Jehovah’s long-suffering was seen in Noah’s day. Over a century before the Flood, “God saw the earth and, look! it was ruined, because all flesh had ruined its way on the earth.” (Genesis 6:12) Still, for a limited time, Jehovah showed long-suffering toward mankind. He said: “My spirit shall not act toward man indefinitely in that he is also flesh. Accordingly his days shall amount to a hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:3) Those 120 years allowed faithful Noah time to produce a family and-when informed of God’s decree-to build an ark and warn his contemporaries of the coming Flood.