January 3 - Genesis 7:1-10:5, 1 Chronicles 1:5-7, Genesis 10:6-20, 1 Chronicles 1:8-16, Genesis 10:21-30, 1 Chronicles 1:17-23, Genesis 10:31-32

Good morning everyone,

“The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.” The Bible does not specifically say how long it took Noah to build the 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high ark; but when Noah was first mentioned he was 500 years old, when he entered the ark he was 600 years old so it is  a pretty safe assumption it took him a hundred years to build. Right?

Noah was to take with him pairs of every kind of animal on the face of the earth and seven pairs of those animals used for sacrifice. We read that God tells Noah, “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.” Now, God has given Noah a seven day notice. I don’t know about you but I am never the one who is late to anything. That is to say, I am always there at least five minutes early because in my economy that is “on time”, anything after that is late. So when that weeks notice was given I would have wrapped everything up on ground and been on board just waiting for the next six days to pass. 

Just for kicks and giggles, let’s use our mind’s eye to take a look at what those six days might have have looked like. It’s crunch time. I see Noah, at the top of the ramp of this massive boat maybe scratching his head wondering how he is going to go about getting all the animals God want on board rounded up when he looks up and from every direction animals are headed his way. Big animals, little animals roaring, chirping, bouncing, lumbering animals, what a sight that would have been. He perks up and begins to wonder, “Now what?” It begs the question; How did Noah move or direct these creatures to their proper stalls? Meanwhile on the ground excitement has filled the air. The time is now! Shem, Ham and Japheth are most likely jetting about, gathering last minute food and supplies to feed and take care of everyone and thing. We’re told Noah did all that the Lord commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in, slammed the door of that big ole ark Himself. Can you hear Noah saying to his sons, “Okay boys, here we go!”

The Bible tells us that the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth. It was an unpredictable crazy storm which had to absolutely blow Noah’s mind. He had never seen rain before, and the force with which the water was exploding onto the earth had to be a little unsettling at first, wouldn’t you imagine? but his trust in the Lord would see Him through. 

Noah and his family were in the ark for approximately 377 days. Occasionally Noah would send a bird out to test the earth to see if it was dry enough but Noah didn’t get out of the ark until God told him to. Crazy great patience Noah showed, I would have been chomping at the bit probably wondering, “what are we waiting for?” And though sometimes it's hard to understand why God doesn't allow things to happen straightaway, God’s timing is always so much better than ours. Habakkuk 2:3 says, “For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” I love that! and Psalm 27:14 encourages us with, “Wait for the LORD; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.” Amen and Amen!

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..