God spoke to Noah, a righteous man, and told him to build a large boat to escape the coming flood. But have you ever considered how long it took Noah to build the ark?
The 1986 movie, The Money Pit, stars Tom Hanks and Shelley Long. It tells the story of a young couple who buy an old house, a “fixer-upper,” and hire a construction crew to address all the home’s problems. Every time they ask how much longer before the house is finished, the contractor responds, “Two weeks,” even after months of saying so.
While the running joke might be funny in a movie, it becomes less humorous in real life. God called Noah to a seemingly impossible construction project, and we learn about faith and endurance through Noah completing the ark over several years and ultimately saving his family.
Where Does the Bible Talk about Noah Building the Ark?
An extremely popular story, the Noah’s Ark account is found in Genesis 6-9.
The Bible describes a time when humanity’s sin had become so great that “every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” The wickedness and violence filling the earth grieved God, and he decided to wipe out all living creatures with a flood. However, one man, Noah, found favor with God because he was righteous.
Even in his judgment, God sought to save lives and redeem, and he chose Noah as the instrument to save humanity. The Lord provided a way for Noah and his family to be saved and also to save the animal kingdom.
God gave Noah specific instructions on how to build the ark, a large boat. It was to be made of cypress wood, with rooms inside. The boat would be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. The ark would have three decks, and God told Noah to coat it with pitch to make it waterproof. The Lord instructed Noah and his family to gather two of every kind of animal, male and female, along with food for the family and the animals while on the ark. Noah obeyed exactly as he was told.
Once the ark was completed, Noah, his family, and the animals entered it. The floodwaters came from the great deep and the floodgates of heaven, causing rain for 40 days and nights. The waters covered even the tallest mountains, and all living creatures and people outside the ark perished. After another 150 days, the waters receded, and the ark came to rest on Mount Ararat. Once the water on the earth dried up, Noah left the ark and built an altar to the Lord. God made a covenant with Noah, promising to never again destroy the earth with a flood. God placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign of this covenant.
How Long Did it Take Noah to Build the Ark?
While the Bible doesn’t exactly state the number of years, Genesis 6:3 provides a clue about how long it took Noah to build the ark. “My spirit shall not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” God declared this before the flood, not after, so it likely referred to the time period people had to repent before the judgment.
Some churches teach that Genesis 6:3 gives a new lifespan for individuals since before the verse, men and women in Genesis lived hundreds of years. However, people even after Noah lived over 120 years. Perhaps God meant it as a general rule instead of a hard cap, but since the Lord spoke this before the flood, many believe God prophesied the great flood would come 120 years later. We assume Noah spent these twelve decades constructing the ark and preaching to a sinful generation.
Another clue comes when we look at Noah’s age. Genesis 5:32 states that Noah was 500 years old when he became the father of his sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth. When the floodwaters came, Noah was 600 years old (Genesis 7:6). A hundred years passed between these dates, most likely used to prepare and build the ark. So while the Bible doesn’t give an exact starting date when Noah began construction, it’s possible the project started around Noah’s 500th year or shortly after. Since God’s word to build the ark included mention of the family, the sons had been born already. We can guess that it took anywhere from 80 to 120 years’ time to build the ark.
What Were the Challenges Noah Faced While Building the Ark?
To begin with, it had never rained on the earth. God’s promise to flood the earth would have seemed impossible or fantastical. Before the flood, a mist rose up from the ground and watered the earth (Genesis 2:5-6). The idea of rain and a flood was entirely foreign, and Noah had to trust God’s word without having any experience with rain or flooding. In addition, Noah would have had to convince his family, a wife and sons, to trust him according to God’s word.
God asked Noah to build an enormous boat in a time when no one had done anything like that. The dimensions of the ark (longer than a football field) were overwhelming for someone without modern tools or engineering knowledge. Noah had to rely on God’s instructions to build this vessel over many years.
Not only did Noah face physical challenges, but he also encountered social resistance. He lived in a corrupt society filled with wickedness, violence, and evil thinking. His neighbors and peers probably mocked him for building a massive boat on dry land for a flood no one had experienced before, and we’re told Noah preached repentance while building the ark (2 Peter 2:5). The community ridicule must have been difficult. Noah worked in an environment of sin and violence. The culture wouldn’t have been cooperative, further isolating Noah and making his project more difficult. He had to maintain his righteousness and faith in a world that didn’t value obedience to God.
Added to the emotional endurance needed, Noah worked for decades, a severe physical toll. Gathering materials, constructing the ark, and preparing food took intense labor and planning over the years, all with only the help of his family. Despite the exhaustion, Noah persevered due to his faith and love for his family.
Why Was God’s Timeline Significant?
When God spoke to Noah regarding the flood, the world was already filled with sin. And yet he still gave people time to repent. Genesis 6:5 says, “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” Despite this incredible statement—every inclination was only evil all the time—God didn’t immediately send judgment. Instead, he demonstrated his patience, giving humanity time to turn from their evil ways.
As we noted earlier, Noah preached repentance while building the ark. God’s timeline provided time to build the ark and give opportunity for people to listen, seek forgiveness, and change. This connects with later Bible passages like 2 Peter 3:9. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God hasn’t changed. Even in Noah’s time, God waited patiently, though the people continued in their sin.
Noah’s family was the only one to respond to God’s call, but the opportunity was there for others. God’s justice was tempered with mercy. The ark symbolizes this grace, providing a way of salvation to the coming judgment. They could have fit others on such a huge boat. Unfortunately, no one believed Noah and trusted God.
What Can Christians Learn from Noah’s Example?
We can learn several lessons from Noah and his building of the ark.
First, God showed favor to Noah because of his righteousness in the midst of a sinful generation. “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” In a world of violence, Noah distinguished himself by believing in God and acting on his faith. God values righteousness and active faith, and those who walk with Christ by the Spirit receive his favor. Even in times of great sin and corruption, our faith will help us live holy (set apart for a divine purpose) and find God’s protection.
Second, even as he lived surrounded by corruption, Noah fully obeyed God’s call. Genesis 6:22 says, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” God is Savior and Lord, and too often we dismiss God’s authority to direct our paths for his will and our good. Through the Spirit, we have the power to obey. Constant obedience is crucial, despite when it seems difficult or confusing. Just as Noah trusted God’s plan and the promise without fully understanding rain or floods, we must step out and follow Christ when he calls us.
Third, Noah’s obedience continued through decades, possibly 80 years. Through the grueling work and physical challenges, he likely faced mocking from those around him. As the Bible mentions the extreme violence, Noah may have faced physical attack during the project. But Noah continued and persevered through the process. “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.” (Hebrews 11:17). Often, when God requires long periods of obedience through difficult situations, our hearts want to quit. But we can find hope in God fulfilling his promises, even if it seems impossible. God specializes in the impossible.
Fourth, God saves the righteous from his judgment. Just as God saved Noah and his family from the worldwide flood, the Lord saves us from judgment through Jesus Christ. In Noah’s story, God didn’t relent from the judgment but rescued the righteous from it. We mustn’t forget God promises to judge the world, and he will do it. At the same time, he will save those who submit their wills to the Father through Jesus and walk in the Spirit with him. Living in Christ is the ultimate ark for all believers.
Peace.
Further Reading
How Long Did it Take Noah to Build the Ark? (And What We Can Learn from It)
How Old Was Noah When He Built the Ark?
4 Lessons of Hope from the Story of Noah and the Ark
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