Day 806: The final countdown - Genesis 7 vs 1 - 10

7 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2-3 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals,(seven of each kind of clean animal) the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and every living thing (all existence) that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.

6-7 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8-9 Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth. Genesis 7:1-10 English Standard Version

Having carefully followed God's instructions for the Ark he was told to build, the final week came when it was time for Noah and his family, and the many animals and birds, to board the vessel. The popularity of this story for children has led to many books which picture the ark as a cute ship with a Giraffe's neck sticking out one window, and an elephant and a few monkeys peering over Noah's shoulder as he stands on an upper deck. The sadness is that many adults see it in the same way – a mythical story for children. But the amount of space the Bible gives it, and the many details that accompany it, show that this was true historical event. What are a couple of things we learn from 2-3?

Already by the time of Noah it seems that certain animals were viewed as 'clean'. It may have been because they were animals whose habits were cleaner than others - e.g. a lamb as opposed to a pig - but it's likely that they were animals that could be offered in sacrifice, such as Abel had done. The other thing we see is the clear distinction between male and female. That was the only way there could ever be future offspring for the earth to be repopulated.

We live in days when Satan is targeting this clear distinction. The USA in particular is seeing a huge trend of confusion on this matter. Claims are made of 'multiple genders', that men can become pregnant, and that there is no simple definition of what a woman is. What the apostle Paul said was a major indication of mankind's defiance towards God, is now being defended and promoted by the media and Governments. Paul wrote how “women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men.” (Romans 1:26-27) What had mankind's defiance and wickedness in Noah's day led to? (vs 4)

A day of judgment had dawned. It was the final countdown. And in the same Chapter where Paul spoke of how people, even in his day, had perverted God's design for men and women, he also said: “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18) We don't know just where this world's final countdown has reached, but we do know that judgment day is coming.

One last point – we're told that the animals “went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah.” (vs 8-9) Back in Chapter 6:20 we read that God said to Noah “two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive.” While Noah and his family must've been kept extremely busy, it seems that God put an instinct into animals and birds to come to the Ark. The events of Noah's Ark really happened, it's not just a tale. But it's also a picture of judgment and salvation. The Bible says: “Whoever believes in the Son (Jesus) has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36)