Intermediate Level, Block 1—Creation, Fall, and Flood
Week 9
Noah—Passing Through the Flood (Revised on 3/4/2021)
Point to Emphasize: Noah was faithful to God and God remembered him.
Reference Reading: Genesis 7:17—8:3
Memory Verse: Know therefore that it is Jehovah your God who is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and lovingkindness to the thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments. (Deuteronomy 7:9)
Story Sample
Can someone remind us what we have learned about Noah so far? Yes, Noah was a man who was given a very important job by God. He was to build an ark, fill it with animals, and then enter into it with his family. So Noah did all that God had told him to do. He prepared the ark and he gathered in all the animals. He, his wife, his sons and his sons’ wives all went into the ark, and then God shut the door behind them.
And it began to rain. It rained and it rained and it rained! It rained for forty days and forty nights. What happened when it rained non-stop for so many days? A flood came. But Noah and his family were protected and safe within the ark. Because Noah followed God’s directions in preparing the ark, he followed the exact measurements and used the special materials that God had told him to use, he, his family, and all the animals within were saved. They had enough food to eat, they stayed dry, and the animals were well cared for, all because Noah was faithful to follow God’s directions.
While Noah and his family were safe in the ark, God cleaned up the earth. The earth, in its terrible condition, was thoroughly washed clean. As the waters filled the earth, the ark was safe. The waters eventually got so high that even the highest mountains were covered. The water stayed on the earth for one hundred and fifty days. That’s about five months. Yet, because Noah was so careful to listen to God’s instructions, he, his family, and all the animals were well cared for.
Have you ever gone on a long car trip with your family? When I was younger I traveled with my family by car across the whole United States. That trip didn’t take one or two hours, but it took many days. Now don’t you think that during that time in the car we might have gotten bored, or hungry, or even sleepy? We sure did. But we were all well cared for because my parents were prepared. They made a plan of where we would stop to sleep. They packed a large cooler of food to eat. And they made sure my siblings and I packed lots of activities for the long hours in the car. So while we were in that car for so many long days, we didn’t have any complaints. Instead, we really enjoyed our journey and all the provisions we had. My parents were faithful to follow their plan and everything was taken care of. [Storyteller: insert your own story of being faithful to follow a plan and how all things were taken care of as a result of following that plan.]
Noah carefully took care of the plan and directions that God had given him. They were in the ark for five months! Wow! That’s a long time to be in that ark. During that time, as the waters rose and covered the earth, Noah and his family didn’t have to worry. They waited patiently for God to accomplish His plan of cleaning the earth.
How do you think you might feel living in an ark for five months? Do you think you might ask, “Are we there yet?” I know if I were one of the parents in the ark, my children would definitely be asking, “How much longer?” For five months, Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives were in that ark! But they didn’t know how long their journey would last. They just trusted in God’s faithfulness to take care of them.
Let’s think about that period of time they were passing through the flood. How do you think it felt like to be in that ark for that long? Remember all the animals were in there with them. How do you think it smelled? What do you think they thought when the food began to dwindle? Would you start to worry if you were them in the ark? Would you be tired of cleaning up after the animals or making sure they all were fed? Do you know that the Bible says, “And God remembered Noah and all the animals and all the cattle that were with him in the ark.” God remembered Noah. What does this mean? He not only remembered him, but He actively did something to take care of Noah’s situation. The next verse in the Bible says, “God made a wind pass over the earth, and the water subsided.” This was God working to dry up all those flood waters. Not only did the wind come, but the Bible says, “The springs of the deep and the windows of heaven also stopped, and the rain from the heavens was restrained. And the waters receded steadily upon the earth.” Who can tell us what this means? [Allow children to explain, if possible.] Yes, God caused the rain to stop and the flood waters to gradually go down. God remembered Noah. He could have forgotten about him and the ark. But He didn’t!
Because God took great care in giving Noah directions and Noah was faithful to follow this plan, he, his family, and all the animals were remembered by God, passed safely through the flood, and ALL their needs were taken care of. How can we experience this? By being careful to follow the directions our parents give us like Noah was in following God’s directions. We can also be faithful in taking care of our responsibilities at home like Noah was when he had to prepare the ark and animals. I’m sure that if you do this, your parents will remember you and be so pleased with your faithfulness. I encourage you all to practice this in this coming week. Let’s be those who are faithful!