That Time Noah was Quarantined during a Pandemic

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord .

Genesis 6:8

The world today is a scary place, and that was true before Covid-19 came into play. We have had sickness and death all around us ever since the fall of man back in Genesis 3. So why are we panic buying toilet paper now? Conversely, why are people rioting and not adhering to health regulations put in place? I can't answer these questions but I do know that neither panic or skepticism are what we need right now.

God told Noah that he would destroy every living thing on earth except for what was on the ark God told him to build. Noah didn't go rioting in the streets. He didn't go panic shopping or start hoarding everything possible.... ok, except for all the animals. Genesis 6:22 says "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." He built the ark exactly as God had instructed and gathered food and all the animals that God told him to get. Noah was faithful in a time of uncertainty.

After being "quarantined" on the ark, he and his family spent around a year stuck there. They couldn't go out to eat at the local fish market or go to the theater. They weren't able to go to the sporting goods store to buy the latest slingshot or running sandals. They were stuck... in a boat.... in the middle of nowhere.... with just their family to talk to. And I'm sure the stench of the animals was also pleasant. But worst of all.... no Netflix! How did they ever survive....

There was no virus. No real threat to their lives even though everyone around them had died in the flood. Yet they were still quarantined on the ark for a long period of time. Makes you wonder how they passed the time from day to day. Did Noah just sit around barking orders to his sons to clean up after the animals? Did his wife nag him about his "quarantine hair" getting out of control? Did they play cards or Uno with the kids all day everyday? No one really knows what they did on a daily basis during this time but we do know that Noah was faithful and he was a righteous man. How much faith does it take to get through a pandemic? See Noah.

Faith doesn't tell us to go out and live our lives as normal. It doesn't require us to panic and go buy up everything on the shelves either. Faith lets us know that God is in control and if we do everything that we are commanded to do we, too, can find favor in the eyes of the Lord. Faith assures us even though the rains comes, hardships fall on us, and disease strikes us, that God will eventually send the rainbow. Noah didn't live his life as if nothing was happening nor did he panic at the realization of every living thing perishing. He did what was instructed of him and trusted God to keep him and his family safe.