Noah - Dead Man Walking

Genesis 7:17-18 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water.

Why didn't Noah die? We've had localized flooding here in Florida and all over the globe and just because you're sitting in a boat when the water rises doesn't mean you're going to be safe. Plus, Noah's boat was weighted down with more passengers than any cruise line ever held, AND the boat was grounded. Also, it didn't say that the water gently streamed under the boat lifting it to higher levels. The Bible says the floodgates opened and down it came.

Noah listened to God, did what he was commanded to do and even through that - there was no way he should've survived a downpour like that - even with the best constructed boat. That water should've covered over that ark just like everything else.

Refusing to do something God is telling us to do because it just doesn't seem like a good idea - doesn't fly. Noah stepped out on faith - completely. It isn't feasible to think that he would be safe from that water just by being on the ark - he was safe from that water because he was in the hands of God. God can raise men from the dead and calm the storm - He can make a heavy immovable ark float. We need to be willing to trust that if God calls us to do something - He's going to follow it through - from beginning to end.

Noah - How Long Can You Tread Water?

Genesis 7:13-16 13 On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. 14 They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. 15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. 16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in.

Once again we are getting the duplicate story of the animals entering the ark. I can't help but picture a Sunday School class of little 6 year old boys: "Well, did Noah have chickens on the ark?" "Yep, all livestock", "Did they have Iguanas on the ark?" "Yep, all creatures that move along the ground", "Did they have ducks on the ark?" "Yep, everything with wings." It's like God knew that people would continue to question His word. It was ALL the animals, okay??!! If the animal was breathing - it was on the ark. A girl and boy of every species - there - does that do it for you?

So why are people trying to find holes in the story of Noah? If people can disprove the oldest Bible stories, then they can begin to disprove the Bible as a whole - therefore making way for their own type of belief. Satan will use whatever he can to attack God, one of those things is questioning the validity of the Bible.

All these verses about the animals are followed with verse 16 that ends in "...Then the LORD shut him in." It's almost as if God is saying "Here's the way it went - and that's the end of it". I am giving you all the information that is there - everything you need - and I'm closing the door. At this point, you can choose to believe it or you can choose not to - but Noah is on the ark, and he's not coming off.

Christians, are we on the ark or are we off? Will we believe the Bible to be completely true - even if we don't understand some of it? Will we trust wholly on the Almighty God of Creation and willingly close the book and say 'Amen'? One day, God will close the door again - I refuse to be left in the water. . .

Noah - Are We Done Yet?

Genesis 7:8-12 Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

So I went to the movies and saw the new film that's out "Fireproof" with Kirk Cameron- as if that alone weren't enough to make me go see it. My husband and I went and took the kids along too. If you haven't read the previews, it's about a married couple who are struggling. The husband takes on the task of "The Love Dare". This is something that requires 40 days of different ways to show love to your spouse. It was a great movie and we really enjoyed it, but the reason I'm relating that movie to this passage of scripture is because of that time frame = 40.

The number 40 is mentioned in the Bible several times and has a lot of significance. A 40-something time period, whether days, months, or years is ALWAYS a period of testing, trial, probation, or chastisement and ends with a period of restoration, revival or renewal.
Just like in the movie, the husband struggled during those 40 days. While the rain fell on Noah, this was a time of trial and testing for the entire family.

Now, the animals had all come to the ark, just as God had promised. Noah just had to give them their room key and usher them along to get unpacked. After which time, the water just poured. Have you ever driven into a rainstorm? You see the dark clouds ahead, you know it's about to rain and you see it coming but it always seems to hit your car harder than you expected it. Noah knew the water was coming, he'd been preparing for it, but when the time came and the rain started to pour - I wonder if he began to worry. . .

Noah had been through many things in all his years, but nothing could possibly compare to this period that he was about to go through. We must realize that when God sees the trials and testing coming our way, He, in all His graciousness, has an awesome plan of restoration and renewal in store for us. So when it feels like you're ready to cave in on day, hour, year 39, just remember that God has something wonderful awaiting us.

Noah - Singing in the Rain

Genesis 7:6-7 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood.

I wonder how long it had been since Noah had completed his task when the rain started. Was it like when we finish cleaning our house and we sit down to turn the TV on to relax and the phone rings? I wonder if he had just asked his wife to go ahead and fix dinner - that he was finally done - and then it started to rain. . .

Six hundred years old!! While the life expectancy was much higher in those days due to the atmosphere and way of life and such - still, the effects of gravity had to have their toll. The process of aging today was probably similar, it just took longer in Noah's time. I wonder how many times he had to stop and go to the bathroom in the middle of hammering some wood? Did he have to grab his reading glasses to finish looking at the blueprints? Did his hands swell in the morning from all the extra work he was doing with his fingers?

Not once does it mention that Noah complained. Some of us refuse to begin exercising because when we get up in the morning we'll be sore - More sore than chopping down tree after tree after tree of cypress wood? We grumble about cleaning the bathroom because it's so dirty and you have to really get in there and scrub - More dirty than coating an entire structure inside and out with tar? I read a blog the other day where they talked about being joyful in your work. Praising God while you sweat - so to speak.

How can we possibly look at Noah, study his life, see what he did with rejection from his peers for what took YEARS to accomplish and ever think our job is so tough? Do not let age deter us from the work God is calling us to do. He will never give us more than we can handle - and He will never leave us or forsake us - so what's our excuse now?

Noah - Webster Entrance

Genesis 7:2-5 Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and two of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made." And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.

God is now starting to reiterate His orders. Noah is being told, very specifically, the types of animals he needs to have on the ark. God tells Noah that he will need seven of every kind of bird - male and female. First of all, they're birds - do they really need a home? Maybe some bird houses on the top of the ark. Some newspapers lining the deck - maybe that's where the term "poop deck" comes from. . . All joking aside, this was another monumental task for Noah to accomplish.

God tells him again that it will rain for forty days and nights. Verse 5 is a repeat "Noah is obedient". If there is something in the Bible - it's in there for a very good reason - and we need to note that. But if there is something in the Bible TWICE that means it's REALLY important. Look at the birth and death of Jesus - that's covered over several books of the Bible and repeated numerous times - pretty important stuff. The fact the God tells us again and again that Noah is obedient is very important.

This is just the opposite of Jonah, whom we discussed previously, Jonah didn't obey God and look what happened - he got swallowed by a whale. I guess he hadn't heard about Noah and his obedience. If we don't take the time to study what other people have done in their walk with Christ, then we won't know what to expect. It's easy for us to ask our friends how a teacher was that they had in class and how good they were, or to try a product that worked well on a co-worker, yet we won't pick up our Bible and daily read how others made it through their Christian life. So don't yell at your kids until you read the life of Sarah and don't talk bad about your husband until you read the life of Joseph and don't gripe about your physical ailments until you read the life of Job and don't complain about your job until you read the life of Noah.

Noah - Valedictorian?

Genesis 7:1 The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I took a typing class. We didn't have the keyboards or laptops that we use today - in fact, we were doing good to get at a desk that had an electric typewriter rather than a manual one. On average, I was a 'B' student at best - but in this typewriting class, I excelled. I could type faster than anyone in the class and I looked forward to learning something new every day and increasing my speed. Often, Mr. Santelli, our teacher, would compliment my work in front of the class. He would use me as an example as how the rest of the class should be doing the work. While I was proud, I tried to show humility - not because I was resting on God's word - but because the other kids would make fun of me and try to point out any time I made a mistake. It didn't deter me. I kept doing my best every day and eventually got up to around 70 words per minute. (Which I can still hit on a good day). (http://www.typingtest.com/default.asp-for your enjoyment) .

Anyway, on the final day of school, during the awards ceremony, Mr. Santelli got up and stood in front of the whole school and announced the winner of the typewriting award. It was me! He had several typing classes all day long, but he said I was his best student of the year. While I realize it was a small award - it wasn't Valedictorian or even close - it meant a lot to me that he recognized my work over everyone else.

Noah was being recognized. God took Noah aside and gave him some hard assignments. God told Noah along the way that he was a good man in God's eyes and he would be spared. Now, after the ark had been built and Noah's building was complete - God took Noah in front of the world and said, "Get in the boat, Noah, you're the best in the class!" Many times we are knocked down for the work we are called to do by God. We are ridiculed for 'wasting' our time going to church. We are mocked for bringing our children up by the Bible's standards. But one day - God is going to stand at the podium and call our name and say - Well done, Good and faithful servant - here is your reward. . . and it will be so much more than a ribbon or trophy or plaque.

Noah - A True Soldier

Genesis 6:19-22 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them." Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

Isn't it something how everything is revealed to us - in time. Noah didn't reply when God told him how big to build that ark. He didn't question Him when told how many stories it had to be. Finally (a few verses later) the whole plan comes together. Noah would be housing all the animals. At least the animals would come to him, and he wouldn't have to go and hunt them all down.

They didn't have refrigerators back then, and even if they did, it wouldn't be able to be plugged into any source since the world would be flooded. Noah was going to have to find a place to plant seeds and animals to raise to eat. Not only for himself and his family, but for all the animals as well.

Then the kicker comes in the very last verse of the chapter: "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." Why is it so hard for us to just do what God tells us to do? This was not a small task that Noah was given. This job would take months and months of preparation and once on the ark, an unknown time of how long he'd be on the water. Noah did not know when his chore would be finished - all he could see ahead of him was working on the task the Lord had set before him. We know that our task will be complete when everyone has heard the name of Jesus, or we die. We have no idea, however, when that will be. Our best plan would be to do the task that God lays out for us - WHEN He lays it out for us - with a willing heart - and do it to completion. Can we have the determination of Noah? The blessings, like we'll see with Noah, will be worth it.