WAIT ON THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.  And God spake to Noah, saying, ‘Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee.  Bring forth with every living thing that is with thee … and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.’ ”  Genesis 8:14-17 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God spoke to Noah and told him to build the ark, Noah did all that God had commanded him to do. (Genesis 6:22)  Then The Lord God told Noah go into the ark with two of every kind of animal and He shut him in. (Genesis 7:1-16)  Afterwards, it rained continuously for forty days and forty nights. (Genesis 7:12)  The rain caused a flood which lifted the ark, (Genesis 7:17) and covered the mountains by more than twenty feet. (Genesis 7:20)  All the animals and all mankind outside of the ark died. (Genesis 7:21-22)  The water covered the earth for a hundred and fifty days. (Genesis 7:24)  When the flood waters began to recede, Noah stayed inside of the ark.  As the water receded the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. (Genesis 8:4)  After forty days Noah opened a window, and he could see the tops of the mountains, but he stayed inside of the ark.  Even after the dove that he sent out returned with an olive leaf, Noah stayed inside of the ark. (Genesis 8:8-12)  Even when he could see that the surface of the ground was dry, Noah stayed in the ark until The Lord God said for him to come out of the ark. (Genesis 8:13-17)  When he did come out of the ark, he built an altar and sacrificed some of the clean animals that he had brought with him. (Genesis 8:18-20)  Then The Lord God said that He would never again destroy every living thing as He had done. (Genesis 8:21)  He would never again do it this way, by water.

 

APPLICATION

Noah had faith in God, he was obedient and built an ark even before there was a cloud in the sky.  He entered the ark when The Lord God told him to do so, and he did not come out of it until God told him to come out.  Even though he could see that the ground was dry after the flood, he did not come out.  We need to learn to trust in The Lord and lean not on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)  Things are not always as they appear.  Relying on our five senses and our limited intelligence, instead of doing what thus saith The Lord, will get us into trouble.  We need to develop patience.  We need to pray before we act, (Philippians 4:6) and before we speak.  We need to learn to be patient and to wait on The Lord. (Psalm 27:14)