Thursday 05 October 2023

Psalm 132

Background

Hearing that 40 days of rain began we are reminded of the 19th century hymn, '40 days and 40 nights', a hymn which is not about the flood that was beginning, but the experience many centuries later of Jesus being sent into the desert to be tested in preparation for the task he had before him. 

Having made all the preparations for the coming deluge and despite the possible antagonism and ridicule of his neighbours, Noah is prepared.

“Then the Lord said to Noah, Go into the ark." (v. 1)  It is interesting to read these words more thoroughly than we normally would do, for we know the song 'The animals went in two by two', and often think that the zoo being prepared was just that: a couple of each kind of animal, and in most images of the ark that is what we see. However the text tells us that it is the 'clean animals' which are given the opportunity to already have a community within the ark, seven pairs of each kind, whereas the 'unclean' might only have one pair (v. 2).  We are not told what causes them to be categorised in this way but that is the instruction. It must have been a very large ark when we think of the population which was aboard. The comes the warning that in seven days, the flood will begin, and the text states “And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded of him.” (v. 5)

Another puzzle is that the text states Noah was 600 years old (v. 6). But that is what is written and the text even spells out that it was on the 17th day of the month when the fountains of the deep burst forth and the rain began, and continued for those 40 days and 40 nights (v. 11). Alongside the animals and birds, we can picture Noah with his three sons, his own wife and their wives. They were shut in by the Lord and kept safe for those days as the waters rose and the ark rose with it throughout that time.

To Ponder:

• How would you feel if you were instructed to bring into your safe place all kinds of alien creatures, various animals as described here, or even people of a different race and disposition from yourself for an unknown length of time?
• As Noah and the family moved into the ark there was still no sign of the deluge to come. If you had a similar instruction is your faith strong enough to believe that it came from God?
• If you had been part of Noah’s family would you have been happy to be with him on the journey or would you have tried to go your own way?

Prayer

Lord we ask that you help us to have the courage to be your people, not to hide ourselves away and cease to live up to who you would have us be. Give us the help of your Holy Spirit to encourage and enable us to do your will. In Jesus' name, Amen.