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Teaching And Research By: M. E. Arbaugh
Genesis
Chapter Seven
V 1. And the Lord said to Noah, come with all your household into the ark, for I have seen you righteous, (upright, and in right standing,) before Me in this generation. Ps. 27:5; 33:18, 19; 2 Peter 2:9.
When all was ready, God said, come, not go, it was an invitation He does not force us. He is still doing that today. Our ark of safety has been ready since Jesus cried, "It is finished". If we are to escape the coming judgment, we must enter the ark of safety. Just knowing it is there will not keep us safe.
V 2. Of every clean beast you shall receive and take with you seven pairs, the male and his mate; and of beasts that are not clean a pair of each kind, the male and his mate. Lev. 11.
Clean animals had cloven feet (divided hoofs) and chewed cud (grass eating). Camels are excluded, even though they chew the cud, they do not have divided hoofs. Pigs were excluded because they do not chew the cud. Cows, goats and sheep were considered clean and would be used for sacrifice. Leviticus chapter 11.
V 3. Also of the birds of the air seven pairs, the male and female; to keep seed (their kind) alive over all the earth or land.
Doves and pigeons were considered sacrificial.
V 4. For in seven days I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living substance and thing that I have made I will destroy, blot out, and wipe away from off the face of the earth.
Through out the Word, the number seven stands for completion, eight means new beginning and forty stands for probation or testing.
V 5. And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him. Hebrews 11:7.
V 6. Noah was 600 years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth or land.
Remember Methuselah? He was 369 years old the year that Noah was born. His name meant, when he dies judgment shall fall. He died the same year that the flood began, at the age of 969.
V 7. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his son's wives with him went into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. Matthew 24:38, Luke 17:27.
When Noah and his family entered the ark, they were a minority. The only believers on the earth. When they left the ark, they were still the only believers on the earth, but now, they were the majority.
V 8. Of clean animals and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and fowls, and of every thing that creeps on the ground.
9. There went in two and two with Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah [not the animals].
It was not raining when eight grown people and a possible 7000 kinds of animals, entered the ark. Noah and family were acting on faith in God's Word, instead of what they could see. Eyes are meant for viewing the world, not for believing. The old saying of seeing is believing, is wrong. We believe it with the heart, say it with the mouth, and then we see it with the eyes.
V 10. And after the seven days the flood came upon the earth or land.
It seems likely that during the seven days the door was open, others may have looked inside, To see what was going on. Passing people surely noticed that everything looked different around Noah's place. They may have looked, laughed, and gone their own way. On their way to destruction. We do not have to do terrible evil things to be lost. We can move about doing very ordinary things, just drifting along being negligent about making a decision. Then one day the door is closed and the opportunity is gone. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Hebrews 2:3.
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man and seems straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.
V 11. In the year 600 of Noah's life, in the seventeenth day of the second month, that same day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up and burst forth, and the windows and flood gates of the heavens were opened.
There may have been volcanic and earthquake action elevating the oceans and depressing the mountains. Continents and seas may have been changed.
V 12. And it rained upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
V 13. On the very same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them went into the ark;
V 14. They, and every (wild) beast according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kind, and every moving thing that creeps on the land according to its kind, and every fowl according to its kind, every winged thing of every sort.
V 15. And they went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh, in which there was the breath and spirit of life.
There is coming a time when the door will be shut again. Jesus is our ark of safety but just knowing that He is there will not save us. We must enter in. The people on earth were caught in the terrible consequences of an un-believing life. We can lose our lives because we do not believe and act upon the Words of God. A church will not save us. Baptism will not save us. Good works will not save us. We must be born again.
V 16. And they that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded Noah; and the Lord shut him in and closed round about him.
When all was ready, the Lord Himself shut the door. Noah was not responsible for shutting out those who had not heeded the warning of judgment. God’s long suffering lasted 969 years. 2 Peter 3:9 we must not think we can wait until the door is closed and the water is ankle deep before we decide. Matthew 25:10, Luke 13:25-27
V 17. The flood [that is, the down pour of rain] was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it was lifted (high) above the land.
V 18. And the waters became mighty and increased greatly upon the land; and the ark went (gently floating) upon the surface of the waters.
God's provision for those who believe, is not scary.
V 19. And the waters prevailed so exceedingly and were so mighty upon the earth that all the high hills under the whole sky were covered.
V 20. In fact the waters became fifteen cubits higher, as the high hill were covered.
There is no place on earth that is high enough to provide a place of safety. Even the high hills are covered by 22 feet and 6 inches of swirling water. When God makes a decision, pronouncement or judgment there is no room for doubt. He makes it very clear. Even a giant standing on the highest hill would not survive.
V 21. And all flesh ceased to breathe that moved upon the earth, fowls and birds, [tame] animals, [wild] beasts, all swarming and creeping things that swarm and creep upon the land, and all mankind.
V 22. Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath and spirit of life died.
Sunshine that melts butter can also harden clay. The waters that crushed all life, were also the waters that lifted the ark up and preserved life. Fire that cooks food can also burn. The only ones preserved were the ones in the ark.
V 23. God destroyed (blotted out) every living thing that was upon the face of the earth; man and animals and the creeping things and the birds of the heaven, were destroyed (blotted out ) from the land. Only Noah remained alive, and those who were in the ark. Matthew 24:37-44.
V 24. And the waters prevailed [mightily] upon the earth or land 150 days (five months).
They were in the ark for a total of 1 year and 17 days. Five months floating and seven months on the mountain, waiting for the waters to abate.
the Enemies
of Health
Genesis
Chapter Eight
Chapter eight is known as the patience chapter.
V 1. And God [earnestly] remembered Noah and every living thing and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the land, and the waters sank down and abated.
The wind that blew over the land, would later, blow over the waters of the Red Sea. Wind is a type of the Holy Spirit.
V 2. Also the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the gushing rain from the sky was checked.
V 3. And the waters receded from the land continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had diminished.
V 4. On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat [in Armenia].
The ark floated about 500 miles and came to rest on the top of Mt. Ararat in Armenia, elevation 17,500 feet. Armenia is now called Turkey. Five months of floating. Seven months on the mountain. Noah and his family felt the ground before they actually saw it. The constant heaving of the ship ceased. The end of the voyage was near. Feeling and seeing are the results of believing.
V 5. And the waters continued to diminish until the tenth month; on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the high hills were seen.
V 6. At the end of [another] forty days Noah opened a window of the ark which he had made.
V 7. And sent forth a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters were dried up from off the land.
The raven feeds on corruption, and is considered to be a melancholy creature. The raven's wandering to and fro is a type of the restless person who wanders the earth, seeking the peace of God. A type of the unsaved who are like turbulent waters.
V 8. Then he sent forth a dove to see if the waters had decreased from the surface of the ground;
V 9. But the dove found no resting place on which to roost, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were [yet ] on the face of the whole land. So he put forth his hand drew her to him into the ark.
The dove will not dwell in the same environment that the raven accepts readily.
V 10. He waited another seven days, and again sent forth the dove out of the ark;
V 11. And the dove came back to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth was a newly sprouted and freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the land.
Patience is defined as the ability to endure calmly, with out grumbling, while awaiting desired results. There are other examples of people who were patient, Abraham, Joseph and David are some of them. I have occasionally been in hard places for long periods of time, so I wondered what the thoughts of this family might have centered on. For myself, I center and cling to Isaiah 43: 1,2, and 41:1. Also Isaiah 25:3.
The dove returned with a green leaf. Out of death and destruction, new life was emerging. Isaiah 25:8 declares that He will swallow up death in victory.
V 12. Then he waited another seven days, and sent forth the dove; but she did not return to him any more.
The dove represents peace and is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Other symbols are fire, wind, oil and wine.
V 13. In the year 601 [of Noah's life], on the first day of the first month, the waters were drying from off the land; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was drying.
V 14. And on the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the land was entirely dry.
THE PRESENT AGE, OR POST-DILUVIAN BEGINS, this age will last until the Millennium begins.
V 15. And God spoke to Noah, saying,
V 16. Go forth from the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives with you.
Noah waited for God's command before entering the ark and before leaving it. How often we fail to do that. We know that something is going to happen, so instead of waiting for God's timing, we rush ahead. Because of our rush, we step out into water that is higher than our heads or mud up to our knees.. If we wait for the command of the all knowing one, who loves us, we will walk on dry ground.
V 17. Bring forth every living thing that is with you of all flesh; birds and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the ground; that they may breed abundantly on the land, and be fruitful and multiply upon the earth.
V 18. And Noah went forth, and his wife and his sons and their wives with him.
V 19. Every beast, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever moves on the land, went forth by families out of the ark.
V 20. And Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean [four footed] animal and of every clean fowl or bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Adam was placed on an earth which had previously been dealt with in judgment was blessed by God and told to multiply and replenish. Noah had a similar experience. Noah's first act after leaving the ark was to build an altar and make a praise offering. Man's tendency, after going through the flood, is to give a sigh of relief, then go merrily on his way. Without thought for the One who brought him safely to dry land.
Luke 17:14-17 And when he saw <them>, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on <his> face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where <are> the nine?
It is usually beginners in the faith walk that wait until they see the results before they praise. As we get deeper into our walk with the Lord we learn to praise the Lord before, during and after the battle. 2 Chronicles 20:19-20, Acts 16:23-28 and Psalm 34:1. Noah was one out of eight. As head of the family he acted as priest ( the go between or mediator) for himself and his family.
V 21. When the Lord smelled the pleasing odor [a scent of satisfaction to His heart], the Lord said to Himself, I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination (the strong desire) of man's heart is evil and wicked from his youth; neither will I ever again smite and destroy every living thing as I have done.
It is almost as if the Lord said, "Man is not capable of doing good, he is to be pitied." If man was given what he deserved, one flood would follow another. Outward judgments may scare men, but they do not cleanse and make them whole. Thank God for His mercy, that sent Jesus to deal with the problem of sin. Because of His work on Calvary, it is no longer sin that separates us from God. The issue now, is what shall we do with this one called Jesus?
V 22. While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
When God released the Sun and Moon from restraint, He set into place the Solar Covenant. As long as the solar system endures, there will be seasons. In this verse, definite promises are made to Noah. For all mankind This is a contract between God and Man.
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2007
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Teaching And Research By: M. E. Arbaugh
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January 1, 2007
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