Day 3: Noach/Genesis 8:15-9:7
As much pleasure as it gave the Father to save one righteous man and his family, it was also the Maker’s desire to have His chosen family go out from His shelter in order to re-populate the earth. It was never Elohim’s intention to force man to abide with Him or to remain by His side. Instead, man was created to choose between walking with Elohim and knowing Him personally, or to walk away from Him and to know of/about Him, instead. It may not seem like it, but as people choose knowledge of the Creator in contrast to experiencing Him, it is a rejection of the Creator.
At the point of safe return to life off the ark, the salvation barge rested on the dry land, once again. Like the choices at the Garden, this was a point of separation from what was all clean and set from what could become defiled once again. Nevertheless, this was the destined path for Noach, his wife, their sons, and their daughters-in-law—leaving the ark after just over one year’s time and embracing the future with each other. At this point, they had the assurance of the Creator’s presence as they chose to walk according to His righteous precepts.
The first thing Noach does after leaving the ark was to build an altar. This was not just any altar, but one that commemorated the flood, recession of water, and deliverance of the righteous seed along with the saved animals. In this memorial, a first-fruits offering from all the clean animals was sacrificed on that altar.
Many would argue and teach that, prior to Torah, man did not know exactly how to be pleasing or set-apart for Elohim. Noach proves that incorrect as he offers one of every clean bird and animal as a burnt offering on this new altar. It was quite apparent that there were, in fact, differences between clean and unclean animals. It was obviously apparent to Noach the difference between right and wrong as he had already been marked as blameless. This is the physical definition of being a righteous man—choosing right over wrong, clean over defilement, and repentance over rebellion. Upon leaving the shelter of the ark, Noach would walk out these same distinctions again. The same goes for each and every family member, too. Moreover, as it was with Adam’s and Chavah’s offspring, Noach’s sons (along with their wives) would be responsible for the future population of mankind. Their decisions and heart attitudes would shape future generations throughout the world.
As with all cycles, a cycle begins to develop. Leaving the ark is no exception. While inside the gopherwood walls, the men and women had to be vulnerable with each other, learning about themselves, each other, and all the animals they cared for. Meanwhile, on the outside, Elohim waited to see what each person would choose as their path in life. He was not interested in the occupation; each would have to work the land in some way in order to live outside the ark. The Master was most interested in spiritual matters that would either unite or divide His creation from His presence and each other. With watchful expectancy, Elohim made promises that seasons and days would not cease as long as the earth remained. This, in and of itself, gave a clear indication that each man would be responsible to the Creator for their actions and decisions for this same amount of time that the earth endured.
In a similar fashion, our lives remain vulnerable, today. Yeshua beckons to all of us to abandon what we know, i.e. what logically “makes sense” in the natural, carnal mind, and follow His directives and call on our lives. If we reject Him, especially recurrently, the Ark doors will eventually be shut without us inside. However, by accepting His voice and mastery over us, we forego our own way and submit to His will and plan.
Noach was given the plans for a huge task that was larger than the construction of any tower or building. He was given the chance to save humanity through obedience. By proxy, Noach’s sons were tools in building such a large vessel of hope, and their call was no less significant. As they left the ark of safety, promise, and hope, they were led through a series of paths from which to choose, just like Noach. Perhaps, their paths were even more pronounced since they were of childbearing age and would be responsible for passing on YHVH’s teachings to the future generation(s).
Our lives traverse this same course. What we decide affects not only our lives but the lives of our wives, our sons, and our daughters. The choices we make and the actions we take influence friends, family members, as well as enemies and persecutors.
The choices we make should be influenced by our ultimate dwelling place. Yeshua, is the door to the Father and the Ark of Righteousness that carries us within to the throne. Yeshua is the dwelling place in Whom we are sheltered and taught to be kings and priests—children of the Almighty. Since we still live in the word, Yeshua is also the gate to lead our daily lives. Our minds, hearts, and souls can dwell inside the Gate of Righteousness at all times, but our bodies do get contaminated through the contact of corruption in this world.
As we work outside the physical gates, we must choose to remain spiritually intact. Will dwell upon what is lovely, pure, and good? Or, will we allow the corruption outside to gain access to our hearts, influencing our relationships, conviction, and spiritual wellbeing? At this point in time, we have no choice but to go outside and collect the necessities of life and interact with the world. While being in the world does not mean being of the world, we have the opportunity with every step to be a living testament—the only Torah—others read. We are arks of truth being sent out to a dying world. The decisions we make and the actions we take portray this to a lost generation looking for salvation from the flood of corruption that so easily surrounds them.
Psalm 91:1-2, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to YHVH, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my Elohim, in whom I trust!'”
