God never intended for humans to be either toddlers or even worse, robots. He plays a role, in doing many things that we can’t do on our own. But He also expects us to partner with Him and fulfill the functions He’s given to us.
This is revealed in what God did with Noah as the Ark settled on Mount Ararat. God provided directions on building the ark and even rounded up and brought the animals to the ark for their safety. Now that the ark is settled on the mountaintop, it is up to Noah to figure out when it’s safe for the people to leave.
Genesis 8:6-12 reveals how Noah sent out both a raven and a dove to see if it was safe for his fellow companions on the ark to leave.
The dove is a valley bird and more comfortable on the lower portions of Earth. When the dove returned, bringing back an olive branch, Noah knew that the waters had fully receded and it was safe for everyone to leave.
Partnership
Israel’s neighbors believed that humans were created to supply things for their lazy gods, who enjoyed a lifestyle of luxury in their heavenly existence.
In contrast, God created humans in His own image to relate to Him and partner with Him. He does His part where we’re unable to do ours, but He gives us responsibilities as a loving Father to see how we grow and develop both in our relationship with Him and in our human abilities.
I have always been struck by the image during Jesus’ Transfiguration, where Moses and Elijah came and visited with Jesus.
Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking about his exodus, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem (Luke 9:30-31),
Not only were Jesus’ close followers witness to the event, but they also found out that these two dynamic men of God were talking to Jesus about the upcoming most cataclysmic event in human history: the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
Peter, James, John, Moses, and Elijah were not there to serve God and do something for God that he couldn’t do for Himself. Their presence at this event is a testimony to God’s desire to partner with humans. The same could be said for Noah and the ark.
All of these people, and many more that I could cite, are examples of God’s desire to work with us, see us grow, and be in a very close friendship relationship with us.
If we’re open to God’s work, He will lead us to God-sized tasks that only He can accomplish. He will have His part, and we will have ours in the process, because He wants to be our partner.
Time to Leave
After nearly a year on the ark, God finally told Noah it was time for them to leave.
Then God said to Noah, “Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.
Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—so that they may abound on the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth” (Genesis 8:15-17)
Even though Noah did the research about dry land, God was the one who gave the directive on when it was time to leave the ark. Something to note throughout the entire flood story is that, to this point, Noah has not spoken. What Noah does is obey rather than talk.
So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives (Genesis 8:18).
Noah’s Worship and Covenant
The first thing Noah does is engage in worship. This is the first reference in the Bible to an altar. Noah’s first act indicates his faith that God had brought him through the flood.
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar (Genesis 18:20).
God flooded the earth because of human sinfulness, but now he promises never again to destroy the earth because of human sinfulness.
He adds in his agreement with Noah and all of his descendants that no matter how irregular the human heart may be, God will always be regular in his dealings with the earth.
And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humans, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.
As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
summer and winter, day and night
shall not cease.” (Genesis 18:21-22)
Reflections
One of the major themes of Genesis is the reliability of God’s promises.
Humans are often found as frequent failures to obey God and to live up to His standards. In the midst of human failures, one constant is there: God’s promises. We can rely upon God’s promises to us and use them to adjust our lives to be those of obedience.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 