“THE LORD SHUT HIM IN!”

 Genesis 7:13-20                    (ESV)

“[13] On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, [14] they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. [15] They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. [16] And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as GOD HAD COMMANDED HIM.  And “THE LORD SHUT HIM IN”.

[17] The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and IT ROSE HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH. [18] The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. [19] And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. [20] The waters prevailed ABOVE THE MOUNTAINS, covering them FIFTEEN CUBITS DEEP.”

The historical account of THE FLOOD that Noah and his family were BLESSED to be able to get DELIVERED through has been GREATLY misunderstood.  The final verse of the seventh chapter of Genesis says “And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days”.  So basically FIVE MONTHS after THE RAIN had ceased, a dove was sent out from the ark and it returned that afternoon.  Seven days later the dove came back with “a freshly plucked olive leaf” giving indication that the waters had subsided.  Another week this endeavor was tried again, and the dove did not return!

HOW DID the inhabitants of the ark survive such a long journey in such brutal conditions and circumstances?  They had NO experience in sailing as rain is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 7:14.  Scripture states in Genesis  “…ALL THE FOUNTAINS OF THE GREAT DEEP BURST FORTH, AND THE WINDOWS OF THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED.”  Since rain had yet to be introduced to humanity, the PLANS for the ark had to be completed PRECISELY as GOD had given them, wouldn’t you think?  Any perceived flaw could have CERTAINLY caused concern, putting it mildly???

Noah was a flawed human being!  Why did GOD CHOOSE Noah to deliver from the rest of humanity to survive the FLOOD?  GOD KNEW that Noah would do EXACTLY as he was COMMANDED and humanity would survive because of his obedience.  But the SAVING GRACE during the ENTIRE FLOOD scenario was “THE LORD SHUT HIM IN”.  

GOD has DELIVERED me through some SERIOUS and MONUMENTAL storms in my life, but HE IS the CREATOR, and HE also makes the storms!  “THE LORD SHUT HIM IN” gives me comfort to know that GOD ALMIGHTY HAS A PLAN, and I just need to get in the ark and PRAISE HIS NAME!!!