But was thinking about Noah when I ventured around the very wet, and very messy yard. With that squishy sound and the slap of wet to my shoes, I wondered what that family of Noah's experienced when building the ark!
It had never rained in Noah's time, and yet the word came from God, rain was going to come.
Genesis 6:1-8
6:1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. 3 And the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
NKJV
Genesis 6:14-22
14 "Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark--you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them."
22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. NKJV
Genesis 7:1-12
7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. 2 You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; 3 also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made." 5 And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth.
7 So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, of animals that are unclean, of birds, and of everything that creeps on the earth, 9 two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 12 And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights. NKJV
Yes, that was epic! The land was filled with violence, and it mentions those men had continual evil running through their minds. Noah had to follow every detail God gave him. He had to follow that a flood would come. And the man was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth.
Following the course with God, will ultimately cause us to make some major decisions and especially when not to follow the crowd! In study, we find that those who made the violence rule the streets were giants and their cause was to rule the earth. But God stopped it!
Yes, Noah and his family were becoming a new breed who followed God. In their pioneering spirits, they were carried into an adventure. It was probably very hard for them, being bullied on every side, and yet this family stayed faithful to God.
7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. Noah had to embrace God in a new way. His whole family was relying by faith that God would spare them. Whatever their daily life was before the floodwaters came, it certainly changed. In what amount of time to flood and those who remain captive to their disobedience God demonstrated His ability to end what was evil before His sight.
Can you imagine living on a boat that length of time with all those animals? And your family too? This was 24/7 thing daily riding over adverse floodwaters.
When the flood was over, Noah was to leave the ark. And in this celebration of safety and peace in God, Noah built an altar and offered sacrifices to Jehovah God. (Genesis 8:20) A rainbow now spanned the sky overhead.
With the intense color of blue closest to him and his family, the fellowship with God was to continue. Although life was going to be different. We know not what became of him after he became the tiller of soil and keeper of the vineyards. He lived to be 950 years old.
But Jesus mentions it in the Gospels. "As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Matthew 24:37) Jesus spoke to those who would hear that in a "suddenness" He would return. And He said that catastrophe would come upon the unbeliever's just like in the very time that Noah lived.
Noah from the beginning had to trust God no matter what people would say and do to him. Noah had to put fear far away from him. He had to have a fresh word everyday from the Lord on high. Bullies stood on every corner. His bullies amounted to being giants at the time. In truth, bullies can come in all sizes, shapes and genders. Noah was well aware I am certain and he worked to finish the ark and take the animals on board as ordered by God.
Noah was a preacher. He had to have told these people of the impending dangers. He had to remain positive, and keep his focus on God.
Noah was a preacher. He had to have told these people of the impending dangers. He had to remain positive, and keep his focus on God.
These people were probably convinced of Noah's preaching the very hour the rain began. But the ark was locked! No one would enter for safety at that time.
May we be awakened to truth that Jesus is returning soon!
Moving in a godly fear through our days is that reverence toward God knowing that He is the Almighty! Godly fear is shunning evil and that which is sinful before His eyes. He spoke to Noah and Noah understood. Noah equipped himself to move in an orderly fashion and obey God. He was going to build what God designed for him to build. Rain was coming and a "new thing" was on its way!
Think on Noah, and how many friends he might have had at the beginning of his life, but by the time the Flood rolled in, how many had walked away from him?
Today, moving in godly fear is not pleasing man. It never has been and will never be about pleasing man. His love for God propelled him into his future, took him undoubtedly over the floodwaters of adversity and delivered him safe on the other side.
What is the adversity you face? Are there many who speak against you, speaking willful, hateful words against you? Remember God is on your side if you have not left HIM. He is ever to make intercession on your behalf.
May we be awakened to truth that Jesus is returning soon!
Moving in a godly fear through our days is that reverence toward God knowing that He is the Almighty! Godly fear is shunning evil and that which is sinful before His eyes. He spoke to Noah and Noah understood. Noah equipped himself to move in an orderly fashion and obey God. He was going to build what God designed for him to build. Rain was coming and a "new thing" was on its way!
Think on Noah, and how many friends he might have had at the beginning of his life, but by the time the Flood rolled in, how many had walked away from him?
Today, moving in godly fear is not pleasing man. It never has been and will never be about pleasing man. His love for God propelled him into his future, took him undoubtedly over the floodwaters of adversity and delivered him safe on the other side.
What is the adversity you face? Are there many who speak against you, speaking willful, hateful words against you? Remember God is on your side if you have not left HIM. He is ever to make intercession on your behalf.
Hebrews 7:25-28
25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. NKJV
25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. NKJV
Yes, Jesus lives and He makes intercession for us.
Hebrews 10:23-25
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. NIV
Let's meet together, hold fast the hope we profess, for Jesus is faithful. Let us encourage one another to hold on, keep the focus on Jesus and the love the Father has bestowed upon us. He gave the greatest sacrifice through His only Son. For the day is fast approaching and the ark will be shut tight. And no one will enter in then. Keep up the good fight of faith. (1 Timothy 6:12)
BE counted worthy of the kingdom of God for what you are suffering. God is just and He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you. And He will give relief to you who are troubled. (2 Thessalonians 1:5-7)
We gave thanks at the remembrance of His holy Name, the NAME which is above every name (every adversity). Amen!
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