Genesis 7-8  Noah and his family, along with the animals that God sent.. entered the ark on the second month and 17th day of Noah's 600th year.  It was 7 days later that the rains began, the floods came, and the whole earth was covered by the water.  40 days of rain!  

We know the amount of damage that Hurricanes Helene and Milton just did to our state and to North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee.. and that was only a day or two of rain.. In Noah's time the waters covered even the highest mountains.  There was no dry ground left in all of the earth.  No one outside of the ark survived.  

For about a year, Noah and his family lived in the ark with all the animals.  Chapter 8:4 tells us that it was 5 months after the rain began that the ark landed on Mount Ararat.  Three months later, they could begin to see the tops of mountains. 

Finally God spoke to Noah.. and they were able to leave the ark. "Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you.. that they may breed abundantly on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." (v17)

The first thing that Noah did was to build an altar to the Lord and offer burnt offerings.  God was pleased with Noah's offering and gave him a promise to never curse the ground on account of man.. and "I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done." (v21) 

God also made this promise:  "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." 

Father in heaven, all of creation is in Your hands.  You know the heart of men.. You know that evil has invaded Your creation.  Yet, You have provided salvation for those who will repent of their sins and follow Jesus Christ the Lamb who was slain that we might have forgiveness from our sin.  You have provided a Way for us to have life. Thank You. Help us to walk in Your Truth, to overcome those things that keep us from true faith and righteousness.  Fill our hearts with Your Spirit we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen.