A Long Boat Ride

O.T. #23 "A Long Boat Ride"
April 11, 2013
Genesis 7-Part 2, to Genesis 8
And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days. Genesis 7:24

LET IT GLOW

Are we there yet? How much longer? If I had a nickle for all the times I heard those questions, I'd be rich.
When our children grew up, we always lived a six hour drive to our parents. That was often a long trip for young children who have no concept of time nor distance. Sometimes we would travel at night just to avoid the noise of you know who.
I wonder if those 8 people on Noah's ark asked the same question. Of course, they didn't know where they were going, just drifting around in a titantic or gigantic boat. The Captain was guiding it.

How long was their drift? They stayed on the ark for about a year, best I can figure. The actual number of days vary with commentaries.

•  waited 7 days on ark before it rained (verse 4);
• 40 days and nights of rain (verse 12);
• 110 more days flood waters remained on the earth, ark settled on Mt. Ararat (verse 24);
• 74 days before the tops of the mountains were seen (8:5);
• 7 more days before the dove was first released (8:6-7);
• 7 more days before it was dispatched the second time (8:10);
• 7 additional days for the third trip for the dove (8:12);
• another 29 days elapsed and Noah removed the covering and looked onto dry ground (8:13);
• 57 more days til the earth dried up in 8:14;
• total of 371 days according to Liberty Bible Commentary.

Am I drifting along in my spiritual life?

Where did Mr. and Mrs. Noah move their family to? The ark landed on the highest peak in the mojuntain range of Mt. Araarat, which towers some 17,000 feet high. It is in the present nation of Armenia or eastern Turkey. (The Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible)

We think of Noah's great faith, patience, and obedience. Can you imagine living a year under such living conditions and confinement? Did they feel cooped up, caged in, imprisioned? I'm sure they kept busy with all those animals to take care of day after day.
I think we can call those 8 people survivors.

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. Ps. 37:5
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Prov. 3:5

Do I find myself complaining about my small house and one restroom? And there is only two of us.

LET IT GROW

What did Noah do when he got out?
He didn't build his wife a new house; he didn't host a party; he didn't explore their location and map it out.
Noah's first act when he stepped out of the ark was to set up a place of worship. (8:20) He built an altar unto the LORD and offered burnt offerings on it. He sacrificed every clean beast and clean fowl.

The first animal sacrifice was made by God in order to clothe Adam and Eve. Noah's father, Lamech, was 56 years old when Adam died. Adam would have taught his family what was acceptable to God.

What animal were acceptable sacrifices in the the Old Testament?

• a bullock or an ox (Lev. 1:5)
• a sheep or lamb (Lev. 1:10)
• a goat (Lev. 1:10)
• a pigeon or turtle-dove (Lev. 1:14).

The animal offered must have been clean without disease, blemish, injury,or defect of any kind. Its life and shed blood was a substitute or ransom for the person's sins.
Jesus Christ met all those requirements. He was without sin, dying in our place, taking our punishment.

The Lord smelled a sweet savour. A sacrifice offered by a righteous man in faith is always acceptable to God. The Lord said He would not curse the ground again nor kill every thing living.

Ephesians 5:2 says, And walk in love, as Christ also hath love us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

But by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. (Hebrews 13:15-16)

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)

Aren't we glad to be under grace and not the law?

LET IT GO

Stay on course with God, not drifting along.

Let God direct my life.

Sacrifice whatever for the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Offer the sacrifices of praise to the Lord all day long.

Give Him my body as a living sacrifice.