Genesis 6:14 “Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.”
Genesis 6:17 “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh,wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.”
Continuing from yesterday concerning storms; not sure we can place Noah’s flood, a worldwide conflagration, in that category, but if there really is such a thing as a “Perfect Storm”, that was…and Noah and his family were, anyway, prepared. And it’s been said that we are in the recapitulated, “Days of Noah”; [Matthew 24:37].
“Make thee an ark of gopher (גפר) wood…”. There’s been much discussion about the identity of this “gopher wood”. Some scholars say Cedar, some, Cypress, while others suggest an alternative reading, which once again demonstrates how the Hebrew language is used by the Holy Spirit in a suggestive and layered, even poetic manner, to point to “types” and profound spiritual truths. Whatever the species of the “gopher” wood, the similarity between the term, ‘gopher’ (גפר), and the Hebrew for “pitch”, ‘kafar’ (כָּפַר), is noticeable and significant, to the point that some commentators suggest that the species of wood is not what’s indicated here, but only the fact that the wood was “covered”, “pitched”, or “laminated” with something sticky, inside and out, to protect it from the flood waters.
But now, the spiritual point: The word for “pitch”, (כָּפַר) also means, “to cover, to cancel, to atone”. The same root is used when speaking of the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, ‘kaporet’ (כפרת), where the blood was to be applied. The word for ‘atonement’ or ‘ransom’ is the word, ‘kapara’ (כפרה). It’s the same word that’s used for the Biblical feast of the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippurim. (יום הכפורים), the day when Israel’s sins were atoned by the scapegoat. So, whatever “gofer” or “kafar” were in the construction of the Ark, their similar sound and meaning point to a “covering,” a source of protection from the flood, which, of course, was the sole purpose of Noah’s Ark. But they also point to this other “covering,” the “atonement” which covers sins, a reference to the “Lamb of God”…
So, that vessel, Noah’s Ark, is a type, a prophetic reference to Yeshua, our “Ark of Salvation” and His atoning (covering) work on the cross. He was our ‘kapparah’, our atonement, the Lamb who covered our sins. There is no storm, no flood, no catastrophe that can nullify Yeshua’s salvation; if your faith in Him is genuine, your sins, you yourself, are “covered”…. through the “Perfect Storm”, in the days of “Days of Noah”, whatever.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
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Talking to people about God has become a regular part of our lives. Between meeting people on the boards and in our chat rooms (which you should really come and visit at !) and the opportunities which open up in our daily lives, we find ourselves sharing with people from all walks of life – unbelievers, new believers, people who have come and gone from the faith and back again.
The place we call home in Israel is in the rebuilt city of Arad, an ancient city rebuilt in 1962 near the historic site of Tel Arad. It was the first planned city in Israel.
Tel Arad was an ancient fortress that, according to archaeologists, has been destroyed and rebuilt at least ten times. The citadel was thought to have originally been built during the times of King David and Solomon. The Negev desert’s arid conditions have remarkably preserved the fortress’s archaeological layers, providing a continuous record of its history for hundreds of years.
Last week, I did a series of devotionals on the Dead Sea scrolls. As I’ve been pointing out the archaeological discoveries as well as their prophetic significance, I’ve saved the best for last! Recently discovered fragments of the Bible in the Dead Sea region containing two passages of Scripture are incredibly relevant. I spoke of the passage in Zechariah last week.
When we study a translation of a Scripture passage we often miss out on the nuances hidden in the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament). Often, it’s not that a word is mistranslated, but that rendering the meaning in one English word is difficult if not impossible.
When Moses sent out the 12 spies to report on the condition of the land of “milk and honey”, ten of the spies brought back a bad report. They focused on the giants, and the great obstacles in their way. They walked with eyes set on the physical realm and said within themselves, “We are but grasshoppers in the sight of these giants!
Living in Israel all these years, I often encounter amazing stories of God’s deliverance and grow increasingly fond of listening to the fascinating ways He shows His power. During our tour in England recently, we met a man whose family experienced a great miracle during WW1. He tells this incredible story…
In this world we will face all kinds of obstacles, trials and tribulations and we should be wary of any doctrines or teachings that say we shouldn’t have to face these things. Why? Because the Lord said we will have tribulations. So the encouragement He is giving is simply this: You’re going to face trials, but GOD is greater than any problem you will face in this world!