Noah and his family were not alone in fearing and obeying God. But Noah was the most pious and holy of any upon the earth, and was the one whose life God preserved to carry out his will in building the ark and warning the world of its coming doom. Methuselah, the grandfather of Noah, lived until the very year of the flood; and there were others who believed the preaching of Noah, and aided him in building the ark, who died before the flood of waters came upon the earth. Noah, by his preaching and example in building the ark, condemned the world. God gave all who chose an opportunity to repent and turn to him. But they believed not the preaching of Noah. They mocked at his warnings, and ridiculed the building of that immense vessel on dry land. Noah’s efforts to reform his fellow-men did not succeed. But for more than one hundred years he persevered in his efforts to turn men to repentance and to God. Every blow struck upon the ark was preaching to the people. Noah directed, he preached, he worked, while the people looked on in amazement, and regarded him as a fanatic. {1SP 70.1}

Noa og hans familie var ikke de eneste som frygtede og adlød Gud. Men Noa var den frommeste og helligste mand på jorden, og var den hvis liv Gud sparede for at udføre hans vilje i at bygge arken og advare verden om dens kommende undergang. Metusalem, Noas bedstefar, levede til det år da vandfloden kom; og der var andre som troede Noas prædiken og hjalp ham at bygge arken, som døde for flodens vande kom over jorden. Noa fordømte verden ved sin prædiken og sit eksempel, idet han byggede arken. Gud gav alle, som ønskede det anledning til at angre sine synder og vende sig til ham. Men de troede ikke Noas prædiken. De spottede hans advarsler og gjorde nar af at han byggede et så uhyre stort skib på tørt land. Noas anstrengelser for at reformere sine medmennesker vandt ikke meget fremgang. Men i over et hundrede år vedblev han standhaftigt at arbejde på at vende menneskene til synds fortrydelse og til Gud. Ethvert slag på arken prædikede for folket. Noa styrede værket, prædikede og arbejdede, mens folket så til med forbavselse, og anså ham som en sværmer.