Based on Genesis 5-9 in Four Parts

Part Three: The Flood

 

Each couple had their quarter and then did gather
To pray and worship God to lay their lives
Into His care, be with them in that new home,
And to guide them safely through the coming storm,
Into a strange, new world to come.
Each of them in that first night, when lying in their bed,
Thought about what lies ahead,
It was concerning, surely something awful, also frightening ….
Now is forever gone the life they knew, all will be new –
What great a change – and to face a future of great challenge!
What will it sound like when the rain comes down?
A sound yet still unknown! What will it feel like
When the ark is taken up to float, this giant, heavy massive boat? ….

Nothing happened the next days, this was needed by God’s grace,
For there was much to do to get acquainted,
With the new chores appointed,
All the family did have a work and deed daily to complete,
Most of all the animals to feed, to clean their quarters, stalls and cages,
Sweep the floors and all the ledges.
The women had the household duties, cooking cleaning, grinding grain,
Preparing meals and after all the work was done to eat and entertain.
Every day at dawn and dusk did Noah call on God,
With his loved ones close around, praising God with gratefulness,
Giving thanks for all His goodness, care, protection, love,
Coming daily down to them from high above.

………………………………

Thus seven days came on, they were for Noah a great test,
There was one Sabbath day of rest,
Where the family did pray for strength of faith,
To fully trust God’s ways, and to help them in those days of waiting,
Keeping them from doubt and fainting.
Outside the mob engaged in noisy laughing, mocking on,
As the ark stood there so lonesome and forlorn
On the dry land, it was the object of much ridicule and scorn.

………………………..

During those days to heaven taken was the Garden Eden
Adam’s former home, be spared the curse that was to come,
Upon the world to be hurled into destruction fierce unfurled,
Till on earth nothing would remain the same,
As from the Creator’s hand it came.

…………………………………….

In the 600th year of Noah, in the second month on the 17th day of the month
All at once broke heaven’s windows loose.
The foretold rain did fall – and now the wicked people – all –
Were in shock and consternation!
Gone was now all scorn, contempt and mockery,
Now they cried out in bitter lamentation:
“It is true what Noah preached and said, and now it is too late –
the ark is closed – and we are lost, lost, lost!”…
Then the fountains of the deep broke up, shooting jets of waters high and up
In all directions with a force that severed sections
Of the rocks upon the earth to split and thrust them in the air,
Killing any living creature near.
Noah and his family could hear the roar of winds, the thunders
And the lightnings,
The beating of the water on the ark. It was frightening.
Those noisy, unaccustomed sounds came and went in rounds,
Eased off then raged anew with violence against the giant wooden structure,
Making anxious man and beast inside, by that mighty force of nature.
The horror of the wicked was incredible, unimaginable,
The shrieking, howling of despair,
Filled the air everywhere.
Seeing death before their eyes made them insane with maddening cries,
As the waters rose and rose up close, till there was nothing
More to hold on, and man and beast at last sank down,
Miserably then to drown….
In the unstoppable fury of the tempest huge and mighty
trees uprooted in a flash, buried creatures
With it in the clash, big and small in untold numbers,
And the air did shake from mighty thunders.
The works of men, their idol altars, edifices, arts and wealth,
Gold and jewels, diamonds, the idols of their hearts
Were swept away by furious waves,
To be entombed deep, deep in underwater caves,
Forever out of sight, nevermore to come to light.
By God assigned to be avenged.
Forty days and nights the entire planet was entrenched,
Rain from above, waters from beneath, to cover all the earth
To quickly rise in the inevitable demise, to destroy a world so full of sin and vice.
Then the heavy ark was lifted up,
The raging billows made it sway, giving its dwellers great dismay,
Till if fully was afloat – this marvel of a superb boat.
Sometimes the ark was truly tossed about, causing man and beast cry out aloud.
Fear was written on the faces, as the ark did ache in many places,
The pressure on the timber was immense,
Keeping anxious minds concerned and tense.
But unseen hands were on the helm, guiding them through the deluge,
The wise, divine design moved the ark the huge,
Amidst the thrust of fierce, tempestuous surge, crashing on the boat,
By God’s mighty grace and power, it was securely kept afloat.

………………………….

150 days the waters did prevail on earth
High above the highest mountain, all was one vast ocean,
Nothing living did remain.

……………………………………

Then heaven shut the windows once again, to stop the mighty rain.
The deep closed up its fountains to stop the gushing out of water spouts.
The crushing noise of thunders, the lightning’s fury ceased,
The sea was from the violence of turbulence released.
And God did send a wind to pass over all the earth –
So, the waters were decreased.
Now the sun came out, the sky again was blue and clear,
Sending blissful light into the ark, after many days of grey and dark,
Cheering every soul and creature, giving hope and trust for the near future.
Birds began to sing, their cheerful chirping also brightened moods and everything.
Then Noah and his family tuned in joyfully
With songs of praise most thankfully.
Only one thing was seen there on the ocean – it was the ark in motion –
A tiny speck upon the endless sea, with its precious cargo on an unknown journey
By divine decree.
“And the waters returned from off the earth continually,
And at the end of 150 days the waters were abated.”
In the 7th month, day 17, the ark did rest upon the mountains of Ararat.
The tops of the mountains after three months could be seen,
And 40 days after “Noah opened the window of the ark… to send forth
A raven which went to and fro,
till the waters were dried up from the earth.”
Then he let out a dove, but found no footing, she came back to take her in.
After 7 days did send her out again, returning with an olive leaf
In her beak. This did put a smile on Noah’s cheek,
Knowing that the land was slowly getting dry,
and after seven more days, the dove did fly away…
End of Part Three. To be continued.

Edda Tedford, Canada