Conflict and Courage

After Seven Days, February 3

Genesis 7

And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. Genesis 7:10. CC 40.1

For seven days after Noah and his family entered the ark, there appeared no sign of the coming storm. During this period their faith was tested. It was a time of triumph to the world without. The apparent delay confirmed them in the belief that Noah's message was a delusion, and that the Flood would never come. Notwithstanding the solemn scenes which they had witnessed ... they still continued their sport and revelry, even making a jest of these signal manifestations of God's power. They gathered in crowds about the ark, deriding its inmates with a daring violence which they had never ventured upon before.^{9Ibid., 98, 99.} CC 40.2

At the end of seven days clouds began to gather. This was a new sight; for the people had never seen clouds.... Soon rain began to fall. Still the people tried to think that this was nothing very alarming.... For a time the ground drank up the rain; but soon the water began to rise, and day by day it rose higher and higher. Each morning as the people found the rain still falling they looked at one another in despair, and each night they repeated the words, “Raining still!” ^{10The Signs of the Times, April 10, 1901.} CC 40.3

The people first beheld the destruction of the works of their own hands. Their splendid buildings, and the beautiful gardens and groves where they had placed their idols, were destroyed by lightning from heaven, and the ruins were scattered far and wide.... The terror of man and beast was beyond description. Above the roar of the tempest was heard the wailing of a people that had despised the authority of God.... In that terrible hour they saw that the transgression of God's law had caused their ruin. Yet while, through fear of punishment, they acknowledged their sin, they felt no true contrition, no abhorrence of evil. They would have returned to their defiance of Heaven, had the judgment been removed. So when God's judgments shall fall upon the earth before its deluge by fire, the impenitent will know just where and what their sin is—the despising of His holy law. Yet they will have no more true repentance than did the old-world sinners.^{11Patriarchs and Prophets, 99, 100.} CC 40.4