More Questions--Answered

            Q. Why did Noah build the ark?

         A. God was angry with everyone except Noah and his family. God knew everyone else was behaving badly. Noah listened as God explained how to make the ark. Noah knew the ark would need to carry his family and 2 of every kind of animal 14 of other animals (for food). God was going to send a great flood.

        Q. What did the ark look like?

          A. It must have looked very odd, more like a floating house than a boat. Of course, it wasn't meant to sail away on long voyages. It only had to float long enough to keep everyone and everything safe. The ark was longer than a football field and only about half as wide. Noah covered the ark with tar to keep everything nice and dry.

       Q. What happened when the flood came?

          A. Noah, his family, and the animals were all on the ark before the flood started. It began to rain, then the waters rose. The rain continued for 40 days, until even the mountains were covered. All the living things, except those on the ark, died in the flood.

          Q. How did Noah know when it was safe to leave the ark?

        A. It took a few months for the water to go down. To find out if it was safe, Noah sent out first a raven, then a dove. The dove flew around and could not find a place to land so it came back. After seven days Noah sent a dove out again. This time it came back with a fresh olive branch. At last! Noah made everyone wait another week before sending out the dove again. This time it did not return--it found a home!

          Q. How did God show he was happy with Noah!

           A. God decided that even though humans might be foolish and do wrong things. he would never again destroy all living things by a flood. There would be spring, summer, fall, and winter.

        Q. What sign of this promise did God give?

            A. The rainbow arching across the sky after a storm is a sign of the covenant or promise God made with Noah and all living things.