Now the whole world had one language and a common speech....Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth." But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel - because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. Genesis 11:1, 4-9 (NIV)
I'm going to keep this short & sweet today, but I want to share two thoughts:
1) Obviously, there is nothing inherently wrong with constructing buildings or towers, but it was the motivation behind it that troubled God: their strong desire to make a name for themselves and their reliance on themselves, rather than on God.
When I read this, I had to do a little self-reflection. I don't know about you, but for me, too often I'm focused on what will help me look good and what will help me gain the approval of others. Even when I initially start out doing something with the pure intention of glorifying God, it is all too easy to lose my focus along the way. Ironically, it seems that it is often at the times that God is most blessing my endeavors, that pride kicks in and my focus quickly changes to myself. Hmm, I'm noticing a recurring theme in my life lately of the need to not only glorify God, but also to seek acceptance & self-worth from Him! (Click here to see related posts.)
Galations 1:10 says, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Colossians 3:23 says this: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. I Thessalonians 2:5 says, "....We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts." And finally, John 8:54 says, "Jesus replied, 'If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing....' " Wow! If even Jesus, who was God wrapped up in human form, didn't have the right to glorify himself, how much less do I? God, may I only seek to honor and please You! Please tear down any towers of pride in my life.
2) My second thought from this passage focuses on verse 6, which is where God states that if they are one people, speaking the same language, then nothing will be impossible for them. Although this isn't typically the lesson or sermon we hear concerning this message, this verse made me stop and think a minute about the importance of communication. So God is saying that if they can communicate purely, without any confusion or misunderstanding, that they can succeed in anything they do. What does that say about the importance of communication in our relationships? Our marriage? On the job? And of most importance, what about our communication with God? My prayer is that God gives me the wisdom to know how to best communicate with those around me. But more than that, I pray that my communication with God becomes all that it needs to be. And by the way,communication doesn't just involve speaking, it also involves listening!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Simplify Saturday: Zip Through Your Zones
It's that time of year again....the time that everyone begins thoroughly cleaning their homes, getting rid of clutter, making room for some new clutter! :) Since I've been sharing a few tips from Sink Reflections lately, I figured why not continue the pattern? So here is another simple tip from this helpful book:
Instead of manically spring cleaning all at once, why not divide your house up into zones, and work on it a little at a time? The author suggests dividing it into 5 zones:
1) entrance/dining room/front porch
2) kitchen
3) bathroom/children's room(s)/spare bedroom or office
4) master bedroom/master bathroom
5) living room/family room/den
She decided on 5 zones because there are usually about 5 weeks each month, so each week of the month you can focus on a different zone. She recommends working on the current zone for only 15 minutes to an hour each day, knowing that if you don't get everything finished, you can pick up where you left off the next month! She also gives suggestions of exactly what needs to be done in each zone.
Due to my schedule, I prefer to divide my house into 6 zones, and only focus on one each month....which means overall, I "spring clean" my house twice a year. If that's still too overwhelming for you, you could also take 2 months to clean each zone, and by the end of the year, you'd be done with the whole house.
No matter how you divide it up, the important part is that it's broken into smaller, more managable tasks, so that it feels much less overwhelming! And when you know you only have to clean for a few minutes, you're more likely not to put it off!
Before you know it, you'll be zipping through all your zones!
Instead of manically spring cleaning all at once, why not divide your house up into zones, and work on it a little at a time? The author suggests dividing it into 5 zones:
1) entrance/dining room/front porch
2) kitchen
3) bathroom/children's room(s)/spare bedroom or office
4) master bedroom/master bathroom
5) living room/family room/den
She decided on 5 zones because there are usually about 5 weeks each month, so each week of the month you can focus on a different zone. She recommends working on the current zone for only 15 minutes to an hour each day, knowing that if you don't get everything finished, you can pick up where you left off the next month! She also gives suggestions of exactly what needs to be done in each zone.
Due to my schedule, I prefer to divide my house into 6 zones, and only focus on one each month....which means overall, I "spring clean" my house twice a year. If that's still too overwhelming for you, you could also take 2 months to clean each zone, and by the end of the year, you'd be done with the whole house.
No matter how you divide it up, the important part is that it's broken into smaller, more managable tasks, so that it feels much less overwhelming! And when you know you only have to clean for a few minutes, you're more likely not to put it off!
Before you know it, you'll be zipping through all your zones!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Friday Favorites: Knockout Roses
Awww, spring is in the air & I can hardly wait for it to get here. The last couple days, except for being a bit windy (but when is it not windy in Oklahoma?), have been absolutely gorgeous.
One thing I love most about the springtime is all of the beautiful, colorful flowers we have around our house. For me, the more color, the better! And of all of the flowers, one of my favorite is the bright pink Knockout Rose. (For those of you who don't know, Mr. Dishaholic is a landscape designer and contractor, so I'm a little spoiled when it comes to beautiful landscaping.)
One thing I love most about the springtime is all of the beautiful, colorful flowers we have around our house. For me, the more color, the better! And of all of the flowers, one of my favorite is the bright pink Knockout Rose. (For those of you who don't know, Mr. Dishaholic is a landscape designer and contractor, so I'm a little spoiled when it comes to beautiful landscaping.)
Here's a photo taken of a flower bed in our front yard last spring.
Aren't they beautiful?
Just a few short weeks and they'll be in full bloom again!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tablescape Thursday: Lions & Tigers & Elephants, Oh My!
So God said to Noah, I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them......So make yourself an ark.....I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark - you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female.....Noah did everything just as God commanded him. Genesis 6:13-14, 17-19, 22 (NIV)
I must begin by telling you that this is unlike any tablescape I've ever done (& I must admit, it didn't turn out quite like I had envisioned it!). In fact, it is so different from my usual style that I considered not posting it, but what fun is that? I tend to lean toward doing more elegant (for lack of a better word) and seasonal tablescapes, but after blogging about "The Flood & The Blood" on Sunday, I thought it might be fun to do something a little different: a Noah's Ark tablescape. I usually like to come up with a scripture verse that coincides with my tablescapes, but this time I figured I'd do it the other way around.
Oh, and one more thing, I added a little challenge by attempting to construct as much of it out of dishes & tabletop accessories as possible! This will all make a little more sense as you read on.
So I invite you to jump ON BOARD and join me in embARKing on this JOURNEY (after all, the animals did go in PAIRS), but I must warn you, it's a ROUGH and WILD tablescape, and you'll be FLOODED with many pictures! (Sorry, I went a little OVERBOARD.) So grab an umbrella, hold on tight, and enjoy the RIDE as I POUR on the explanations!
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| (In case your wondering about that big cream colored thing in the back, no it's not a robot or a white chocolate fountain! That's supposed to be a mountain! I'll show you a close up a little later on!) |
I began by starting with a light tan tablecloth that reminded me a little of sand. Then I fluffed up the turquoise blue table topper to resemble waves of water. (As you can see, the water is beginning to subside.)
I decided to do 2 place settings symbolizing the pairs of animals.
I used bamboo placemats to symbolize the wood of the ark. (I purchased these for $1.00 each at Dollar Tree many years ago! I've since seen identical ones at other stores for over $5.00!) To add a little texture and color to the place settings, I topped each placemat with a sheet of moss (borrowed from my spring decor).
I chose giraffe dinner plates, followed by zebra salad plates, then topped each off with an animal appetizer plate....one with a lion.....
.....the other with an elephant.
(When the idea occurred to me to do this tablescape, I remembered having seen these animal appetizer plates at Ross about a month or two ago. So I made a quick trip, fully expecting that they'd be gone, but they still had a few! And at less than $2.00, I figured they were worth it!)
Then I layered the plates with bamboo flatware and added animal print glasses.
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| (I have my giraffe glass lying down in this one for a little better look.) |
I chose a mossy green napkin, layering it over a brown & cream zebra print napkin, so that just a hint of animal print was peeking out. I tied each one with giraffe ribbon & then clipped on a couple of animals. (Those are actually tablecloth weights to keep the wind from blowing the tablecloth around, but I thought they'd be cute on the napkins.)
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| (Please excuse the black marks on the ribbon. Those aren't really there. My camera just decided to add them!) |
Now for my centerpiece. First I'll start with the "Mountain" of bowls, representing Mt. Ararat, the place where the ark landed. In keeping with my challenge to primarily use dishes or tabletop accessories, I gathered several cream colored bowls of varying sizes, and simply stacked them upside down to resemble a mountain.
Either those are some really big animals, or that mountain is the smallest mountain ever!
I decided I also need a few animals walking about, although technically the animals weren't out 'til the water was completely dried up! Hmmm, is that tiger walking on water?
I simply used small clear easels to hold the animal dishes. (I had originally planned on having pairs of animals - 2 elephants & 2 tigers - but it looked too crowded.)
My pair of birds are actually salt & pepper shakers. If you remember, Noah sent a bird out 3 times to test & see if the water had dried up.
And last, but not least, what's a Noah's ark tablescape without an ark? Of course, I didn't have an ark just sitting around the house. I considered trying to make one out of dishes, but quickly decided that was not going to be an easy task. Not wanting to spend any money, I figured I'd just cover some boxes with brown paper to make my ark. Truth be told, my attempt to make an ark wasn't turning out so well, so my super sweet hubby took over! (I mean, how many husbands out there would take time to make an ark for their wife's tablescape?!) And about 30 minutes later, I had an ark!
The ark is the only part of the tablescape not constructed out of dishes or tabletop materials, but 2 of the boxes originally came with some of my dishes....does that count?
Now, don't JUMP SHIP just yet. I have one last surprise. See those animals enjoying their ride on the ark?
Well, they're actually little spreader knives! That was another reason I decided to construct the ark out of cardboard.....so that I could use my spreader knives as the animals on board!
Just as I was finishing up, I decided to make one more change. I wanted something to represent the rainbow that God created as a symbol to never again destroy the earth with a flood. So I quickly changed out my animal glasses for these "rainbow" colored striped glasses. Although I didn't like the overall look quite as well (it didn't exactly go with my color scheme), I thought it made the story complete.
Well, hope you've stayed AFLOAT and survived this TURBULENCE! Thanks for joining me on the journey! And don't forget to stop by Between Naps on the Porch to see all the amazing tablescapes!
Tablecloth - Ross
Turquoise Table Topper - Tuscan Loggia (a local decor store)
Bamboo Placemats - Dollar Tree
Giraffe Plates - TJ Maxx or Marshalls
Zebra Plates - TJ Maxx, Homegoods, & Marshalls (I had to go all over to get a full set!)
Animal Plates - Ross
Bamboo Flatware - Steinmart
Animal Print Glasses - Dillards
Striped Glasses - Kohls (I think!)
Bird Salt & Pepper Shakers - TJ Maxx or Marshalls
Zebra Napkins - Z Gallerie
Green Napkins - Burlington (I think)
Animal Napkin Weights - Tuesday Morning
Animal Spreader Knives - either Ross or TJ Maxx
Mountain Bowls - Gracious Goods & Chris Madden from JC Penney
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Wildcard Wednesday: Sink Reflections
In my last two "Simplify Saturday" posts, I've referred to a book called Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley, so I thought I'd take a minute to share a little more about this book.
It's unlike any other "organizing" book I've read, in that it doesn't tell you the best method(s) for organizing a closet or drawer, and it doesn't talk about organizational gadgets, and it doesn't expect you to get organized in a week or even a month. Instead, it teaches that doing a little a day, whether it's done perfectly or not, will go a long way in getting you to your goal. It also talks about the importance of loving and taking care of yourself, something that many of us aren't too good at. So whether you're living a life of CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome), or whether you're just looking for a little advice in getting your house or your life together, I recommend picking up a copy of this book.
(And one more thing, this last week I've been thinking about doing a "Friday Favorites" post on tassles sometime in the near future because I'm in love with them! I'm even considering doing a tutorial on making tassles. Ironically, this week, Susan from Between Naps on the Porch did a post featuring some adorable tassles and is hosting a drawing for a $30.00 gift certificate for The Tassle House! Stop by both places to enjoy some super cute tassles. And be looking for a tassle post from me sometime in the future!)
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| (I think it's ironic that the flash from my camera left a reflection on the sink!) |
It's unlike any other "organizing" book I've read, in that it doesn't tell you the best method(s) for organizing a closet or drawer, and it doesn't talk about organizational gadgets, and it doesn't expect you to get organized in a week or even a month. Instead, it teaches that doing a little a day, whether it's done perfectly or not, will go a long way in getting you to your goal. It also talks about the importance of loving and taking care of yourself, something that many of us aren't too good at. So whether you're living a life of CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome), or whether you're just looking for a little advice in getting your house or your life together, I recommend picking up a copy of this book.
(And one more thing, this last week I've been thinking about doing a "Friday Favorites" post on tassles sometime in the near future because I'm in love with them! I'm even considering doing a tutorial on making tassles. Ironically, this week, Susan from Between Naps on the Porch did a post featuring some adorable tassles and is hosting a drawing for a $30.00 gift certificate for The Tassle House! Stop by both places to enjoy some super cute tassles. And be looking for a tassle post from me sometime in the future!)
Monday, February 28, 2011
More of Me Monday: Sensing My Senses
The last couple weeks I've noticed a trend, and it occurred to me that maybe God was wanting me to learn something from it. You see, I've encountered several individuals over the course of the last couple weeks who, due to some physical ailment or another, have either lost or damaged one of their senses or a limb. For instance, my grandma was recently diagnosed with glaucoma, which has left her struggling to see clearly. A precious friend, who has a disease that causes multiple non-cancerous brain tumors, just underwent another brain surgery. She has had multiple surgeries in her life, many impairing her vision and hearing, but she amazingly is one of the most positive people I know and has a wonderful testimony for the Lord. I also recently met a young lady who only has one leg (and that was the least of her losses!). It's amazing that all these things were going on around me, but it took a trip to the dentist to really make me stop and think about it......
A few days ago, as I already mentioned, I made a trip to the dentist to get a filling. As you might know, the numbness stays for a few hours, which caused me to talk funny and even bite my tongue a time or two. While this was obviously minor and temporary, it got me to thinking how amazing our senses are and how much they're taken for granted. Can you imagine how life would be without the ability to see or to hear? Or what about the sense of touch? How hard would it be to do normal everyday activities? God really did think of everything!
Then God brought to mind all of the individuals in my life who had been struggling with a loss of one or more of their senses or the loss of a limb. And it reminded of just how blessed I am! It's so easy to go day-to-day and take all of those things for granted, but God reminded that they are all gifts from Him! As I continued thinking, my mind went from blessing to blessing (and I'm sure it wasn't even a fraction of all that God has blessed me with!). And I couldn't help but have a smile on my face and a song in my heart! God is good! I'm praying that God continually helps me to see all the blessings He has given to me!
And speaking of senses, I have one more thought to share. I believe that God also gives us a sense of humor, perhaps to help us through the difficult times. I have a dry sense of humor, much like my dad. I like to think of it as quick-witted, although others may disagree :). So I have to share a quick story. (Keep in mind my dry sense of humor).
After my dentist took care of my filling, he needed to take impressions of both my upper & lower teeth. If you're not familiar with what that is, basically they fill a small tray-like structure with what I call "pink goo" and squish it into your mouth.....not exactly the funnest thing to do. He did the bottom teeth first, left the room for a short time, then returned to do the top. Again he left the room, returning a short time later to apologetically tell me that this is the first time ever that they didn't turn out and he had to re-do them. Again, he began with the bottom teeth, left and came back, and followed with the top. He left the room once more and returned shortly, with a very apologetic look on his face. By now I had the "pink goo" all over my face and even in my hair. I'm sure I was quite a site! (Keep in mind that one side of my face was numb, so I couldn't actually feel the "goo," but there was so much, I could see it out of the corner of my eye!) He stated that the bottom one turned out this time, but that he had to try the top one once more, and he apologized for making such a mess of me. He left the room again, this time coming back to tell me that it had finally worked. However, by this time, he was obviously a little distraught, and kept apologizing as he dampened a paper towel and began wiping off my face for me. As he finished and apologized once more, in an effort to help change the mood and put a smile on his face, I responded (and this is the punch line in case you're wondering), "Well, you definitely made an IMPRESSION."
Hope this made you smile!
A few days ago, as I already mentioned, I made a trip to the dentist to get a filling. As you might know, the numbness stays for a few hours, which caused me to talk funny and even bite my tongue a time or two. While this was obviously minor and temporary, it got me to thinking how amazing our senses are and how much they're taken for granted. Can you imagine how life would be without the ability to see or to hear? Or what about the sense of touch? How hard would it be to do normal everyday activities? God really did think of everything!
Then God brought to mind all of the individuals in my life who had been struggling with a loss of one or more of their senses or the loss of a limb. And it reminded of just how blessed I am! It's so easy to go day-to-day and take all of those things for granted, but God reminded that they are all gifts from Him! As I continued thinking, my mind went from blessing to blessing (and I'm sure it wasn't even a fraction of all that God has blessed me with!). And I couldn't help but have a smile on my face and a song in my heart! God is good! I'm praying that God continually helps me to see all the blessings He has given to me!
And speaking of senses, I have one more thought to share. I believe that God also gives us a sense of humor, perhaps to help us through the difficult times. I have a dry sense of humor, much like my dad. I like to think of it as quick-witted, although others may disagree :). So I have to share a quick story. (Keep in mind my dry sense of humor).
After my dentist took care of my filling, he needed to take impressions of both my upper & lower teeth. If you're not familiar with what that is, basically they fill a small tray-like structure with what I call "pink goo" and squish it into your mouth.....not exactly the funnest thing to do. He did the bottom teeth first, left the room for a short time, then returned to do the top. Again he left the room, returning a short time later to apologetically tell me that this is the first time ever that they didn't turn out and he had to re-do them. Again, he began with the bottom teeth, left and came back, and followed with the top. He left the room once more and returned shortly, with a very apologetic look on his face. By now I had the "pink goo" all over my face and even in my hair. I'm sure I was quite a site! (Keep in mind that one side of my face was numb, so I couldn't actually feel the "goo," but there was so much, I could see it out of the corner of my eye!) He stated that the bottom one turned out this time, but that he had to try the top one once more, and he apologized for making such a mess of me. He left the room again, this time coming back to tell me that it had finally worked. However, by this time, he was obviously a little distraught, and kept apologizing as he dampened a paper towel and began wiping off my face for me. As he finished and apologized once more, in an effort to help change the mood and put a smile on his face, I responded (and this is the punch line in case you're wondering), "Well, you definitely made an IMPRESSION."
Hope this made you smile!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Scripture Sunday: The Flood & The Blood
The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, "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 the birds of the air - for I am grieved that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord......Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God......... So God said to Noah, I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them......So make yourself an ark.....I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark - you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female.....Noah did everything just as God commanded him. Genesis 6:5-9, 13-14, 17-19, 22 (NIV)
As I was reading this passage a few weeks ago, I began questioning why chapters 6 & 7 were fairly repetitive? Then it occurred to me that perhaps God really wanted to get a point across. After all, when we repeat something, isn't it usually because we either don't think someone is listening or we really want to emphasize the importance of something? So I decided to delve a little deeper. I believe that God didn't give us the Old Testament just so we'd have a history lesson (although much of that information is helpful), but rather to teach us something of importance. I also believe that much of the Old Testament foreshadows or points to Jesus Christ. As I continued reading & researching, many parallels between Noah's ark and the cross of Jesus began to be revealed to me.
Genesis 6:8 (NIV) says, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.." Another word for "favor", as the King James Version states it, is "grace." It's interesting to me that Noah was only saved by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8 (NIV) states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." It is only by the grace of God that we are saved from His judgment! In addition, Noah had to trust God that the flood was actually going to come and that he truly needed to build and enter the ark. Had Noah not trusted (had faith) in God, he would have been destroyed.
Genesis 6:14 (NIV) says, "So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out." The King James Version says it like this, "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch."
I thought it was interesting that the KJV used the word "pitch" twice. As I researched, I discovered that the Hebrew word for "pitch," when used as a verb ("shalt pitch") is "kaphar," which is used seventy times in the Bible to mean atonement as it relates to blood sacrifice. The Hebrew word for "pitch," when used as a noun ("with pitch"), is "kopher" and means "price of a life" or "ransom." In other words, Noah & his family were protected from the flood (God's judgment on the earth) by atonement. Could it be that the pitch is symbolic of the blood of Jesus, who sacrificed His life, covering all our sins, so that we would be protected from God's judgment?
I also found one reference that stated that wood in the Bible often represents man. If this is so, could it be foreshadowing that God would become "flesh" or man (John 1:14) in order to be our salvation?
"Put a door in the side of the ark...." (Genesis 6:16 NIV). Notice that although the ark is huge, there is only one door to the ark....only one way to enter. In John 10:9 (NIV), Jesus states, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." The KJV uses the word "door" in place of "gate." Just as in the ark, there is only one way to be saved.....through Jesus!
"...and make lower, middle, and upper decks" (Genesis 6:16 NIV). It makes sense that the bottom deck is likely where the larger animals were. It was probably crowded, dark, & smelly (and it's possible you'd get trampled on by animals!). The middle deck likely had the smaller animals, but it was still dark & probably smelly. The upper deck, however, had a window, which could allow both light & air in. I began to see that although every creature on the ark was saved from the flood, there was definitely a difference in the decks. Sometimes as Christians, we may feel that just being saved (entering the ark) is enough, but God wants so much more for us! He wants us to grow in our relationship with Him! He wants us to have abundant life (John 10:10)! (This may be a stretch, but I also think it is interesting that a window's primary function is to let light & air in because in the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the light & the Holy Spirit is referred to as wind or breath.)
Genesis 7:1 (KJV) says, "And the LORD said unto Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark..." Notice that God gently invited Noah into the ark, but Noah had to make the decision to enter. ("Come" also implies that God would be there with Noah. In Matthew 11:28 (NIV), Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." We are gently & graciously invited to come to Jesus, to trust in Him, but ultimately, we have to make the decision.
After Noah had done all that God commanded him & entered the ark, ..."the Lord shut him in" (Genesis 7:16 NIV). What powerful words! God, Himself, seals us in. John 10:28 (NIV) says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." That does make me wonder though, did Noah have no control over the door? Hmmm....that gives me something to think about. (We do know, though, that he had control over the window.....how much light & air he let in.)
After the flood had receded, the Bible states that "the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat" (Genesis 8:4). After researching, I discovered that "Ararat" likely means "curse is reversed." The curse of sin & death was reversed by Jesus' death on the cross (Galations 3:13)!
Although the flood represents the judgment, the thought also crossed my mind regarding it's similarity to baptism. Besides the obvious fact that they both involve water, with the flood, the old was gone, and the new began. Isn't that what baptism represents, that through faith in Christ Jesus, we are a new creation and the old is gone (II Corinthians 5:17)?
Finally, Genesis 9:13-15 (NIV) states, "I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth......I will remember my covenant between me and you....Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life." I found that Revelations 10:1-2 refers to an angel who is robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head, his right foot planted on the sea and his left on the land, and he is holding a scroll containing a message affecting the destiny of the world. In my research, I also read that it points to "no judgment" for those who are in Christ. It's interesting that the rainbow God set in the sky represents the very important message to the world that God will no longer destroy the earth by a flood.
One last note: Although I didn't completely research this myself to confirm it's truth, I did find an article that spoke of the meanings of names from Adam to Noah, and if accurate, it is very interesting.
Adam = Man
Seth = Appointed
Enosh = Mortal
Kenan = Sorrow
Mahalalel = The Blessed God
Jared = Shall come down
Enoch = Teaching
Methuselah = His death shall bring
Lamech = The Despairing
Noah = Comfort (or Rest)
If you put them all together, it says, "Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest.”
I am convinced that all of these parallels aren't just coincidences, but that the great flood definitely is symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ. What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts!
As I was reading this passage a few weeks ago, I began questioning why chapters 6 & 7 were fairly repetitive? Then it occurred to me that perhaps God really wanted to get a point across. After all, when we repeat something, isn't it usually because we either don't think someone is listening or we really want to emphasize the importance of something? So I decided to delve a little deeper. I believe that God didn't give us the Old Testament just so we'd have a history lesson (although much of that information is helpful), but rather to teach us something of importance. I also believe that much of the Old Testament foreshadows or points to Jesus Christ. As I continued reading & researching, many parallels between Noah's ark and the cross of Jesus began to be revealed to me.
Genesis 6:8 (NIV) says, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.." Another word for "favor", as the King James Version states it, is "grace." It's interesting to me that Noah was only saved by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8 (NIV) states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." It is only by the grace of God that we are saved from His judgment! In addition, Noah had to trust God that the flood was actually going to come and that he truly needed to build and enter the ark. Had Noah not trusted (had faith) in God, he would have been destroyed.
Genesis 6:14 (NIV) says, "So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out." The King James Version says it like this, "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch."
I thought it was interesting that the KJV used the word "pitch" twice. As I researched, I discovered that the Hebrew word for "pitch," when used as a verb ("shalt pitch") is "kaphar," which is used seventy times in the Bible to mean atonement as it relates to blood sacrifice. The Hebrew word for "pitch," when used as a noun ("with pitch"), is "kopher" and means "price of a life" or "ransom." In other words, Noah & his family were protected from the flood (God's judgment on the earth) by atonement. Could it be that the pitch is symbolic of the blood of Jesus, who sacrificed His life, covering all our sins, so that we would be protected from God's judgment?
I also found one reference that stated that wood in the Bible often represents man. If this is so, could it be foreshadowing that God would become "flesh" or man (John 1:14) in order to be our salvation?
"Put a door in the side of the ark...." (Genesis 6:16 NIV). Notice that although the ark is huge, there is only one door to the ark....only one way to enter. In John 10:9 (NIV), Jesus states, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." The KJV uses the word "door" in place of "gate." Just as in the ark, there is only one way to be saved.....through Jesus!
"...and make lower, middle, and upper decks" (Genesis 6:16 NIV). It makes sense that the bottom deck is likely where the larger animals were. It was probably crowded, dark, & smelly (and it's possible you'd get trampled on by animals!). The middle deck likely had the smaller animals, but it was still dark & probably smelly. The upper deck, however, had a window, which could allow both light & air in. I began to see that although every creature on the ark was saved from the flood, there was definitely a difference in the decks. Sometimes as Christians, we may feel that just being saved (entering the ark) is enough, but God wants so much more for us! He wants us to grow in our relationship with Him! He wants us to have abundant life (John 10:10)! (This may be a stretch, but I also think it is interesting that a window's primary function is to let light & air in because in the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the light & the Holy Spirit is referred to as wind or breath.)
Genesis 7:1 (KJV) says, "And the LORD said unto Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark..." Notice that God gently invited Noah into the ark, but Noah had to make the decision to enter. ("Come" also implies that God would be there with Noah. In Matthew 11:28 (NIV), Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." We are gently & graciously invited to come to Jesus, to trust in Him, but ultimately, we have to make the decision.
After Noah had done all that God commanded him & entered the ark, ..."the Lord shut him in" (Genesis 7:16 NIV). What powerful words! God, Himself, seals us in. John 10:28 (NIV) says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." That does make me wonder though, did Noah have no control over the door? Hmmm....that gives me something to think about. (We do know, though, that he had control over the window.....how much light & air he let in.)
After the flood had receded, the Bible states that "the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat" (Genesis 8:4). After researching, I discovered that "Ararat" likely means "curse is reversed." The curse of sin & death was reversed by Jesus' death on the cross (Galations 3:13)!
Although the flood represents the judgment, the thought also crossed my mind regarding it's similarity to baptism. Besides the obvious fact that they both involve water, with the flood, the old was gone, and the new began. Isn't that what baptism represents, that through faith in Christ Jesus, we are a new creation and the old is gone (II Corinthians 5:17)?
Finally, Genesis 9:13-15 (NIV) states, "I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth......I will remember my covenant between me and you....Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life." I found that Revelations 10:1-2 refers to an angel who is robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head, his right foot planted on the sea and his left on the land, and he is holding a scroll containing a message affecting the destiny of the world. In my research, I also read that it points to "no judgment" for those who are in Christ. It's interesting that the rainbow God set in the sky represents the very important message to the world that God will no longer destroy the earth by a flood.
One last note: Although I didn't completely research this myself to confirm it's truth, I did find an article that spoke of the meanings of names from Adam to Noah, and if accurate, it is very interesting.
Adam = Man
Seth = Appointed
Enosh = Mortal
Kenan = Sorrow
Mahalalel = The Blessed God
Jared = Shall come down
Enoch = Teaching
Methuselah = His death shall bring
Lamech = The Despairing
Noah = Comfort (or Rest)
If you put them all together, it says, "Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest.”
I am convinced that all of these parallels aren't just coincidences, but that the great flood definitely is symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ. What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts!
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