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The Story of Redemption
to endure the trial. The prevailing degeneracy overcame them, and
they finally joined others who were corrupt in deriding and scoffing
at faithful Noah. They would not leave off their sins but continued
in polygamy and in the indulgence of their corrupt passions.
The period of their probation was drawing near its close. The
unbelieving, scoffing inhabitants of the world were to have a special
sign of God’s divine power. Noah had faithfully followed the instruc-
tions God had given to him. The ark was finished exactly as God
had directed. He had laid in store immense quantities of food for
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man and beast. And after this was accomplished, God commanded
the faithful Noah, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for
thee have I seen righteous before Me.”
The Animals Enter the Ark
Angels were sent to collect from the forest and field the beasts
which God had created. Angels went before these animals, and they
followed, two and two, male and female, and clean beasts by sevens.
These beasts, from the most ferocious, down to the most gentle and
harmless, peacefully and solemnly marched into the ark. The sky
seemed clouded with birds of every description. They came flying to
the ark, two and two, male and female, and the clean birds by sevens.
The world looked on with wonder—some with fear, but they had
become so hardened by rebellion that this most signal manifestation
of God’s power had but a momentary influence upon them. For
seven days these animals were coming into the ark, and Noah was
arranging them in the places prepared for them.
And as the doomed race beheld the sun shining in its glory
and the earth clad in almost its Eden beauty, they drove away their
rising fears by boisterous merriment, and by their deeds of violence
seemed to be encouraging upon themselves the visitation of the
already awakened wrath of God.
Everything was now ready for the closing of the ark, which could
not have been done by Noah from within. An angel is seen by the
scoffing multitude descending from heaven, clothed with brightness
like the lightning. He closes that massive outer door, and then takes
his course upward to heaven again.