#6 "Noah...prepared an Ark to the Saving of His House"

Moses 8:19-30; Gen. 6-9; 11:1-9
Let’s reminisce for a minute; think back to your childhood. What are some of the things you remember doing as a child that were innocent and are great memories now in your lives? Sister Bambrough told me of her favorite childhood past time; she loved to go behind her house across the fields and pick all the wild flowers she could find then sit under a shade tree and make crowns, necklaces, and bracelets from them. For me I remember sticking out my tongue to catch snowflakes, throwing rocks in rivers or lakes, and going into a field in my neighborhood-gone now; but when it snowed me, my friends and neighbors, including my Bishop who lived next door, would go to that field and He would bring his 4-wheeler and drag us behind on tubes, and fling us into snow banks till we were completely covered and purple from cold. I had a great childhood with great times. Hopefully yours were full of innocence and good experiences too. I will tie all this into the lesson in just a minute.
First let’s talk about our story of Noah and the ark. We find this story in Genesis 6-9 and Moses 8. Can anyone rehash the story for us in abbreviated form?
Now that we recall the story we ask ourselves what I can get out of this story that goes with my personal life. Well in order to know some of the things we should get out of this story we need to look at the reasons the flood was sent.
We know that the earth was flooded for several reasons. First so that the earth could be baptized and begin it’s process of returning to it’s place next to the Kingdom of Eloheim, we talked about that a couple of lessons ago. Another reason is because the wickedness of the people had come to the point that they were disobeying the commandments of God and the one of the commandments that were among the most serious in offense is found in Moses 8:14The sons of God (members of God church, priesthood holders) took wives of daughters of men (daughters who didn’t have religion or God in their lives).
In our world today we say so what why is this so serious? There seems to be better people out of the church than in lately. Or Perhaps you are of the belief that nonmembers are good people too, that is just prejudice to not see past that. Well both Joseph Fielding Smith and Spencer W. Kimball explains all this for us.
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: “Because the daughters of Noah married the sons of men contrary to the teachings of the Lord, his anger was kindled, and this offense was one cause that brought to pass the universal flood. You will see that the condition appears reversed in the book of Mormon. It was the daughters of the sons of God who were marrying the sons of men, which was displeasing unto the Lord the fact was, as we see it revealed, that the daughters who had been born, evidently under the covenant, and were the daughters of the sons of God, that is to say of those who held the priesthood, were transgressing the commandment of the Lord and were marrying out of the church. Thus they were cutting themselves off from the blessings of the priesthood contrary to the teachings of Noah and the will of God.” (Answers to Gospel questions, 1:136-137)
Spencer W. Kimball warned latter-day saints today of the dangers of marrying outside of the covenant: “Paul told the Corinthians, ‘Be ye not unequally yoked together…’ Perhaps Paul wanted them to see that religious differences are fundamental differences. Religious differences imply wider areas of conflict. Church loyalties and family loyalties clash. Children’s lives are often frustrated. The nonmember may be equally brilliant, well trained and attractive, and he or she may have the most pleasing personality, but without a common faith, trouble lies ahead for the marriage. There are some exceptions but the rule is a harsh and unhappy one. “There is not bias or prejudice in this doctrine. It is a matter of following a certain program to reach a definite goal.” (miracle of forgiveness p. 240)
And what is that definite goal? To gather the keys and ordinances that will allow us back into the presence of our father in Heaven, bringing with us our children and grandchildren.
It also says in verse 22 that the wickedness of men had become great, their imaginations, thoughts and hearts were evil. Meaning there wasn’t one thing about them that was righteous.
We have been told that society in the last days would display some of the social symptoms that existed in the time of Noah. We have very few adjectives that describe Noah’s contemporaries, but his neighbors were apparently very disobedient to the commandments of God, and the earth was “corrupt,” and significantly, society then was “filled with violence.” (Gen. 6:11.) Violence and corruption usually occur because of selfishness. Spencer W. Kimball New Era 1974 Sept.
Just as foretold, our days actually are fast resembling the days of Noah, especially notable for their pattern of corruption and violence. (See Matt. 24:37; Gen. 6:11.) Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Behold, the Enemy Is Combined’ (D&C 38:12),” Ensign, May 1993, 76
Another and most important reason that the earth flooded was because God loved us and those wicked people so much that He needed to do something to help them and us.

John Taylor in the Journal of Discourses explains why destroying everyone was the only answer, “This antediluvian people were not only very wicked themselves, but having the power to propagate their species, they transmitted their unrighteous natures and desires to their children, and brought them up to indulge in their own wicked practices. And the spirits that dwelt in the eternal worlds knew this, and they knew very well that to be born of such parentage would entail upon themselves an infinite amount of trouble, misery and sin. And supposing ourselves to be of the number of unborn spirits, would it not be fair to presume that we would appeal to the Lord, crying, ‘Father, do you not behold the condition of this people, how corrupt and wicked they are?”
So this goes back to our childhood memories, we have great memories and we were innocent and carefree. At the time of Noah these children being born weren’t born into that same innocence, they were being taught the wickedness of what their parents were doing. That innocence of children was lost and what happens when that innocence is lost? The world changes, values change, etc. Scary thought isn’t it? Can we see that same pattern developing today? How innocent are our children, have they seen heard and done things that you didn’t see till you were older? I remember that Bryson came home from junior high in 7th grade and he heard some things that he learned from a bunch of guys in the locker room, he asked me about it and I was shocked, shocked mainly because the content was stuff I hadn’t learned until I was in my sex-education class in college. He was definitely getting an education about things he had no business in learning at such an age. So what can we do about those things, talk to them, help them understand which things are appropriate and when. We testify of the importance of keeping certain things sacred and protected.

John Taylor explains 2 more reasons why a flood was probably the only way to stop this type of corrupting behavior from influencing the whole human race. Speaking as the Lord, “I will first send them my word, offering them deliverance from sin, and warning them of my justice, which shall certainly overtake them if they reject it, and I will destroy them from off the face of the earth, thus preventing their increase (increase in evil doing), and I will raise up another seed.” “Yes, it was just for those spirits that had not received their bodies, and it was just and merciful too to those people guilty of the iniquity. Why? Because by taking away their earthly existence he prevented them from entailing their sins upon their posterity and degeneration them, and also prevented them from committing further acts of wickedness.” (journal of discourses, 19:158-159)

Now can we see why marrying men and women outside of the church can and is such a serious offense? We see why sticking to the church, listening to the prophets and staying close to the spirit is so important to us. Our prophets know and can see our sins, can see where our generations are headed just as Noah saw them then.

We are ripening for destruction in our world if we don’t make some major changes. We can see that calamities are happening quicker and more often do you think this is coincidence? Another story told in Gen. 11:1-9 is about the tower of Babel. The flood had come and gone, so had Noah, his descendents were multiplying and replenishing, but they were also starting to forget covenants they made with the Lord. 11:2 They founded the land of Shiner, this is a city inside of Babylon (Babel, or Babylon meaning Worldly or worldliness) The descendents were finding worldliness again, they were choosing worldliness over the things of God. 11:4 they wanted to build a tower to “make a name for themselves”. Instead of taking on the name of Christ they were trying to make their own name.
So what does the Lord do about this, He decides to 11:7 confound their language, if the people can’t talk with each other or understand one another, how then can they come up with great plans to build towers in Babylon?

We find over and over in the scriptures that the Lord loves us so He confounds, He destroys through floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, He allows His children to be in bondage, all for the sake of one thing, that we may know when we make choices that coincide with His will we are blessed and we are on the pathway that will bring us closer to being in His presence forever; and not just choices for us but for all the generations that follow us. I bare testimony just as I imagine Noah did back then, we need to stop wickedness, we need to come to the church, we need to teach our children how important Godly things are, and that the prophets counsel, even if it seems old fashioned or prejudice is crucial to their very existence as well as their children’s children’s existence! We must change our ways, our hearts and our thoughts if we don’t want to be destroyed by something as devastating as a flood. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen!