The account of Noah’s Ark is found in Genesis 6–9. God instructed Noah to build the ark as a means of salvation from the global flood that He would bring upon the earth because of widespread wickedness.
In Genesis 6:5, it says that the wickedness of man was great, and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8). God chose to preserve Noah, a just and blameless man, along with his family, through the judgment of the flood.
God gave specific instructions for the ark’s construction: “Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch” (Genesis 6:14). The ark’s dimensions were 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, with a window and a door in its side (Genesis 6:15–16).
Noah was also instructed to bring two of every kind of unclean animal, male and female, and seven of each clean animal into the ark, along with food for them and his household (Genesis 6:19–21; 7:2–3). Noah did all that God commanded him (Genesis 6:22).
When the flood came, it rained for forty days and forty nights, and the fountains of the great deep were broken up (Genesis 7:11–12). The waters prevailed on the earth for 150 days, and all living things outside the ark perished. But God remembered Noah and made the waters subside (Genesis 8:1–3). After the earth dried, God commanded Noah to come out of the ark, and he built an altar to the Lord (Genesis 8:20).
God established a covenant with Noah, promising never again to destroy all flesh with a flood, and He set the rainbow as the sign of this covenant (Genesis 9:11–13).
The ark represents God’s provision of salvation through obedience and faith. It also serves as a picture of Christ, who is the only means of salvation from the coming judgment. Just as the ark had one door, Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9).
