Noah's Lockdown

As we charter through these uncertain times with further lockdowns imminent, we can turn to the Bible, the Word of God, for encouragement.

From the outset of the Bible we see God’s love and care and as we consider the life of Noah, the man who built an ark, we can see some parallels with the circumstances we find ourselves in today.

God instructed Noah to build an ark and once completed was told to take a selection of animals on board by sevens and twos, including both male and female species.  When the appointed time came his family entered the ark “and they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.” (Genesis 7 v 16).

The future was unknown, Noah and his family had to rely solely on God to get them through the experience. Like us, the future is uncertain, both individually and as families but we can trust God and although trials and tribulations will come, we can rely on God to get us through the storms of life.

Once the door of the ark was shut the rains came and Noah, his family and the animals were confined in the ark while the rain poured for 40 days and 40 nights. We can only imagine the frustrations, tensions and animal smells during these days and nights.  As we have been in lockdown may be, we have experienced similar frustrations, emotional tensions but throughout Noah’s experience he rested in God as he was in control as He is today during this Pandemic.

When the time came, the rains stopped but the confinement continued and as we move from lockdown to the easing of lockdowns the process is gradual. Noah and his family had to wait over 150 days.  The waters eased and as the water level fell so did the ark “and the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat” (Genesis 8 v 4).

Their lockdown was still not over “as the waters decreased continually until the tenth month” (Genesis 8 v 5) a further three months! – but God was still in control and Noah needed to show patience and continue his trust in God.

It was only after a few more weeks when the raven and doves were sent out of the window of the ark that the end looked in sight.  Only when the last dove was sent out from the ark which did not return did Noah know “the face of the ground was dry” (Genesis 8 v 13).

The danger had passed, and it was safe for him, his family, and the animals to come out of the ark.  Throughout the experience God was in control and Noah showed his faith in his God.

God promised never to flood the earth again and placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign of his promise.  A symbol of hope that we have used during these uncertain times.

As we are potentially drawn into further lockdowns, home confinements or further restrictions who are we trusting in? “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” (Proverbs 3 v 5)

Paul Cartwright