Assumptions

Gen 6:13-22   And God said to Noah, "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it . . . Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them." Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

We can, if we aren't careful, make inaccurate assumptions that will influence our thoughts and choices down the road. Take, for instance, the tree Adam and Eve ate from that they were told not to. I wonder how many people think it was an apple tree, because they've been told that or seen pictures of Eve about to bite into a shiny, red apple. As far as I know, the Bible doesn't say what kind of tree it was. In fact, I've read a pretty convincing argument that it was probably a fig tree—after all, when they realized they were naked they covered themselves in fig leaves (possibly the closest tree), and it is a fig tree Jesus will wither as He ushers in the New Covenant that ends the old Covenant of the law. Whatever type of tree it is, it is possible we have all made assumptions about it that aren't founded in the Bible—and possibly we are missing imagery or lessons because of our assumptions.

Likewise, I've wondered for years how Noah and his sons, with maybe their wives help, built that ark. Then, the other day, I saw a painting advertising the Ark Encounter (the lifesize ark being built in Kentucky by Answers in Genesis). In the painting they have many, many people working on the ark and suddenly it struck me, "Does the Bible actually say only Noah and his family worked on it?" I started looking and I can't find a verse that says that (if you know of one, please let me know!). The more I thought of it the more I thought it was very likely that Noah hired a large crew to help. People are more than ready to take another's money, even if they think the person is a kook. Imagine how many non-Christians have poured slabs, done drywall, supplied sound systems, painted walls, and roofed churches for a paycheck. They might have mocked the believers the whole time, but took their laughter to the bank with their wages.

We know from Genesis that civilization prior to the flood was advanced with cities, metal working, etc. They could have had very advanced tools and there was certainly a large workforce to draw from. Be willing to pay enough money and you can probably find someone for about any job! Besides that, we know from genealogy that Methusela and others were alive until right up to the flood. Who knows how much help Noah could have had!

At any rate, the point isn't whether or not Noah had more than his family or not, it is more about the assumptions we make because of pictures, flannel graphs, etc. that we have been raised on or exposed to. I remember a couple years back when we took the girls and measured off 450 feet, the length of the ark. It was mind-boggling! I had seen so many cute little ark models as toys and nursery decor that I'd allowed myself to lose the reality of the size of that boat.

It is easy to allow our mind to have certain pictures, and to make assumptions, that later we can realize are not founded on Scripture. It is something we have to be careful about, and, as always, keep God's written Word in a place of supremacy in our lives and hearts, taking everything back to it.

God bless you. Have a wonderful day! Thanks for reading and sharing in my life.   —Erick