Friday, August 13, 2021
We are now in the ark
Depending on which commentary you read, Noah was in the ark between 364-370 days. We have been under various lockdowns since March 2020 till now.
Though we may feel helpless and restless in the "ark", God is preparing the road ahead for us. You may feel that nothing is happening while we are under various movement controls, but rest assured God is at work on your behalf.
Yes, I, too miss many things like long cycling trips and "makan" gatherings with friends. God kept us in the ark to preserve our life, which is more important than preserving our lifestyle.
Through it all God has not forgotten His remnants as He is a faithful God, just like he didn't forget Noah, "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 "(Genesis 8:1; NIV). Yes soon God will send a wind over the earth and the pandemic will recede.
Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.” (Genesis 8:15-17; NIV).
When the time comes for God to call us out of the ark, all those with us; our family and love ones, God will cause us to be fruitful, multiply and expand us. Like Jabez, God will enlarge your tent and bless you exceedingly and abundantly (Genesis 9:1) till the world at large will know your are blessed and "the fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands" (Genesis 9:2; NIV).
So stay deeply deeply loved, greatly greatly blessed and highly favoured in the Lord. Amen!!!
| Bible | (Date on the lunar calendar) Events and activities | Length of time mentioned | Running total of days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:6–10 | Noah gathered the animals onto the Ark and waited. | 7 days | 0 days on board |
| 7:11–16 | (2nd month, 17th day) Rain began to fall, so Noah entered the Ark with his family. | Heavy rain for 40 days | 40 days on board the Ark |
| 7:17–24 | The waters swelled on the earth until all of the mountains were covered and all the land creatures and people had died. | 150 days | 150 days on the Ark |
| 8:1–4 | (7th month, 17th day) God sends a wind and stops the water and rain. The Ark runs aground at Ararat. | The end of 150 days | 150 days (same as above) |
| 8:5 | (10th month, 1st day) The waters keep receding and the mountain tops appear. | No length of time mentioned | 220 days (29.53 x 8 - 16) |
| 8:6 9 | Noah sent out a raven and then a dove, but both return to the Ark unsuccessful. | 40 days | 260 days |
| 8:10–11 | Noah sends out the dove again and it brings back an olive branch. | 7 days later | 267 days |
| 8:12 | Noah sent out the dove and it did not return to the Ark. | 7 days later | 274 days |
| 8:13 | (1st month, 1st day) Noah removed the Ark’s covering and saw dry ground. | No length of time mentioned | 309 days (29.53 x 11 - 16) |
| 8:14–20 | (2nd month, 27th day) The earth had dried out sufficiently and Noah left the Ark with all of the animals. | No length of time mentioned | A total of 364 days on board (29.53 x 12 + 10) |
