And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark. Genesis 6:13, 14
God gave Noah the exact dimensions of the ark and explicit directions in regard to its construction in every particular. Human wisdom could not have devised a structure of so great strength and durability. God was the designer, and Noah the master builder. It was constructed like the hull of a ship, that it might float upon the water, but in some respects it more nearly resembled a house…. The material employed in the construction of the ark was the cypress, or gopher wood, which would be untouched by decay for hundreds of years. The building of this immense structure was a slow and laborious process.
The race of men then living were of very great stature, and possessed wonderful strength. The trees were vastly larger, and far surpassing in beauty and perfect proportions anything mortals can now look upon. The wood of these trees was of fine grain and hard substance—in this respect more like stone. It required much more time and labor, even of that powerful race, to prepare the timber for building, than it requires in this degenerate age to prepare trees that are now growing upon the earth, even with the present weaker strength men now possess.
Every piece of timber was closely fitted, and every seam covered with pitch. All that men could do was done to make the work perfect; yet, after all, God alone could preserve the building upon the angry, heaving billows, by His miraculous power.
Methuselah and his sons, and grandsons, lived in the time of the building of the ark. They, with some others, received instruction from Noah, and assisted him in building the ark.
While Noah was giving his warning message to the world, his works testified of his sincerity. It was thus that his faith was perfected and made evident. He gave the world an example of believing just what God says. All that he possessed, he invested in the ark…. Every blow struck upon the ark was a witness to the people.
Conflict and Courage p. 38
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for Carol. She broke her tooth off and is in terrible pain. Pray that she can find a dentist who will take her insurance and she can get an appointment today. Rose
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Dear Friends,
When I was a child, I had a very bad habit of “fiddling” with whatever
was in or near my hands. It was as if my fingers had a mind of their
own. Even when in my teen years, by the time I was finished reading the
newspaper, the edges would be shredded.
One day when I was about 17, I was waiting for a bus with a postcard that
I had just written in my hand. I had just missed the bus and had to wait
for the next one. It was a long wait. Before long, my mind was deep in
thought and my fingers were busy with the postcard. Rather than tearing
the card, those fingers of mine were enjoying the its smoothness. They
rubbed and rubbed it without my realizing it.
Finally the bus came. I stepped aboard, paid my fare, and found a seat.
It was only then that I looked at what used to be my postcard. I had
rubbed it so hard that it had split into three layers: the picture side,
the message side, and an inner layer. I was shocked! That postcard that
I had written so carefully was good for nothing but to be thrown away.
So it is in life. No matter how hard we try to conform to God’s law
outwardly, our efforts will “split apart” in our hands unless there is an
inward change of heart. We are as David described, “The LORD looked
down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that
did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all
together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Ps
14:2,3 How easy it is to get so wrapped up in our own little world, that
we do not realize the danger we are in; just as I didn’t realize what my
fingers were doing to that postcard. How easy it is to go through a day,
a week, a lifetime with few thoughts heavenward, not realizing that we
are speeding toward the end of all things, every day going faster and
faster, more and more out of control.
We cannot save ourselves. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. Isaiah
tells us, “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities,
like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon
thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast
hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our
potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” Isa 64:6-8
We cry as did David, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy
lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot
out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and
cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin
is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this
evil in thy sight….Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me,
and I shall be whiter than snow….Hide thy face from my sins, and blot
out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a
right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not
thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and
uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy
ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from
bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall
sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth
shall show forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would
I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart,
O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51
Our Dear Saviour pleads, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why
will ye die?” Eze 33:11 “there is no God else beside me; a just God and
a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all
the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isa
45:21,22 I am “mighty to save.” 63:1 “Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest
unto your souls.” Matt 11:28,29 “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I
have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through
the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not
overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be
burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy
God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” Isa 43:1-3 “I have blotted
out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins:
return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” 44:22
Let us run to His outstretched arms as a child runs to the arms of his
loving father. Let us receive the pardon and cleansing we need. Let us
keep our hand in His nail scarred hand forever is my prayer.
Rose