I don’t know how I got it so wrong, but I thought it was 40 days of rain, 40 days of dry and then to repopulating the Earth. I had somehow missed 150 adrift, then many more waiting for the water to fully recede. As they left the boat it had been nearly a full year since Earth’s populate died.

I cannot image the range of emotions the Arks (Noah+wife+sons+sons’ wives) must have felt. The profound sadness as the loss of everyone they knew. Profound relief at escaping the ark. Profound curiosity about what they would find. Would the landscape be littered with corpses? (I’d guess the sea life took care of that.) Would the land look the same? (I’d guess not.)

It must have been a profound sense of faith and thanks that led them to sacrifice so many animals as a first act on the dry land. I am tempted to wrestle with whether it was a waste or not, but then I’m reminded that in the context of offerings that’s a noble purpose. All I need is to look back to Cain and Able and remember that returning to God what he’s given to you is a serious business.

If the 40 days weren’t hard enough for Noah and company, I wonder how they faired during the 150. Was that a time of mourning? Of anger? Or were they too busy tending to the species of the world to do much more than scoop poop, lay out feed and sleep.

I also loved the detail that Noah had a final warning. He had 7 days to say his good byes and too reflect on the annihilation of his species.

This all happened 5 years after Lamech, Noah’s father, died. I wonder if had an inklings about what his world and his family would go through.

If you have any thoughts, feedback or questions about Genesis 7 let me know.