Genesis 6:9-11:32
“Here is the history of Noach. In his generation, Noach was a man righteous and wholehearted; Noach walked with God. Noach fathered three sons, Shem, Ham and Yefet” (Genesis 6:9-10).
Excerpt:
Many believe that Noach took all known animals, two by two, male and female, onto the ark. However, a closer reading of Genesis chapter 7 reveals that he took ‘kinds’ of animal species, not every animal species.
“Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth” (Genesis 7:2-3).
Through the numbers of pairs of animal kinds that Elohim commanded Noach to take on the ark, Noach learned the difference between ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ animals. Of the ‘clean’ animals (and birds), Noach was to take seven pairs. Of the ‘unclean’ animals, Noach was to take only one pair. This becomes important after the flood when Noach leaves the ark, builds an altar, and makes an offering to Elohim. If Noach had sacrificed any of the ‘unclean’ animals, they would not have been able to re-populate the earth. Instead, Noach offers ‘clean’ animals on the altar.
After the flood Noach is given meat to eat along with green plants. In the sacrificial system of the Tabernacle, the fellowship or peace offerings were eaten by the priests with the individual making the offering. This is not only prophetic to Elohim’s outline for worship in the Tabernacle, but He is showing Noach the required animal offerings. At the same time, Elohim reveals to Noach the difference between the animals he may eat and the animals he may not. This is the second time Elohim gives a dietary command, and this event occurs 1000 years before the Israelites received the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Noach was not only a tzadik, but he was also wise. He obeyed the command of Elohim to build an ark even though he did not completely understand the reason. For 120 years while he built and prepared the ark, he endured the mockery of foolish people until the moment the door was shut and Elohim’s judgment on mankind began. Building, filling, and entering the Ark was how Elohim established His covenant with Noach (Genesis 6:18).
“For the Son of Man’s coming will be just as it was in the days of Noach. Back then, before the Flood, people went on eating and drinking, taking wives and becoming wives, right up till the day Noach entered the ark; and they didn’t know what was happening until the Flood came and swept them all away. It will be just like that when the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 24:37-39).
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