Genesis 6:9 to 11:32
Isaiah 54:1-10
Numbers 28:1-15
Matthew 24:36-44
1 Peter 3:18-22
The Local Synagogue
In my early years studying scripture from a Hebrew perspective, I responded to a public invitation given by the neighborhood synagogue to join a lunch time study group and to meet their new Jewish Conservative Rabbi. It was the beginning of the torah cycle and I thought what an incredible opportunity to learn. In the first five minutes of the study time we were told that the ten generations from Adam, up to and including Noah, were all just a fable. At this everyone in attendance laughed in agreement.
I knew then that Yahweh had me there for a reason and that was for prayer. After the teaching time, I joined the tour of the synagogue and as led by Yahweh, prayed through the building that only Yahweh’s glory be made manifest in the hearts of His people.
I have since found that there are many, including believers today, who consider the biblical story of Noah and flood to be a legend - an allegorical story.
As I drove home that day, I was reminded of Yahweh’s literal sign of the` rainbow that is still with us today. It is the first physical sign of the Covenant Yahweh gave to Noah, his family and the generations that followed of His faithfulness and promised Redemption. To this day whenever I pass by the synagogue I remember the Rabbi’s words clearly and pray for our brothers that our Redeemer be revealed to them in new and mighty ways.
Psalm 29:10 “Yahweh sat enthroned at the Flood, and Yahweh sits as King forever. Yahweh will give strength to His people; Yahweh will bless His people with peace.”
Noah a Righteous Man
Noah is a true story with prophetic foreshadowing of future events. These life accounts are stories within stories on physical and spiritual levels. Thus the study of Torah is very descriptive and illuminating for all in pursuit of their Messiah. He is revealed in every story, and this story of Noah and his family is without exception.
Genesis 6:7-9 “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth-- men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air-- for I am grieved that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of Yahweh. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect [righteous] in his generations. Noah walked with God.”
What is a righteous man? According to Ezekiel a righteous man is one who walks in the right ways of Yahweh. “they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings, and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.” (Ezekiel 44:23-24).
How did Noah stay true to Yahweh amidst a wicked and evil generation?
We learned last week that Noah’s predecessors lived hundreds of years and knew and walked with God. Noah’s father Lamech was fifty-six years old when Adam died, a hundred and eleven years old when Enoch was no more, and a hundred and sixty-eight years old when Seth passed away. Lamech was taught by these men and would have met with them throughout the year to celebrate Yahweh’s Feast days/moadim. During these family occasions Lamech would have heard of the Garden and what it was like to walk in the Presence physically with Yahweh/Elohim. These historical family memories Lamech passed on to his son Noah. Noah knew what was right in Yahweh’s eyes and chose to walk in His ways because he had been taught by those who had eyewitness accounts of the Living Torah, Yeshua. Thus walking in the ways and presence of Torah was in the heart of Noah. Knowing this kept Noah and his family safe in the days when man’s ways were corrupt upon the earth (1 Peter 1:10-11).
The Ark – The Olam Haba
“And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks’” (Genesis 6:13-16).
Noah was to make the ark according to the pattern Yahweh gave him. We find this pattern of redemption all through scripture. It is based on clean and unclean, holy and unholy. The ark was to be a set apart place; a light that shines in darkness; a shelter to bring comfort and a safe haven; a place of refuge and rest; a covering and a life source; a place where no sickness, disease or disorder resides; where heaven meets earth - Malchut Shamayim - and the place where Yeshua, the living Torah dwells (Ezekiel 44: 23-24).
A deeper look at the understandings of Torah can also reveal that God was preparing Noah (a reference to believers) to leave the common, present realm/world called in Hebrew the Olam Hazeh. The world /Olam Hazeh is in a constant state of decay and destruction because of the ruler of this world – ha satan. In Yeshua we are called to move into the future realm called Olam Haba in Hebrew - the resurrection life. Believers can only see the goal of their faith after choosing to believe and put their trust and faith into Yeshua’s Faithfulness by acting in His promises/principles held in His Covenant to us. As with Noah, when we leave the common we enter or translate into the next realm – the future.
We see this in Hebrews chapter 11 which we call the ‘faith’ chapter, but how many of us understand it is about translating from one realm/kingdom to another – from the Olam Hazeh/ the common, earthly, sinful and dishonoring realm to the Olam Haba/the heavenly, holy, set apart realm?
Hebrews 11:1-7
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for [in the Olam Haba], the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith [Olam Haba] we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible [Olam Haba].
- By faith [in the Olam Haba] Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
- By faith [in the Olam Haba] Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony [in the Olam Haba], that he pleased God. But without faith [Olam Haba] it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
- By faith [in the Olam Haba] Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen [judgment against the Olam Hazeh], moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household [from the Olam Hazeh], by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness [in the Olam Haba] which is according to faith [in Yahweh’s faithfulness toward them – as witnessed in the rainbow].”
The ark and Noah revealed this pattern of prophetic future imagery. This Torah pattern helps us see that when we by faith walk in His word this action activates the inheritance that Yahweh has promised to come towards us. When we are in right moral and ethical order to His principles, we too will find refuge in the ark (Yeshua) and become a living ark for others looking for rest from the common storm of life.
Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.”
A Mixed Multitude
There were clean and unclean animals (animals represented people’s attitude and characteristics) on board the ark. This does not mean that everyone will desire to be sanctified but all desire to be saved, thus there was a mixture among them.
Matthew 25:1-4 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise [believers who had entered into the Olam Haba], and five were foolish [believers still in the Olam Hazeh]. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.”
The Atonement
The ark was to be made of gopher wood with rooms in it. Kane (Strongs #7064), the Hebrew for rooms also means nests. Noah was to prepare nests in the ark for the animals. Question: Could the animals be young and housed in nests lined with food to keep them bedded down for many months of hibernation?
After completing the ark, Noah was to coat the wood with pitch inside and out. In Hebraic understanding, wood is synonymous with man’s mortality. The word pitch in Hebrew is kaphar (Strongs # 3722/3724) from the same root word that refers to the act of protecting - to cover, annul, forgive and pardon. Thus Yahweh was prophesying through Noah and his family, that He will cover and forgive past transgressions and iniquities of the generations. Noah’s experience foreshadowed the promise given Eve that her offspring would defeat the enemy and redeem His people.
The Light
The word window can also be translated as roof or opening. Window is the Hebrew word sohar (Strongs #6672/ TWOT # 1883a), from the root word illuminate. Note: During the entire twelve months that Noah was in the ark he did not require the light of the sun by day or the moon by night. The word sohar is related to yishar (TWOT #1883c) meaning fresh oil, an un- manufactured product of olive trees. A reference that the source of this light is Yeshua; He is The Light of the world. No natural light was used in the ark as the True Light supported Noah and his family through their journey (Genesis 1:3; John 8:12).Numbers 4:16 "Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest [also reference to Yeshua’s Bride, the carrier of fresh oil], is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle [ark] and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles."
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of Yahweh is upon Me [a believer with Yeshua dwelling within], because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel [Kingdom principles found in the Olam Haba] to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives [believers outside Torah/Olam Hazeh] and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed”
The Pattern
The ark was divided into the three sections of: lower, middle and upper decks. This similar pattern is seen in:
- The tabernacle in the wilderness,
- The temple
- And the heavenly Tabernacle
These partitions represent the outer court, the Holy Place and the Most Holy of Holies; the progressive levels of holiness, sanctification and understanding in the Torah principles that relate to our physical and spiritual walk of redemption and sanctification in Yeshua’s priesthood.
Clean and Unclean
Genesis 7:5-12 “Noah did all that Yahweh commanded him…And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month-- on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.”
As we see in the Garden there is a mixture of clean and unclean (light and darkness) entering the Ark, as Yahweh draws toward Noah clean and unclean animals. How did Noah know clean from unclean?
- Noah had a relationship with Yahweh and he had also learned through his relatives what was originally taught to Adam and Eve in the Garden. Noah ate from the Tree of Life and was able to see far more than the people around him who had a distortion of the truth and scoffed at his ideas. This life teaching was passed on down through the generations to Noah. The clean animals were for eating and the unclean animals were not to be food for us; they were never to be for human consumption. Their purpose was and is to keep the earth clean. We understand that Noah knew about the clean and unclean, holy and unholy and walked in the obedience of God’s teaching, as Yahweh refers to him as a righteous man in Genesis 6:9, one who kept and walked in the ways/principles of Yahweh.
- Animals also relate to people as we see in the sheet/talet that fell from Heaven in Peter’s dream (Acts 10:11-12, 28). The clean people were those who walked in the principles of Yahweh honoring His ways and keeping His Feast Days and Shabbats. The unclean people were those who did not honor His Kingdom ways and exhibited animalistic behaviors. We know that only eight people in all entered the ark but the fuller understanding of an ark is to be a haven.
- Believers are likened unto an ark. Many will be drawn by the presence seen within the ark and want to come under its covering. The clean will stay but the unclean will move on going from Church to Church and having multiple teachers.
The Second Passover
Noah and his family entered the ark on the tenth day of the second month (Iyar) on the Biblical calendar. There is a provision in Torah in Numbers 9:6-12 for those who cannot partake in the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread on the first month due to being ceremonially unclean. Yahweh made provision for these persons in the second month on the same dates.
Noah and his family were in an unclean place for the Passover in the first month. It appears Yahweh made provision for them in the second month, as Noah entered the ark on the tenth day of that month revealing that it was quite probable they celebrated Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread in the ark before the floodwaters came seven days later. Eating the unleavened bread during the Feast days served as a cleansing/consecration (physical and spiritual) for Noah and his family, with the floodwaters acting as a baptism/mikvah for status change for the entire earth, from an unclean realm to the clean realm.
Note: Yahweh’s Feasts are prophetic in nature and are perpetually celebrated in every generation. Zechariah 14 tells us the Feasts continue on into eternity. (Leviticus 23)
Matthew 24:36-39 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man (Yahweh in the flesh).” (Luke 17:24-28)
Hebrews 11:7 “By faith [obedience – Olam Haba] Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.”
Genesis 7:16 “And Yahweh shut him in.” Yeshua is the door (John 10:7).
Death and Destruction
For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered to a depth of more than twenty feet. Mount Everest is recorded as the highest mountain on earth at over five miles high. The waters covered this by more than twenty feet! (Genesis 7: 17-22).
Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Everything on the face of the earth was wiped out – man, animals, the creatures that move along the ground, and the birds of the air - only Noah and those with him in the ark survived (Genesis 7:21- 23).
Psalm 29:10-11 “Yahweh sat enthroned at the Flood, and Yahweh sits as King forever. Yahweh will give strength to His people; Yahweh will bless His people with peace.”
The earth flooded a hundred and fifty days, after which Yahweh sent a wind, the Spirit of the Holy One/Ruach HaKodesh, to help the waters recede. On the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark was found resting on Mount Ararat. This timing was in the season called ‘our joy’ at the Feast of Tabernacles, also called the Festival of Ingathering and the Festival of Dedication (Genesis 8:1-6).
The Window
The waters continued to recede until the day of the New Moon/Rosh Chodeshm, the first day of the tenth month, when the tops of the mountains become visible. After forty days, Noah opened the window.
In Hebrew window is challon (Strong’s # H2474/TWOT #660c) meaning piercing of the wall from the Hebrew root word chalal (TWOT #660), meaning wound (fatally), bore through and pierce. The phrase windows of heaven is another term for floodgates. Yahweh released the floodgates for a destructive flood (Genesis 8:2; Isaiah 24:18), as a controlled shower of plenty (2 Kings 7:2) and a symbol of blessing (Malachi 3:10).
Challah (TWOT #660b) a derivative of challon, is a baked unleavened, pierced cake presented in the mincha or grain offering. It is made of fine flour and oil (Leviticus 2:4; Leviticus 7:12; Numbers 6:15). Challah was part of the firstfruits offering and was placed on the altar as part of the elevation offering (Numbers 15:20; Leviticus 8:26; Exodus 29:23). Participants ate challah as part of their peace offering/shelamim (2 Samuel 6:19; Exodus 29:2; Numbers 6:19).
That which was the illumination in the ark also became a visible window or piercing. Until the time of the flood, Light had been receding on earth due to the corruptness of the generations. The Light of Yeshua was with Noah and his family in the ark and now that Light also became a window, challon - a piercing or hollow in the wall.
Yeshua, our challah offering, was pierced for our transgressions of dishonor against His Torah, and out of His side flowed life. It is interesting to note the Hebrew word for bride is very similar - kallah Strong’s #H3618 from TWOT # 986a. The Bride of Yeshua came from His pierced side.
The Raven and the Dove
In Genesis 8:7 when Noah opened the window in the ark, he sent out a raven. It kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. Why was the raven sent out before the dove and what does it represent? A raven is an unclean bird omnivorous scavenger. If anything was left after the flood the raven would have fed on carnage of the dead and garbage of any sort.
The raven is also a type and shadow of believers who go from church to church with unredeemed lifestyles, searching for like minded people that they use to feed their Olam Haza natures. They choose independence and self rule and are unable to sit under a teacher, and their choices result in their inability to enter into their inheritance or redemption and remain unconverted. (Luke 22:31-32 KJV).
In a recent Yom Kippur Leadership Conference at Simchat Torah Beit Midrash, Rabbi Messer shared deeper insight about Noah and the flood. He described ‘the sea’ as representing groups of people, and ‘death’ as relating to believers who have falling asleep due to their ignorance to the principles of Torah, and end up ‘asleep’ floating on the waters of destruction (Olam Hazeh). The Raven can represent spiritual leaders who are not being responsible to feed Yahweh’s people good food (Torah) but keep them in the dark (Olam Hazeh) by feeding their flesh bad food (sinful nature), resulting in their congregations becoming weak and falling asleep. The people end up wandering aimlessly allowing people to speak to their flesh (sinful thoughts/Olam Hazeh) and allowing leaders to pick at their ‘flesh’ until they end up floating on the sea of devastation, death and destruction….More to come….
Later Noah sent out a dove; a clean bird representing righteous acts of a believer. The dove is imagery of Adam’s bride coming from his side/rib and is prophetic of Yeshua’s Bride coming from His pierced side, one who will walk in His image in righteous acts and sanctification. This is also a picture of true marriage of a husband loving his bride. The wife is the product/reflection of the image her husband walks in. She is the fruit of her husband’s walk and lifestyle. (Genesis 8:8; Ephesians 5).
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
Genesis 8:9 “But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned to him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the earth. And he put out his hand and took her, and pulled her in to him into the ark.”
The clean dove did not find a place to rest (in the world/worldly affairs) and returned to the sanctity of the ark (representing Torah), contrary to the foraging raven that choose to stay in the world outside the Ark, (doing its own thing, church hoping). The dove (bride of Yeshua) knows her redemption is through sanctification only found in the protection of Yahweh; that which brings her life, comfort and peace.
The scripture in Genesis 8:9, “found no rest for the sole of her foot,” is fulfilled in John 1:32, when John “saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on [Yeshua].”
The “dove” found rest in her Redeemer.
In Hebrew, Noah’s name relates to comforter, bringing relief, rest and salvation. Before Yeshua left to prepare a place for His Bride in Acts 1, He told His disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit/Ruach called the Comforter. This was fulfilled in Acts 2. When we return through repentance and sanctification to the Tree of Life/Living Torah – Yeshua - we too will find comfort and rest. (John 14:26; 16:7-8)
Genesis 8:10 “He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.”
Seven is the number of days for consecration from the unclean realm to the clean realm. Doves were used in sacrifices, offerings and for purification.
The Olive Leaf
Genesis 8:11 “When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!”
This leaf was not picked up from floating debris, but was a “freshly plucked” olive leaf. It is said that the olive leaf is not affected by a few months of being submerged under water. It may be quite possible that the olive tree the dove found had leaves that had remained on it even until the floodwaters subsided, enabling the tree to flourish and reestablish itself to provide fresh leaves for Noah.
The Hebrew word that is equivalent to the phrase “freshly plucked” is tarap (Strong’s #H2965/TWOT #827a), only found in Genesis 8:11. Its root word (TWOT #827 tarap) means rent or tear. The symbolism of the olive leaf is in its allusion to oil, light, Yeshua. Yeshua, the Light of the world was Yahweh’s sacrifice who’s shed blood rent the Temple veil from top to bottom, opening up forgiveness and redemption, demonstrating that man was able to approach God for the first time since the Garden with Adam and Eve.
When looking at the term “olive leaf” more closely we discover that aleh (TWOT #1624a) corresponds to leaf and comes from the root word ala meaning to go up, as in the olah or elevation offering. Other words associated with this root word are ascent, stairway, upper, roof chamber, high, most high, lifting, above, upward, conduit, watercourse, and healing. “On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2).
When a Torah scroll is made, the scribes use “skins” called klaf or vellum (parchment) from sheep. They stretch and dry the skins, then hand stitch them together to create a scroll on which to write the Hebrew letters that form the Words of scripture. Yahweh’s people are called sheep. Many times we feel stretched. When Yeshua died (stretched) for us, the veil over our heart was rent, allowing the Spirit to write Torah on our hearts. Another word for blood is skin in the Bible. We literally have Torah written on our skin.
Skins of the Torah scrolls were also called leaves; those leaves were then wrapped around two olive sticks. The torah scroll is called the Tree of Life – the Lamb’s book of Life. These two sticks represent two olive trees. In Zechariah 4 the two olive trees represent two people groups who are anointed to serve Yahweh of all the earth. It is these two olive trees that represent the two houses of Israel: House of Israel and House of Judah. These two houses are the representatives and witnesses of Yahweh’s Word.
The dove returning back with an olive leaf in her beak is symbolic of the Bride of Yeshua being grafted back into the Torah through the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh.
The olive branch is also representative of the Two Houses joining and become one in the Father’s hand (Ezekiel 37:15-17) and Truth will be found in their mouths, upholding Yahweh’s Word on earth among the Nations. The leaves, or Torah, will be for the healing of the Nations. When Yahweh’s people read the Words on these leaves and obey what is written on their hearts, they will know how to walk with a Holy God (Deuteronomy 28).
It is Torah that is represented by the olive leafs that were in the beak (mouth) of the dove (Yeshua) when it returned to Noah. When Yahweh’s people return to the lifestyle of Yahweh’s principles, we too will find comfort and dry ground.
Rabbi Messer continued with his insight into Genesis by remarking that the dove also represents those who have a desire for Yahweh’s Kingdom Torah principles and are clothed in His righteousness. It is these ‘doves’ who carry the same pattern who enter the ark. Once the inside the Olam Haba, the ark lands safely on dry land.
This will be the same for us when we leave the common, animalistic nature and enter His Kingdom pattern. We will safely land on dry ground and multiply His nature to all those around us who desire to enter into eternity – today.
The Covering
Genesis 8:10-13 After waiting seven more days and releasing the dove a second time, she did not return. “By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.”
What kind of roof did Noah have on the ark? Through the word study we see the roof was an animal skin covering. “Covering” in Hebrew is mikseh (Strong’s #H4372/TWOT #1008c). This noun refers mostly to the leather (as in badger skins, porpoise skins and hides of sea cows) that comprised the coverings of the Tabernacle as well.
We may have seen pictures of the ark with a wooden roof, but this scripture in Genesis 8 reshapes the picture in our minds. Animal skins speak of atonement cover and shed blood, much like the garments made for Adam and Eve. As animals are used in scripture to represent people, the skins over the ark represent the atonement and surrendering of the animalistic sinful nature of our lives as we bow in humility before Yahweh. This is what is pictured over the ark. The righteous acts before Him are for His glory. When we walk in redemption through Torah principles we too will become a refuge, ark and tabernacle – the dwelling place of Yahweh for many peoples and nations.
In the Tabernacle’s cubic dimensions, the furniture and materials used (wood covered in gold; a metal), plus the skin covering over top could produced static and anything under that roof could potentially became electrically charged. We see similar usage with the measurements and the materials used by Noah in the ark he was called to build. The window was one cubic in dimension that became a light source, and the roof was a covering of skins. Could the ark have had an internal power source, a source of life from our Heavenly Father?
When Noah removed the covering, it may have been by means of a “tear” or “zion” (scion) of the skin (covering) in order to reveal the window through which the raven and dove flew. Zion is the term with many uses: a vinedresser uses a zion to speak of the process of cutting and grafting branches into an olive tree. As Adam’s side was pierced (zion) to produce his bride, so was Yeshua’s side torn or pierced (zion) for His Bride to came forth. We who are in Messiah are called branches that are grafted into the Messiah.
Upon Messiah’s death, the veil in the temple was torn (rent/zion) from top to bottom revealing the way home for the Bride. (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45; Romans 11:17-18) (Zion/Scion: Grafted: figuratively and Hebraic, of a descendant, as a shoot or sprout offspring. Romans 15:12).
Mark 1:10 “As Yeshua was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being ‘torn’ open (schizo) and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.” Schizo (Strong’s #G4977) meaning to cleave, split, also used for divide, open, tear or torn.
Genesis 8:14-17 “By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry. Yahweh said to Noah, ‘Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you-- the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground-- so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it.’ ”
The Third Covenant: The Covenant of Noah
Genesis 8:21 to 9:17; 24-27
Noah was so grateful for their safe arrival that he built an altar to Yahweh offering praise and worship sacrifices using some of the clean animals that had been with him on the ark. Yahweh was pleased with Noah and He received his gifts and then set in place an eternal, universal Covenant with him, which promises:
- That a flood would never again destroy the earth.
- Establishment of the principles of human government to curb sin.
- Proclaims the first physical sign of Yahweh’s Covenants: the multi colored rainbow to be set in the clouds - which still stands to this day as a testimony and witness to the promises of Noah’s covenant today.
Be Fruitful and Multiply
Yahweh commanded Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply. They were to produce “seed” (from the Tree of Life) that would bring forth and multiply generations who would glorify and praise the Name of Yahweh.
Do Not Eat the Lifeblood
At this time man’s diet also increased. Along with green herbage Yahweh gave them permission to eat animal flesh. Only clean animals without blood are called “food” and are acceptable for human consumption in the Bible. Pork, shellfish, carnivore birds and animals for example, carry diseases and are unfit for human consumption; therefore they are not considered edible, therefore not called food. Also, Yahweh warned them not to eat the lifeblood of the animal in the meat they consumed (Genesis 9:4). The lifeblood was that which flowed through the veins and arteries and took life into the body and also removed debris. This lifeblood was not to be eaten as the blood is for atonement.
Today, this principle to refuse to consume the lifeblood still applies and is a universal eternal law, just as the rainbow is a universal principle still activated for all the generations of Noah’s descendants, us included (Acts 15:20, 29; Acts 21:25).
The Sons of Noah
The sons of Noah were Shem, Ham and Japheth. From these sons came many people groups and nations that populated the earth. (Genesis 9:18-27).
Noah worked the soil and planted a vineyard. Could Noah have taken these vines with him on the ark? Could they have come originally from the Garden? We do not see the time element in scripture for the vineyard, but it would have taken several years, five at least, before a harvest to make the first pressing of wine. Noah’s youngest son Ham found his father lying naked inside his tent, quite drunk from the wine. “Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside” (Genesis 9:22).
The word saw is ra’ah (Strong’s #H7200) in Hebrew, which means to look, see and understand. The lesson of this story in Scripture is that we are to cover (forgive) each other’s sins of dishonor and not expose them. While Noah was still under the influence of wine, his other two sons reverently and with respect covered their father to restore dignity. Upon waking, Noah said, "Cursed be Canaan (son of Ham); a servant of servants He shall be to his brethren." And he said: "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem; and may Canaan be his servant."
After the flood Noah (the ten generation since Adam), lived 350 years and died at the age of 950 when Abraham (the twentieth generation since Adam), was 58 years old.
The Generations of Noah and the Tower of Babel
Genesis 10:1-11:9 Recorded in this Scripture reference is the list of generations and lines of descent within their nations that filled the earth after the flood. In Genesis 11 we see the extent of evil has intensified upon the earth. Yahweh kept His promise not to flood the earth again but to control the evil, He caused great confusion among the populace by changing their one language into many. The various languages they spoke thereafter were just babble to those listening who spoke in a different tongue. With this, Yahweh scattered them over the earth.
1 Peter 3:18 –22 “For Yeshua died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to Yahweh. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when Yahweh waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward Yahweh. It saves you by the resurrection of Yeshua, who has gone into heaven and is at Yahweh’s right hand-- with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him.”
2 Peter 3:3-17 “In the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’ But they deliberately forget that long ago by Yahweh’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With Yahweh a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. Yahweh is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
“But the day of Yahweh will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of Yahweh and speed its coming.
That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.”
Shabbat Shalom
Julie Parker
Since its inception in 2003, Sheepfold Gleanings has been written under the pen name of Carl and Julie Parker. It will now be published under the authors name Julie Parker, with her husband Carl’s continued support and covering.
Note: We are in the process of publishing the studies in soft spiral study format and soft bond format for prison ministry (an eBook format is coming!). Genesis is the first book in a five part series: Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy. Each book is part of the yearly Torah cycle starting in Genesis and is designed to be used each year for study purposes. To pre order please contact the information below.
Reference
TWOT: Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament by R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Bruce Waltke
ED: Etymological Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew by Feldheim Publishers
Bereishis/Genesis by ArtScroll Tanach Series by Mesorah Publications, Ltd
2011 Yom Kippur Leadership Conference, Genesis 2011 and Torah 101: STBM by Rabbi Ralph
Messer www.torah.tv
Hebrew Word Pictures by Dr. Frank T. Seekins
Sheepfold Gleanings written by Julie Parker
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Last Updated on Friday, 28 October 2011 22:16