THE ANIMALS ENTER THE ARK

God sent angels to gather the animals from the forests and fields. The angels walked ahead of the animals who followed two-by-two--one male and one female of each kind of unclean animal, and seven pairs of each clean animal. Some of the animals normally were wild and dangerous. Others were gentle and peaceful. But all were calm and quiet as they marched into the ark.SRme 1.209

Clouds of birds of every kind filled the air. One male and one female of each unclean kind flew into the ark. But seven pairs of each kind of clean bird flew in.SRme 1.210

The people watched this miracle with amazement. Some people were afraid. But they were so full of rebellion that this great sign of God's power impressed them for only a short time. For seven days the animals continued entering the ark. Noah and his family were kept busy putting the creatures in the places that had been prepared for them.SRme 1.211

The people who were about to be destroyed saw the sun continue to shine brightly. They saw the earth covered with almost as much beauty as there had been in the Garden of Eden. So, they brushed away their rising fears by joking and holding wild parties. The terrible crimes of violence the people did seemed to encourage God to destroy them.SRme 1.212

Everything now was ready for the door of the ark to be closed. But Noah could not close the door from inside the ark. As crowds of wicked people watched, an angel as bright as lightning came down from heaven. He closed the huge door of the ark, then flew back to heaven.SRme 1.213

Noah and his family were in the ark seven days before the rain began. During this time they were busy putting everything in place for a long stay. They would be in the ark all the time the water covered the earth. During these seven days the people outside the ark laughed at God and made fun of Noah. Rain did not fall immediately after Noah entered the ark, so the people decided Noah was deceived. They told each other it was impossible for the world to be destroyed by a Flood. Before that time the people had never seen rain. At night a mist as dew had come up from the rivers and lakes to refresh the plants and cause them to grow well.SRme 1.214

God had given the wicked several signs of His great power. The animals had miraculously left the forest and fields and marched into the ark. The angel of God, bright as the lightning, had closed the great door of the ark. But the wicked people still refused to believe. They laughed and made jokes about the evidence of divine power.SRme 1.215