Based on Genesis 6:5-22
One day as God was thinking about the people on earth His heart became very sad. He could see that all the people had become very bad, so bad that they stopped thinking of anything good. God was so sad and hurt that he wanted to get rid of every person and all the creatures that He had made. He wanted all the evil to stop.
The thing about God is that He gets very angry at our sin and all the bad stuff in the world but we also know that God is love. God IS love, so that means that He can be disappointed when we do bad things but He still loves us, and that's why He remembered Noah.
Noah was the only one that was righteous (which means that he did things right). He was a good guy and he walked with God.
So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all the people because the earth is full of fighting because of them. I am going to destroy them and the earth."
God then gave Noah instructions on how to make the boat. He told him what kind of wood and how big to make it. He also told him to put a door in the side of the ark and to make it with three floors. The ark was humongous!
The Bible says that next God told Noah that He would make a covenant with him. A covenant is an agreement with a promise. He would save Noah, his wife, and his three sons and their wives. They would be safe in the ark because God was going to flood the whole earth and everything else would die.
I'm missing one other BIG thing that's going in the ark with Noah and his family... and that is... The animals! Two of all living creatures male and female (or the boy and girl of each). Plus two of every kind of bird and every creature that moves along the ground.
Then food for each of them for as long as they were on the boat. Yikes! That's a lot of animals and a lot of food. I think it would've been a very full, noisy, stinky place to be, but they would all be safe.
It's hard to describe how big the ark actually was but if you think of some of the biggest animals you know (elephant, moose, buffalo, giraffe, rhino, gorilla) and make sure you have 2 of each of those plus all the other little animals that couldn't be stepped on...they needed a lot of room!
Some people think it took over 100 years to build the ark and the Bible says that Noah was 600 years old when the flood waters came. Keep in mind that Noah was building a big ark because God told him to. I have a feeling Noah and his family were teased a lot from the other people. What if your neighbor started building a huge boat on your street? It would sound a little strange...
Discussion Questions
- Why was God angry? People were sinning.
- What did God ask Noah to do? Build an ark
- What people were to go on the ark? Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives
- What else did God tell Noah to put on the ark? Two of every kind of animal and food for them
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for the story about Noah building the ark. Help us understand how important it is to obey God and our parents. We love you. Amen.
Bible Verse for September
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6:5
Outdoor Family Fun
Take your preschooler for a walk around a football field at a neighborhood school. As you walk, talk with your child about the size of the ark, which was almost the size of one and a half football fields (almost 150 yards long). Talk about how many animals would have fit inside. Listen to any questions and comments from your child, and enjoy your time together.
Homespun idea
Cut a milk carton so that your child can float it in the bathtub. If little plastic animals or people are available, suggest that they be put in the carton to re-create Noah’s ark.
Or
The story of Noah’s ark is a favorite of many preschoolers. As you read about this in the Bible, use different voices and pause often so that your child can make background noises to assist you. This participation will enhance your child’s attention and make familiar verses more enjoyable.
Daily Challenge
This week, your child learned that God wants us to obey. Encourage you child to commit to one of the following challenges to show you and God he or she want to be obedient. Help your child weave faith into life this week and follow through on the challenges.
- When your mom or dad asks you to pick up your toys, do it right away.
- When it’s time for bed, go to bed without whining or complaining.
- Every morning, ask God how he wants you to obey that day.
