So when we left off; Noah, his family, and the animals were safe inside the ark when the rain started the fall. Interestingly, the Bible also mentions that they were in the ark for 7 days before the rain started. Genesis 7:4 Seven represents completion and divine mandates in the Bible. I won’t go in to detail but here is a great article http://www.gotquestions.org/number-7-seven.html ‘Seven’ is used more than 700 times in the Bible. I want to narrow it down to a specific ‘seven’. The tribulation seven. According to prophecies in the books of Daniel and Revelation; there will be a 7 year period in time known as the tribulation. In a nutshell there will rise a great leader who will bring peace and order to a world in chaos. This leader will unite the world under one language, one currency, and one religion. He will, for a short time at least- appear to actually bring peace to the Middle East. This leader will be the ultimate ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ and will deceive the entire World. If God’s number is 7 then this man’s number is 666. This is the Anti-Christ.
It’s been said that for everything God decrees; Satan offers a ready counterfeit. The Antichrist is his ultimate counterfeit. It is the demonic take on the Savior. Jesus performed miraculous signs and wonders and led many to salvation. However- “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” 2 Thes. 2:9-10 Instead of offering eternal salvation this ‘christ’ will beguile, manipulate and deceive as many as possible to eternal condemnation in the Lake of Fire. “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” 2 Thes. 2:3-4 So, things will look great for the first 3 1/2 years. People will put their faith in this seeming savior/leader man before his true nature is revealed. He will then demand worship and those who refuse to take his mark will be martyred. The final 3 1/2 years will find mankind sinking to an ultimate low in depravity as they follow the ‘beast’.
These 7 years will mark the end of this chapter in Human history; culminating in a final battle between the redeemed chosen of God (Israel) and the rest of the World united under the Antichrist- “whom the Lord will destroy with the breath of his mouth, rendering him powerless by the manifestation of his coming.” 2 Thes. 2:8
Another sidenote- Jesus is not coming back as a gentle-looking man idyllically cradling a baby lamb. Not even close. Jesus is the ‘Ancient of Days’ and Jesus is God. His return will be so amazing and terrifying that He will literally blow on the Antichrist and the beast will drop dead. John had a vision of the resurrected Jesus that he describes this way- “The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” Rev. 1:14-16
So….! Way back to Noah. They entered the ark seven day before the judgement fell. I believe this is symbolic and prophetic of the next great and final world-wide purge of evil. God will rapture His church (all who have put their faith in Jesus) before the 7 years of tribulation and judgment ‘go down’. 1 Cor. 15:51-52 1 Thes. 4:16-17
Put yourself in Noah’s shoes for a minute. You’ve been in the ark for 5 months. You’ve been surrounded by evil people your entire life. Now you take those first wobbly steps off of your literal lifeboat. Your senses are overwhelmed by the warm sunshine and that fresh after-the-rain smell. The world has been cleansed of great evil. It is a fresh start for humanity and all creation.
Noah immediately builds and altar and sacrifices to his God. The aroma wafts up to Heaven and God is pleased. God makes an eternal covenant with Noah, his offspring (that includes us), and all creation to never destroy the world with a flood again. He places the rainbow in the sky to symbolize that covenant for all time.
I believe all these events really happened exactly as the Bible describes. I also believe the flood was symbolic, a proto-type of what is yet to come. God will once again rid the earth of evil. “But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will disappear with a roaring sound, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be exposed.” 2 Peter 3:10
“But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.” 2 Peter 3:13 “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14 This new earth will be similar to our present earth, but perfect. We will get an eternal covenant as well. We too will take our first wobbly steps on streets of gold, our senses will be overwhelmed, we will see our Savior and King face to face “and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new!” Rev. 21:5
SierraRose 