Genesis 7:7 Daily Devotional & Meaning – Noah and His Family Enter the Ark: God’s Covenant Priority
- Benjamin Michael Mcgreevy
- Mar 9
- 3 min read
Daily Verses Everyday! Day 34
“And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.”
And this is the first of four verses that build the anticipation of the Flood actually coming. This verse talks about the fact that Noah, his three sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives all entered the ark. I think it is important to note that the very first mention of anyone entering the ark is man, not the animals.
This is a subtle yet powerful reminder of God’s order of priorities: humanity, created in His image, is of greater value than the rest of creation. While the animals would soon follow in obedience to God’s command, it is the preservation of human life, Noah and his family, that takes center stage here. This aligns with what Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:26: “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” God cares deeply for His creation, even for the sparrows, but His love and value for mankind is greater, for humanity is uniquely made in His image as explained in Genesis 1:27.
Just as Noah and his family are the first to enter the ark, we see that God’s covenant purposes and redemptive plan always begin with His people. This is most evident in the mission of Christ, who first went out to try and save the Jews. When Jesus came into the world, He declared in Matthew 15:24, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Just as Noah and his family were the first to enter the ark and become the foundation for a renewed humanity, so also the covenant people of Israel were the first recipients of God’s redemptive invitation through Christ. This shows a consistent pattern in Scripture that God begins His saving work with His chosen people, then extends that blessing outward to all nations.
The apostle Paul reflects on this in Romans 1:16, when he writes, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” God’s plan of redemption always prioritizes His covenant promises. He made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and through their descendants came the Messiah who would bring salvation not only to Israel but to the whole world. In the same way, Noah and his family entered the ark first not to exclude the animals but to demonstrate that God’s covenant purposes flow through His people, with creation following after. This is a perfect example of God’s faithfulness. Just as He did not abandon Noah in the midst of a corrupt generation, He did not abandon Israel, despite their frequent disobedience. Christ’s mission to the Jews first shows that God is true to His word, fulfilling promises made long before.
At the same time, it also points forward to the universality of salvation. The ark was not only for Noah but for the continuation of all life; likewise, Christ’s sacrifice was not only for the Jews but for the salvation of every tribe, tongue, and nation as recorded in Revelation 7:9. Here, we see that Noah’s entrance into the ark is more than just an act of survival; it is a foreshadowing of God’s greater redemptive plan. The ark becomes a picture of Christ Himself. Those who enter into Him are saved from judgment, and from them God builds something new. Just as Noah’s family stepped into the ark before the Flood began, so too must we step into Christ by faith before the day of judgment arrives. As Acts 4:12 declares, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
In this way, the order of entry into the ark is a reminder of God’s covenantal priorities, His faithfulness to His people, and the greater salvation that He would ultimately bring through His Son. The Flood story is not just about preservation but about pointing us to the One who would come as the true Ark of salvation, which is Jesus Christ, in whom both Jew and Gentile alike can find refuge.
If you would like to explore Genesis in a sustained, verse-by-verse way with space to reflect, journal, and trace how these foundational truths unfold through Scripture the Verse by Verse book expands these reflections into a unified reading experience. The book gathers these meditations into a structured journey through Genesis, designed to help readers linger in the text and engage God’s Word more deeply over time.
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