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The Beginning of the End
God commanded Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your
household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in
this generation.” His influence and example resulted in blessings to
his family and God saved all the members of his family with him.
An Angel Shuts the Door
The animals of the field and the birds of the air had entered the
place of refuge. Noah and his household were within the ark, “and
the Lord shut him in.” The massive door, impossible for those inside
to close, was slowly swung into place by unseen hands. Noah was
shut in and the rejecters of God’s mercy were shut out. So the door
of mercy will be shut when Christ shall cease His ministry for guilty
sinners before He comes in the clouds of heaven. Then divine grace
will no longer restrain the wicked, and Satan will have full control
of those who have rejected mercy. They will try to destroy God’s
people; but as Noah was shut into the ark, so the righteous will be
shielded by divine power.
For seven days after Noah and his family entered the ark, there
was no sign of the coming storm. During this period their faith
was tested. It was a time of triumph to the world outside, and
they continued making a joke of the exhibits of God’s power. They
gathered in crowds around the ark, making fun of those locked inside
with a reckless boldness that they had never dared to show before.
But on the eighth day dark clouds covered the sky. The muttering
of thunder and the flash of lightning followed. Soon large drops of
rain began to fall. The world had never seen anything like this and
fear struck every heart. Everyone was secretly asking, “Can it be
that Noah was right and that the world is doomed?” The animals
were roaming about in the wildest terror. Then “the fountains of
the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were
opened.” The clouds poured out rain like mighty waterfalls. Rivers
broke away from their boundaries and overflowed the valleys. Jets
of water burst from the earth with indescribable force.
The people first saw their splendid buildings and beautiful gar-
dens and groves in which they had placed their idols destroyed by
lightning from heaven. Altars on which human sacrifices had been
offered were torn down, and the worshipers were made to tremble at
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