Today we step into the Flood

In Genesis chapter 7:17-24.

Transparency alert!

I always pray for Adonai to show me what He wants to highlight next.  I don’t just pick random things I think you will like to hear, I wait for Him to tell me what He wants to share through me. As I was praying about what He wanted for today, I had this anxious feeling that I couldn’t figure out. I kept praying for direction and then began to read the passage beginning with verse 17.

I was immediately overcome with sadness and began to cry. I can’t tell you how many times in my life I have read this story, this passage, and I have never had this reaction. Today, sadness and tears. When I finished reading it I couldn’t stop crying. Then He quietly spoke to my heart and said, we are going to park here.

My plan was to skim over this part because we all “know” it. The truth is, we’ve all skimmed over it. Adonai wants us to stay long enough in His Word when we are studying so that we can see what He’s trying to point out to us.

Beginning with verse 17

“For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits. That’s about 20 feet above the tallest mountain.”

Let’s pause here a second…

One could ask, why does Adonai repeat things? Because they are important! He wants to make sure we get the point. There are countless stories in the Bible where He told someone what to do and they didn’t do it. Then they would suffer the consequences, they would cry out to God, and He would forgive them. He would patiently give them instructions again, and they would choose badly again. Due to this pattern, He repeats His instructions over and over in His Word because He wants to make sure we don’t miss them. When you see repeated statements, STOP, and read them again and again. Then ask Him what He’s trying to make sure you see.

We read on in verse 21, “every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth.”

Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days. Wow!

So let’s recap that passage. Nothing survived outside of the ark. No bird or insect could fly above the waters and survive. There was no dry place. Think about the last big flood you experienced in your area of the country and how roads might have been closed and the news instructed you not to drive thru the water for fear of you being swept away losing control and drowning. And that was only inches or a few feet of water in most cases.

Then think of the tallest mountain in the world above water. Mount Everest. Over 29,000 feet. The water went 20 feet above the tallest mountain. So now we have a clear picture of the depth of the flood waters in this story.

Now think of your family and friends.

Humor me a minute and pretend all of you were living in Noah’s time. Think about your vision of the world and what you have seen on tv. Imagine what it must have been like back then and all the people at that time, including you and your family and friends.

Now imagine all of them…GONE!
Swept away with the waters. But not just them, everything, your pets, your home, buildings, restaurants, Everything! Gone!!

The magnitude of that struck me when I read this passage. It’s hard to imagine. It’s hard to imagine how God must have felt to wipe away everyone and everything He created.

He’s a gracious Father, He did not surprise them. He warned them for 120 years to turn away from their wickedness and turn to Him. Many years later Adonai sent His son Jesus, our Messiah to save us from our sins. I can’t imagine my family and friends not being saved. I can’t imagine anyone not being saved. God created us to spend eternity with Him.

Are you ready?

Jesus spent His entire ministry warning everyone to be ready! God breathed the entire Bible to warn us of what is to come. The problem, NO ONE wants to read it!!! Everyone says it’s to hard! Or, it’s not relevant today. God’s Word is always relevant! There is nothing in there that doesn’t have a purpose for us to know. Why does God repeat Himself, because it’s important! So why does He put things in His Word like genealogies, and sacrifices, and war stories? Because they are IMPORTANT! There are messages in every Word He breathed into that living book, His Holy Bible.

While Jesus was on earth, He was spreading God’s love. During His ministry He was teaching God’s Word. The New Testament did exist then, He was teaching the First Testament, the Torah and the early Prophets. If you want to know the truth and be ready for His return, study the whole Word of God. Allow the Holy Spirit to teach you the truth that you were never taught; He is our teacher.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26 

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:7

“As for you, the Messianic anointing you received from the Father remains in you, so that you have no need for anyone to teach you. On the contrary, as his Messianic anointing continues to teach you about all things, and is true, not a counterfeit, so, just as he taught you, remain united with him.” 1 John 2:27 

The Holy Spirit is your helper, your comforter, and your teacher. Turn to Him and allow Him to teach you and prepare you for Jesus soon return.

God bless you.