The Flood

And what it means to us today.
post 121

American Christians and non-Christians alike all know the general story of Noah’s Flood.
But ask any question beyond; ‘how many animals did Noah take on the Ark?’ and you get a blank stare.
This is because for generations it has been taught as a bible story to children in Sunday school and is seen as having no further importance in the Christian life or application in science.
Nothing could be further from the truth.

But true to the character of Scripture, we find that God has woven into the historical story, a deeper meaning, a hidden message, a clue to the nature of the Messiah.

I am indebted to Chuck Missler for bringing this concept into the open for me, and now expound on his podcast; November 30, 2010 “Plan and Design” found at http://www.Khouse.org

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Who was the oldest man in the bible?
Methuselah.
He lived 969 years. Genesis 5:27
Noah was Methuselah’s grandson. I Chronicles 1:3-4
Enoch was his father. Remember He was the guy that walked with God and so God just took him instead of letting him die. Genesis 5:24
We can infer then that God, in this close relationship, had given Enoch some inside scoop and this is why he named his son Methuselah.

What does Methuselah mean?
Methuselah 4968 from 4962 and 7973; a man of a dart.
4962 math; from the same as 4970; properly, an adult (as of full length)
4970 mathay; from an unused root meaning to extend; properly extent (of time); but used only adv. (especially with other particles pref.) when.
7973 shelach; from 7971; a missle of attack, i.e. a spear; also (figuratively a shoot of growth, i.e. branch.
7971 shalach; a prime root to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)

Interpretation; a man representing a specific attack for the purpose to send away, which will come at his full age, which will be unusually long.

Doing the math in the genealogies of genesis, we learn that the flood came the year Methuselah died.
We see by this that God extended his mercy on the earth far longer than should be expected as Methuselah lived longer than any other man.
But he eventually did die. And then the flood of judgment came and took all away.

Did God suddenly one day wake up and think; “Today I will destroy the world”?
No.
He publicly began the intended destruction long before He told Noah to build an ark.
I contend for many reasons that at that point there was no more hope to save the earth.
Its doom was sealed. God set about to destroy the world.
I can accept that as Noah was building the ark, he probably tried to use the work to minister to those who came by to have a look, but I am pretty sure he did not start a door-to-door ministry attempting to save people. It was too late for that.
He had been given his orders and that was to build a boat.

Ok, what does this mean to us?
God has begun the work to destroy America. Its doom is sealed. And although the lives of men continue as it always has, there are a few whackos in the neighborhood building a allegorical boat of salvation.
Anybody could have believed Noah and been saved. But the circumstances of life had stacked the cards against them, and to them he was just some weird guy who was a few unicorns short of an ark full.
Why?
Because their lives were full of living, and they just didn’t have time to seriously listen to God, let a lone this strange man. They went to temple on Sunday. The sky was blue. Life just continued as it always had.
And God allowed Methuselah to live an incredible 969 years!
The very meaning of this old man’s name would have been enough to give pause. His extreme age should also have been something to seriously ponder. Yet those who were concerned about the likelihood of his death at 700, were very concerned at 800.
Yet having passed 900 there was most probably the loss of expectation that he would ever die! *1 Like George Burns on steroids! After seeing the expected end come and go, then seeing the length of the extension also go on and on, instead of realizing everyday was one more day of grace to get things right, they rather grew apathetic at the time they should have been most concerned.
The following passage, though speaking specifically of the second coming of Jesus, is very applicable to this same heart.
“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, (died) all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” II Peter 3:3-4

Methuselah was not the only clue that something was about to happen.
Remember his grandson out in the front yard building that big boat in the middle of a dry desert?
I realize that was probably too subtle for most to see as a sign, but if they would have stopped mocking for just a moment and inspected his work, they would have seen his craftsmanship and design was not the work of a mad man.

But they were late for their Friday night bowling league and rushed on with the more important things in life. After all, if God was actually going to flood the place, they could just grab on to the anchor chain at the last minute, or something.

Yah, so how did that work out for them?

* * *
I am not suggesting the Great Flood is to represent the next event. I am only using it here to show you the long-suffering heart of God in delaying the doom as long as possible, even after he has determined it.
But determined it he has.

I have seen a very exciting and genuine awakening by a large number of Christians.
This is very commendable.
But it is clear to me that God’s purpose for this awakening is not to save the nation, but to prepare the people. The personal revivals will not reach into the national administration.

Whatever time we have left is to be used by God’s people to prepare themselves, ensuring they are actually spiritually ready for what is to physically come.

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*1
I am fully aware that many readers will snoff at the concept that any man could ever live to 900 years old! But this is an ignorant position that has no foundation of research.
Even today scientists are realizing the incredible healing power of an increase in oxygen alone. And there are many great studies explaining the pre-flood greenhouse canopy of water in the atmosphere which greatly affected the oxygen levels on earth, as just one factor. The world we know today is not the same environment of the pre-flood world.
If you are skeptical I would encourage you to search out the many Creation Science studies in the attempt to debunk them. You may just be convinced!