Foundational themes in Genesis – Study 40

(Key verses: Gen 7:6-24)

[Study Aired April 3, 2014]

The global flood in “the days of Noah” helps us to understand how God lifts and strengthens us through the very things He takes away from us through judgment (Isa 9:6-7 Isa 2:2-4 Dan 2:34-35 2Th 1:3-5 Php 1:28). The theme of spiritual elevation or spiritual growth is foundational to our understanding of the dynamics involved in the process of salvation for all in the generation of the first man Adam (1Co 15:22-28, Php 2:9-11, Col 1:15-20, Php 1:6, Eph 1:10). This very important historic event of the flood typifies God’s spiritual judgment in “the days of…the coming of the Son of man” when everyone in Adam will learn that His righteousness will be established in all (Mat 24:37-39, Luk 17:26-27, 1Pe 3:20, Isa 26:9, 1Co 10:11, 1Co 4:6). The waters in Noah’s day also typify the cleansing fire of God’s wrath on the old man, the first Adam in all. It points to the one baptism through which spiritual life comes to all who sleep and are dead in the generation of the first Adam, as all in Adam are appointed to obtain a spiritual awakening to live in Christ (Ecc 9:2, Eph 5:26, Rom 6:3-4):

Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Noah was the tenth generation (ten is the completeness of the flesh) from Adam through the line of Seth, and Noah’s age at the coming of the flood is very instructive to the spiritual meaning of the combination of the number ten to its ‘second power’ (100) and the number six – the number of mankind (1Ch 1:1-3, Gen 1:24-30, Rev 13:12). The number of carnal man is combined with one hundred (6 X 10 X 10) which is a witness of the process through which God brings an end to the carnal age (the “old world…of the ungodly”) in those who are being taken up or elevated in Christ (1Co 15:50, 2Pe 2:5):

Gen 7:6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
Gen 7:7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood….

Gen 7:13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark.

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [Greek: “aion” = age] are come.

With the eight humans, all animals which lived on the dry earth went into the ark in pairs. The “two and two” refers to the male and female (two) in both of the two separate groups – clean and unclean animals (Gen 1:25, Gen 6:14, Gen 7:14):

Gen 7:8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
Gen 7:9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female [both of the clean and unclean beasts], as God had commanded Noah.

Through God’s righteous judgment we grow spiritually, and this progressively enables us to try and discern the spirits of the true witness of Christ and His doctrine and also the witness of the world and the false Christ – which is what their “kind” also means (1Jn 4:1-5, Heb 5:14, Mat 24:4-5, 2Co 13:1, Mat 18:15):

Gen 7:14 They, and every beast after his kind [Hebrew: “mı̂yn” = species], and all the cattle after their kind [Hebrew: “mı̂yn”], and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind [Hebrew: “mı̂yn”], and every fowl after his kind [Hebrew: “mı̂yn”], every bird of every sort [Hebrew: “kânâph” = wing].
Gen 7:15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two [again focussing on the clear separation between the seven pairs of all clean animals and the one pair of all unclean animals] of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.
Gen 7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.

As only the clean animals were used as a sacrifice to God, they went into the ark in seven pairs of each kind, providing the type of the spiritual sacrifices in our complete obedience to Christ and His doctrine (Gen 7:2-3, Rom 12:1-2, Tit 3:8, Mat 5:29-30, 1Co 13:3). The unclean animals came into the ark by only one pair of each kind which witnesses to the truth that everything consists by and through Christ, and He even uses the evil and the wicked (carnal or physical things) to fulfill His spiritual purposes for all in the Adam (Gen 7:2, Gen 50:20, Col 1:17, 1Co 15:46-49, Joh 1:1-3, Rev 1:8; Rom 11:36):

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

The idea of both male and female in the ark indicates that procreation is envisaged – the continued sowing of seeds which once more links with the theme of growth and elevation. As the clean beasts typify the true doctrines of Christ, so will their seed be producing good offspring, pleasing to God. It is only the incorruptible seed of Christ that will produce spirit growth and the life of God in us (Gal 3:16, Gal 3:29, 1Co 15:42-54, Joh 17:3):

1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Although we understand the “invisible things of Him…by the things that are made”, we still need to make a clear distinction between spirit (“the invisible things” of God) and the flesh (“the things that are made”) – “every bird of every sort” (Rom 1:20, Joh 3:6, 1Co 2:13-14, Psa 18:10, Psa 91:4-6). It is only by comparing spiritual with spiritual that our heavens can be opened and spiritual growth can take place (1Co 2:13, Deu 28:12, Rev 19:11-16). When we understand the dynamics of spiritual procreation and growth, we indeed understand “the image of the Elohim” or Godhead (Father and Son) within the created physical “Adam” – which is male and female (Gal 5:17, Gal 4:29, Gen 2:21-24, 1Co 11:3):

Gen 1:27 (CLV) And creating is the Elohim humanity in His image. In the image of the Elohim He creates it. Male and female He creates them.

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Gen 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

The Father is the one God “of whom are all things”, including the Lord Jesus Christ, “by whom are all things”. We understand this by the creation of the male first, and “of him” was the female by whom “all living” in mankind came forth (1Co 11:11-12, 1Ti 2:13-15):

1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

Procreation and growth requires both a male and a female in the natural and the spiritual. The sowing of a seed was given solely as a function of the male. The different types of soils which receive these seeds indicate the role of the female in this process of procreation. This links to the hardened or receptive hearts which are under God’s control (Psa 10:17, Pro 16:1, Isa 63:17, Rom 9:15-18):

Mat 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Mat 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Mat 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Christ is the “good ground” in which the Father planted this creation, and also by Christ all in the first Adam will be sanctified to produce spiritual fruit to present to the Father. This is what Christ will successfully do “in due time” in all!

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time [each one’s appointed time].

All this spiritual growth and understanding is only possible if we can endure judgment and accept that we can only enter the spiritual temple of Christ through the thorough and complete process of judgment which the waters of the flood typify (Rev 15:8, Heb 12:6-8, 1Pe 4:17). All these waters of the flood in the days of Noah were a combination of “all the fountains of the great deep [which were] broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened”. This is everything we must experience in this life and in our time of judgment, including heavenly fire and physical “thorns” (2Co 12:7-10, Job 14:1, Psa 119:71, 2Co 11:23-26, Jas 1:2-4, 2Co 1:8-10):

Gen 7:10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
Gen 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep [Hebrew: “tehôm”] broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

This all helps us to appreciate the roles of these waters both of “the great deep” and the waters “of heaven”. The “great deep” has already been revealed on day one of the creation process:

Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep [Hebrew: “tehôm”]. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

This deep is in the heavens of the darkness of carnality which also relates to the waters “under the firmament” – also called the “bottomless pit” in the Scriptures (Rev 9:1-11, Rev 11:7, Rev 17:8, Rev 20:1-3). These waters “under the firmament” were separated from the waters “above the firmament” on day two of the six day creation – the same as the darkness which was separated from the light (Isa 45:7, Pro 16:4, Gen 50:20, Isa 5:20, Gen 1:26, Rom 8:29-30).

Gen 1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Gen 1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
Gen 1:8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Our own evil and carnality which are the waters of the great deep in us, are also used by God to correct us:

Jer 2:19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

The flood was on the earth for forty days and forty nights which again highlights the spiritual meaning in the number forty (Gen 7:12).

Gen 7:17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.
Gen 7:18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.
Gen 7:19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly [Hebrew: meôd meôd] upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
Gen 7:20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

The symbolism in the number forty always points to the different periods of trials and tribulations though which our old man (“his days shall be an hundred and twenty years” – 40 + 40 + 40) must go until his carcass is completely destroyed (Gen 6:3, Heb 3:9, Deu 34:7, Heb 3:17, Act 7:42, Luk 4:2, Mar 1:13, Rom 8:6). Throughout the forty days (and nights) when the rain was “upon the earth” during the global flood in the days of Noah, the waters increased all the time, showing again that salvation comes through growth and is not an instantaneous event (Gen 7:4, Mat 24:13, 2Th 1:3-5, Jas 5:11, Luk 21:19, Rev 14:12-20). The waters “bare up the ark and it was lift up above the earth” says that the same waters which destroyed the old world actually lifted Noah and his family to safety. This is how we are all being seated with Christ in the heavens – by the judgment we endure with patience (1Pe 4:12).

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Job, Joseph, Mordecai and Daniel are a few of the Old Testament types which show that through trials and tribulations God’s elect are indeed lifted up to rule and be overcomers. The very evil and cold comfort that our enemies are caused to bring to us will destroy them, but will produce spiritual growth and life in us. This also reminds us of the serpent in the desert when it was lifted up – it brought healing (Num 21:6-9). As Jesus was lifted up and crucified by His enemies, it actually brought the healing to all – even all in Adam – “the lower parts of the earth” (Joh 3:14).

Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Psa 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

What a comfort to know that all our trails are not in vain! God is a purposeful God, and everything He does is ultimately for the growth of the new spirit man in us. As with the physical fruit tree, this spiritual growth comes through the constant pruning of the tree by the spiritual Husbandman (Exo 23:30, 1Co 15:31, Joh 15:2). During the flood all the high hills and the mountains that were under the whole heaven (that is on the earth) were totally covered. The waters were fifteen cubits above the highest mountain of those days – the number 15 has a combination of the number 3 (process of completion of judgment) and the number 5 (chastening grace and faith). The high hills and mountains on earth always spiritually refer to human self-exaltation (self-righteousness), lusts and pride, and this will be dealt with severely through God’s chastening grace which will make our faith to grow to maturity (1Pe 1:6-9).

Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Mat 21:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

The mountain is removed and “cast into the sea” in the same way as it is also covered by these waters – same thing. As Christ increases in us, so the world in us decreases simultaneously (Joh 3:31). Christ alone is appointed to be the overcomer in us as we apply the waters of His Word in our own lives.

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Rev 17:14 These [the kingdoms of the beast] shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

This is how all flesh outside of the ark in Noah’s days were destroyed as only Noah and those with him remained above it all – all pointing to the salvation found in the mountain of the Lord, spiritual Zion, which is found only in and through Christ and all in Him (Isa 2:2-3, Oba 1:21, Mic 4:2, Zec 8:3).

Gen 7:21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
Gen 7:22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
Gen 7:23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

The waters “prevailed upon the earth” for a hundred and fifty days:

Gen 7:24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.

The number ‘a hundred and fifty’ combines the numbers three (spiritual meaning the progression of judgment), and five (spiritual meaning grace through faith) and ten (the spiritual meaning of the completeness of flesh) to indicate to us how God uses His water, which is His spiritual fire to completely destroy all flesh with its carnal heavens to usher in the new heaven and new earth which has no relation to any physical things.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

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[Questions and comments for the writer can be directed to: glgroenewald@gmail.com]

[Detailed studies and emails written relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the www.iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:]

“NUMBERS” IN SCRIPTURE

“ANIMALS” IN SCRIPTURE

Building The House of God

The Patience Building Process Of Salvation

Who Experiences His Wrath?