Lesson 5: Noah's Ark and the Great Flood - Walking with God and Trusting His Promise

1. Opening Prayer

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and love. As we learn today about Noah, the Ark, and the Great Flood, teach us to walk with You every day just like Noah did, even when others choose to do wrong. Thank You for keeping every promise You make. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

2. Opening Praise Song

3. Introduction: Standing Up for What Is Right

Have you ever seen a bright, colourful rainbow shining in the sky after the rain stops? Do you know why God put the rainbow in the sky?

Many years after Adam and Eve, the number of people on the earth grew very large. Sadly, almost everyone forgot about God and filled the earth with wickedness and violence. Only one man and his family still loved and obeyed the Lord—a righteous man named Noah! Let us read his amazing story in Genesis Chapters 6 to 9 of the World English Bible (WEB).

4. The Bible Story: Noah’s Ark and the Great Flood (Genesis 6:5 – 9:17, WEB)

Part 1: A Wicked World, But Righteous Noah Walked with God (Genesis 6:5–12, WEB)

Yahweh looked down at the earth and saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil (Genesis 6:5, WEB). Yahweh’s heart was grieved because the earth was corrupt and filled with violence.

Yet right in the middle of that wicked world, the Bible gives us wonderful news:

“But Noah found favour in Yahweh’s eyes... Noah was a righteous man, blameless amongst the people of his time. Noah walked with God.” — Genesis 6:8–9 (WEB)

Noah had a loving wife and three sons named Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 6:10, WEB).

Part 2: God Commands Noah to Build the Ark (Genesis 6:13–22, WEB)

God warned Noah that He was going to bring a great flood of waters on the earth to wash away the wickedness, and God gave Noah exact instructions to build a giant boat called an Ark to save his family and the animals:

• Material: Make an ark of cypress wood (gopher wood), build rooms inside it, and coat it inside and outside with pitch (waterproof tar) so no water could leak in (Genesis 6:14, WEB).
• Size of the Ark: 300 cubits long (about 135 metres—longer than a football pitch!), 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high (Genesis 6:15, WEB).
• Design: It had a roof/window opening at the top, a door in its side, and three decks—lower, second, and third storeys (Genesis 6:16, WEB).

Even though there was no ocean nearby and people laughed at him, Noah did not complain or argue. The Bible says: “Thus Noah did. According to all that God commanded him, so he did.” (Genesis 6:22, WEB).

Part 3: Entering the Ark and the Great Flood (Genesis 7:1–24, WEB)

When the Ark was finished and filled with food for everyone, Yahweh said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your house, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.” (Genesis 7:1, WEB).

• The Animals: God brought the animals to Noah—two of every kind of unclean animal (male and female), and seven pairs (sevens) of every clean animal and of the birds of the sky, to keep their kinds alive on the face of the earth (Genesis 7:2–3, 8–9, WEB).
• The People Saved: Exactly eight people entered the Ark—Noah, his wife, his three sons (Shem, Ham, and Japheth), and their three wives (Genesis 7:7, 13; 1 Peter 3:20, WEB).
• God Shut the Door: Once everyone was safely inside, the Bible says: “Yahweh shut him in.” (Genesis 7:16, WEB). God Himself closed and sealed the heavy door of the Ark!

Then the fountains of the great deep burst open, the windows of the sky were opened, and the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights (Genesis 7:11–12, WEB). The waters rose higher and higher until even all the high mountains under the whole sky were covered, and the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days (Genesis 7:19–24, WEB). Inside the Ark, Noah, his family, and all the animals floated safely in God’s care!

Part 4: The Waters Subside — The Raven and the Dove (Genesis 8:1–19, WEB)

Then come five of the most comforting words in the Bible: “God remembered Noah, all the living creatures, and all the livestock that were with him in the ark; and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.” (Genesis 8:1, WEB).

The rain stopped, and in the seventh month the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:4, WEB). After waiting patiently, Noah opened the window of the Ark which he had made:

1. First, Noah sent out a raven: It flew back and forth until the waters were dried up from the earth (Genesis 8:7, WEB).
2. Next, Noah sent out a dove (1st time): The dove found no place to rest the sole of her foot, so she returned to Noah into the Ark (Genesis 8:8–9, WEB).
3. Seven days later, Noah sent out the dove (2nd time): The dove came back to him in the evening, and, behold, in her beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth (Genesis 8:10–11, WEB).
4. Seven days later, Noah sent out the dove (3rd time): This time the dove did not return to him anymore, because the ground was dry (Genesis 8:12, WEB).

Part 5: Noah’s Altar and God’s Rainbow Covenant (Genesis 8:20 – 9:17, WEB)

When the earth was completely dry, God told Noah to bring his family and all the living creatures out of the Ark. What was the very first thing Noah did when his feet touched dry land? “Noah built an altar to Yahweh” to offer thanksgiving to God for saving them! (Genesis 8:20, WEB).

Yahweh was pleased with Noah’s grateful heart. God blessed Noah and his sons and made an everlasting covenant (solemn promise) with them and with every living creature on earth: never again will all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth (Genesis 9:11, WEB).

And what special sign did God put in the sky to remind us of His promise? God said:

“I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.” — Genesis 9:13 (WEB)

5. Quick Revision Table: Key Facts of Noah’s Ark (WEB)

6. Class Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean that “Noah walked with God”? How can you walk with God at school and at home even if other children are doing wrong?
2. Was it easy for Noah and his sons to build a giant Ark on dry land? Why is it important to obey God completely, even when we do not understand everything?
3. What was the very first thing Noah did when he stepped out of the Ark onto dry land? How do we show God we are thankful when He keeps us safe?
4. What should we remember every time we see a rainbow in the clouds?

7. Fun Children’s Activity

8. Closing Prayer

“Faithful Heavenly Father, thank You for the story of Noah and the Ark. Help us to be righteous and obedient like Noah, walking closely with You every single day. Thank You for protecting our families and for placing Your beautiful rainbow in the clouds to remind us that You always keep Your promises. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.”