells the exciting story of opening the ark's window after the Great Flood! Discover what happened with the raven and the dove in this captivating historical event for children aged 3 and up.
Read more on the website about Noah's Ark.
Noah Opens the Window of the Ark Introduction
Hello, my dear little friends! It's me, Noah, and I'm so glad to see your bright faces again! Do you remember our last story? The big, big boat, the Ark, finally found a resting place on the giant, pointy mountain called Mount Ararat!
Let's look at our special calendar to see how much time had passed!
The day we entered the Ark was the tenth day of the second month, then the big rain started on the seventeenth day! We floated and floated, then the waters receded at the end of hundred and fifty days or five months.
Then, in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day, the Ark rested on the mountains of Ararat! But still, the water was very high. It wasn't until the tenth month, on the first day, that the tops of the mountains could be seen! Imagine, a whole new world slowly peeking out from under the water!
Waiting and Watching
Even though the mountain tops were showing, the ground was still too wet for us to step out. So we waited. We waited for forty days:
"At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made" (Genesis 8:6 ESV).
Forty days! That's a long time, isn't it? Like playing 40 games of hide-and-seek! I opened a window, a special window right at the top of the Ark, so I could see what was happening outside. Was the water going down more? Was it safe yet?
The Raven's Journey
The first creature I sent out was a big, black bird. Do you know which one?
"He sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters had dried from the earth" (Genesis 8:7 ESV).
A raven! It's a clever bird. The raven flew out and went back and forth until the waters dried up from the earth. Ravens are known to scavenge and can find food even in difficult conditions. When it did not return I knew that there was enough exposed land for it to survive outside the ark.
Noah Sent Out The Gentle Dove
After the raven, I wanted to send a gentler bird, one that liked clean, fresh places.
"Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground" (Genesis 8:8 ESV).
A beautiful, white dove! I hoped the dove would bring good news.
But what happened?
"But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth" (Genesis 8:9 ESV).
Oh, dear! The dove couldn't find anywhere dry to land. So, it came fluttering back to me. I reached out my hand and brought it back into the safety of the Ark. The ground was still too soggy, too muddy, too wet. We had to wait longer.
Waiting Again, and Again!
It was hard to wait, but we knew God was with us.
"He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove from the ark" (Genesis 8:10 ESV).
Seven more days! Can you count to seven? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7! Then, out went the dove again, flying across the sky. This time, I had a hopeful feeling in my heart.
And guess what? The dove returned with a freshly picked olive leaf in her mouth:
"And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth" (Genesis 8:11 ESV).
An olive leaf! A green, fresh, beautiful olive leaf!
That meant there were trees, growing trees, with leaves, on the dry land! It was such a wonderful sign! The water was going down, and new life was appearing!
But I wanted to be absolutely sure.
"Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and it did not return to him anymore" (Genesis 8:12 ESV).
One more time, seven days later, I sent the dove out. And this time, it didn't come back! It had found its new home, a safe, dry place in the wide, wide world. This told me that the earth was finally ready for us!
What Does My Experience Teach Us?
My experience in the flood teaches us about patience and trust. Even when things seem to take a long time, God is always working. He had a plan for us, just like He has a plan for you! We waited, and we watched, and finally, God showed us that it was safe to come out.
FAQ
Q: Why did Noah send out a raven first? A: Noah sent out the raven because ravens are known to scavenge and can find food even in difficult conditions. Its not returning indicated that there was enough exposed land for it to survive outside the ark.
Q: Why did the dove come back the first time? A: The dove came back the first time because it found no dry place to land. Doves prefer clean, dry areas, so its return showed that the floodwaters were still covering most of the earth.
Q: What did the olive leaf mean? A: The freshly plucked olive leaf meant that the floodwaters had receded enough for trees to be growing again. It was a clear sign that new life was returning to the earth and it was becoming safe to leave the ark.
Q: How many times did Noah send out the dove? A: Noah sent out the dove three times, each time waiting seven days in between.
Conclusion
So, my little friends, that is how we knew the time was near to leave the Ark! The raven, then the dove, each brought us clues about the drying land. Soon, we would step out onto a brand new earth, ready for a fresh start with God!
Want to see some amazing animations of the Ark and the animals? Ask your grown-up to help you find videos about Noah's Ark on YouTube! It's super exciting!
What do you think will happen next when we finally leave the Ark? Come back next time to find out!
References
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. (2016). Crossway Bibles. (Original work published 2001)
Sarna, N. M. (1989). Genesis: The traditional Hebrew text with new JPS translation. Jewish Publication Society.Walton, J. H. (2001). Genesis. Zondervan.
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