Genesis 5:32, “And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”
Genesis 7:6, “And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.”
Genesis 6:3, “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.”
By reading Genesis chapters five, six and seven we see where Noah was five hundred years old when his sons were born. We read in chapter seven that Noah was six hundred years old when the flood came upon the earth. In 6:3 we find something very interesting. When the Lord revealed to Noah that His long suffering was worn with the sinfulness of man and God was going to destroy all flesh, the flood would be one hundred and twenty years later. The instructions of the Ark came even later, after Noah’s sons were grown and married (see Genesis 6:18). By doing the math we learn that Noah knew the earth would be destroyed twenty years before his sons were born (600 – 120 = 480). Even when knowing the earth would be destroyed, Noah and his wife trusted God and set up house hold.
The lesson for us? Even when we know things are going down hill fast, we should trust God and live the life He has given us. Living our life in faith, in hope and in obedience to His Word. Proverbs 9:6, “Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.”