9. How did Noah show his faith in this message?
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Heb. 11:7.
10. How many were saved in the ark?
“The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” 1 Peter 3:20.
Note.—Doubtless many who were lost in the flood held, in a nominal way, to faith in God; but the test as to the genuineness of this came with Noah's special message; and the difference between their faith and his was made plain when they rejected the saving truth for that time,—the warning message concerning the coming flood.
11. What special message was given to Jonah for Nineveh?
“So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.... And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” Jonah 3:3, 4.
12. What saved the people from the predicted overthrow?
“So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.... And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.” Verses 5-10. See Jer. 18:7-10.
Note.—So likewise would God have spared the antediluvian world had they received Noah's message, and turned from their evil ways.