Genesis 7:10 "And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth."
Noah's life was an interesting one. The word of the Lord had come to him instructing him to build an ark (Genesis 6:14). The dimensions of what he was to construct were given in detail. The purpose of the ark was also stated: "For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die" (Genesis 6:17).
Can you imagine? While Noah must be relieved to hear that God is providing a way of escape for he and his family, he must be shaken to his core at the revelation of what is to come.
Noah goes to work. Building a boat of this magnitude will not come easy. He begins gathering materials and embarks on the task. Scripture describes Noah as a "preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5). One can only imagine the conversations Noah must have had with all who saw him hard at work decade after decade. The sneers, the laughter, the rejection...Noah must have felt so isolated.
Noah does obey the Lord. He preaches the righteousness of God and for years, as he builds, he is warning people of the coming day of judgment. In spite of the enormity of the task and the rejection of his fellow-man, he obeys the call of God.
Now, it is time to enter the ark. The Lord has arranged for the animals to be gathered to go into the ark, and now Noah and his family will step into it as well. He believes the earth is about to be flooded...not because he has seen it before...not because anyone has ever experienced such a phenomenon, but because the Lord had told him so.
Noah and his family are safely in. The others have been warned of the coming judgment of the flood. Now, for seven days Noah and his family will wait. Genesis 7:10 tell us the flood doesn't commence for seven days. How long must that week have been?
Think about it! Noah has obeyed God and dedicated decade after decade to following His commands. He has preached without any response. He has led his family into the ark at the instruction of the Lord. Then...nothing. Yes, there were preparations to be made, but...can you imagine waiting for seven days?
You can imagine with me what people on the outside had to say. "How's it going in your boat, Noah? Hey, Noah! Here is today's weather report: still sunny! Noah, how long are you guys going to stay inside that silly thing?"
Can you relate? Maybe you, like Noah, have done your best to obey the Lord's commands and follow His will. Maybe you have experienced the rejection of those who had no interest in your testimony or your message of salvation. Maybe you are in a season where, as best you can, you have listened to the word of the Lord and you find yourself...waiting...and waiting.
Trust in the Lord. Trust in His timing and His provision. You may be waiting on the answer, waiting on the fulfillment, waiting on the help. But, you can trust the Lord. Noah obeyed...then...he waited. Yet, when the floodwaters came, how glad he was that he had obeyed the Lord.
Perhaps you are in your season of waiting for God to complete His work on your behalf. Remember, the words of Nahum 1:7: "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in Him."
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