Ark Finished - All on Board

Prayer – Lord, it seems that the seventeenth day of the second month, is an important day. The Ark was closed up on that day. Other events throughout the Bible happen on the seventeenth day of particular months. No coincidence. I’ve heard it said many times that with God, there is no such thing as a coincidence. Give us wisdom to understand the relationship and importance of these, and other events, happening on this day. It is so exciting to see even bits and pieces of God’s plan and how history records these relevant events. Thank you.

Full sized replica of Noah's Ark
The Ark Encounter
Williamstown, Kentucky

When Noah was 600 years old, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the underground waters erupted from the earth, and the rain fell in mighty torrents from the sky. The rain continued to fall for forty days and forty nights. That very day Noah had gone into the boat with his wife and his sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—and their wives. With them in the boat were pairs of every kind of animal—domestic and wild, large and small—along with birds of every kind. Two by two they came into the boat, representing every living thing that breathes. A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD closed the door behind them. Genesis 7:11-16

 

Meditate. Consider the story of Noah.

 

God closed the door. Would you have been inside or outside? Only the righteous ones were onboard the Ark when the door was closed and sealed shut. 

     Yesterday was the anniversary of the Lord closing the door of the Ark. This happened on the seventeenth day of the second month on the Jewish calendar (see Genesis 7:11). Everyone and Will everything was on board just as the Lord God had planned and directed Noah. The rains began…and the water rose. Higher and higher. The flood had started. Water was rushing around. I imagine that the people outside the Ark were terrified as torrents of water swept them away from their homes, towns and cities. They may have pounded at the very door that God had sealed shut. “Let us in!” But neither God nor Noah would have opened the door. Like Jesus said in His parable about the ten bridesmaids—five of whom went off to buy oil for their lamps and came back when the door was locked. “Go away. I never knew you.” (See Matthew 25:1-13) Only the righteous, those who were ready, were chosen.

     The first ocean voyage began. No strolls on the deck or magnificent seven course meals. It was raining miserably and there was work to do taking care of all those animals—and themselves. Feeding, watering, and continually cleaning up after all those beasts must have taken most of the time each waking hour of the day. 

     Did they feel a bit seasick as the boat rocked through those stormy waters? Did God provide an herb for motion sickness? I’m sure that Noah’s family would have had an assortment of herbs ground, dried, and fresh—as well as plants, like ginger, peppermint, chamomile, cardamom, and spearmint on board. Noah’s wife probably served them all some ginger tea —or other brew to calm their restless stomachs. They were prepared. Jesus told His disciples and us to be prepared. Do you feel like you are prepared for whatever the days ahead may bring—joys, sorrows, chaos, trials and tribulations? Now is the time to be like Noah, be prepared. Physically and spiritually. We don’t have to build an ark and stock it with food and supplies for a year, as Noah and his family did. It is wise to have a couple of weeks of food on hand. It is also prudent to align our attitude with God’s. Noah listened to God and obeyed Him. He and his family were ready when the door to the Ark was closed.

Trusting God to take care of us and being obedient to His will and His desires is important. How will we know His will? Read His word—really dig in and seek to understand His plans. It’s a choice we can make. Listen, trust, obey.

     

Verses of Salvation ~ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. Hebrews 11:6-7

 

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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