Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

A YEAR IN THE ARK

This entry was posted on 01-28-2010 and is filed under STUDIES IN GENESIS.

"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" (Gen. 7:1 NKJV).

Even though Noah built the ark it was God who invited him to come into the ark. We may build a church (physically) but it is Christ who bids us to enter. Note too that his household was invited in as well. The NIV says "you and your whole family." It is wonderful when the whole family serves the Lord. I was raised in a family like this and it brings Evelyn and me great joy to know that our whole family is serving the Lord. "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4).

Noah and his family spent 371 days in the ark (53 weeks). I am sure there was much discussion that took place. I believe that they probably prayed to God. But there is no record of God communicating with them during their year-plus in the ark. Would that test your faith? It would mine. But then comes a verse that thrills my soul. "But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded" (Gen. 8:1 NIV). "But God remembered Noah..." And aren't we all glad that He did? I know that Noah and his family must have breathed a sigh of relief. The rain stopped falling (8:2) and the waters started to recede (8:3). Finally the ark came to rest on the mountains (notice, plural) of Ararat (8:4). Noah opened the window (notice, singular) and sent out a raven and then a dove. The dove returned because it could find no place to alight. After seven days Noah sent the dove out again. At evening the dove returned with an olive leaf in its beak. A third time he sent out the dove and this time the dove did not return. It took awhile for things to dry out and then Noah removed the covering from the ark (8:13). What a task that must have been! Finally, God speaks: "Then God said to Noah, 'Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives..." (8:15 NIV). The long year was over! The first thing Noah does is build an altar and offer a sacrifice to God (8:20). God was pleased with this and said: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man ... And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease" (8:21, 22 NIV). The year in the ark was a year that Noah and his family would never forget. God had proved His faithfulness and they had proved their unquestioning obedience. Each year that we live can be the same!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You and praise You for Your faithfulness to us! May we always be obedient to Your Word. Through Christ we pray.