An Ark, An Altar and A Rainbow

What we can learn from the story of Noah Santi Edralin (BeyondBorders Travel and Tours Inc.) I believe this is very timely since the past few days we have been talking about floods and the RH Bill PRO LIFE vs. PRO RH (I dont want to call them anti life since there are some who are PRO RH who do not see themselves as anti-life). Manila had to two significant events this past week - the very intense issue of the RH Bill in Congress and the flood that submerged most of Metro Manila and apparently was not caused by a typhoon. This was not the first time this happened in the last decade. You heard me right! A few years ago, the country was hit by typhoon Ondoy that according to Wikipedia formed on September 23, 2009 along the island of Palau, just outside the Philippines. A day before it, Sept. 22, 2009 - Congress sets rules for the debates of RH Bill. (One step forward. *check PDI Sept. 22 issue.) Then it happened again this past week, on Aug 6, 20012 - The Congress voted to stop debates and move the RH Bill for amendments. Pro RH Bill Congressmen said they were able to move one step forward. Aug 7, 2012 - Habagat hits, calamity strikes. Some say it is coincidence. Maybe, maybe not.

Our world is a mess.

IS THERE HOPE? But lets take it further back. Noahs world was a mess at that time. God had "blotted out every living thing... from the earth, and only Noah was left, together with those that accompanied him in the ark" (Gen 7:23). I think we are inching our way into that already. But believe me God wants to get us out of here. THERE IS HOPE! Yet we are assured of a promise from God. From Genesis 8:21, that assurance from God comes from the story of Noah. "Never again will I curse the ground because of human beings, since the desires of the human heart are evil from youth; nor will I ever again strike down every living being, as I have done"... never again shall all creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth. That is a great assurance from God, isnt it?

What made God say such a thing?

Noah built an Ark (see Genesis 7) Noah was so obedient to God that he built an ark for his family and the animals. God wanted to save his family and the animals from the world then. When God saw how corrupt the earth had become, since all mortals had corrupted their ways on earth (Gen 6:12). That was how it was during the time of Noah. And we know what happened after.

Lesson # 1 Maybe we should build Arks too!

Maybe when the sun rises (hopefully soon!), let us all build modern "arks". It doesn't have to be a big project. It can be small initiatives or big collaborative ones. The important this is we do it out of our obedience to God's commandments and laws. It can be our very selves doing little Acts of Random Kindness. Scott Hahn says, God does not want dead works or animal sacrifices. He wants our own flesh and blood, our own lives..offered as a living sacrifice. We can be living Arks! Lets start building it now. This also means that many might/will laugh at us when we build our arks. Noah was laughed upon when they were building it. I think the PROLIFErs who are fighting against the passage of the RH Bill are in a way building their own arks- out of their obedience to God. Let us try to see if what we are fighting for is an ark. This is not to say that there will be another flood. (that would be going against what scripture says) - but maybe another form of flood- the flood of sin and death! What most of us miss out (just a verse before) was that Noah did something aside from building an ark, Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar. - Genesis 8:20. He built an ark and he did it to thank and worship God.

Lesson # 2 Let us build an Altar of Gratitude

Noah put God first! After the flood is over, we can build our altar of praise and thanksgiving. He could have said, OK Lord, I already built you an ark, now its time to build myself a house. He built an altar to praise and worship God. He made sacrifices to God. We all have to reflect on this together as a people. Let us put God first. The altar was the first thing Noah did before he did anything that needed to be done. He set up the most important thing so they could worship, and he offered worship to God with the precious animals from the ark. Noah brought the best for God. Noah put God first. So as soon as the floods in Manila stop (or any flood for that matter), lets all thank the Lord first!

Curiously after these verses, God established a new Covenant with Noah: "God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them: Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth. ..I will demand an accounting for human life. Anyone who sheds the blood of a human being, by a human being shall that ones blood be shed; For in the image of God have human beings been made. Be fertile, then, and multiply; abound on earth and subdue it. God said to Noah and to his sons with him: See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: the birds, the tame animals, and all the wild animals that were with youall that came out of the ark. I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth. " Genesis 9:1-11

Lesson #3 Anticipate the Rainbow-

In the bible, a Rainbow is a sign of the covenant between God and Noah. While a Covenant means many things: "a coming together." is a binding agreement. All God's covenants with man are of his own making, not of man. based on our Creator's unmerited favor and loving-kindness towards His fallen and sinful creatures - It was designed to secure the world from another flood because man is a creature dear to his Creator. (Note: By now we should know that all the other covenants have been superceded by Jesus as the new covenant. We will not dwell on this in this reflection. Maybe another time!) -

How can we anticipate a rainbow after the rain/flood? The simple answer is to trust that God said so.
But it is not only because God said so, but because we, as a people lived out Genesis 9:1-7.

Covenant with Noah.

1 God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them: Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth. 2 Fear and dread of you shall come upon all the animals of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon all the creatures that move about on the ground and all the fishes of the sea; into your power they are delivered. 3 Any living creature that moves about shall be yours to eat; I give them all to you as I did the green plants. 4 Only meat with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat. 5 Indeed for your own lifeblood I will demand an accounting: from every animal I will demand it, and from a human being, each one for the blood of another, I will demand an accounting for human life. 6 Anyone who sheds the blood of a human being, by a human being shall that ones blood be shed; For in the image of God have human beings been made. 7 Be fertile, then, and multiply; abound on earth and subdue it. The most relevant of the 7 are, numbers 1, 5,6,7. Note also that 1 and 7 are the same. Which in the bible means something- it is emphasized! How does Noah live Nos 1 and 7? Its simple, Noah had three sons (Japheth, Shem,Ham atleast by what is written) and that says that he atleast had more than two a number that is proposed as the ideal number of kids. (E.g. China) As Noah did, if we live our covenant, the rainbow will come. But living the covenant is a lot of hardwork! Try having three kids (I do! Santino, Ysabella and Giovanni And I do hope to see the rainbow!)

Conclusion
Noah built the ark because he put God first. Proof of this is that he thanked God first as soon as he got out of the ark. That is why he found Gods favor. Lets find Gods favor by putting him first. I do not wish to condemn anyone with this reflection but to enlighten. I am not saying that those who are for the RH bill are not in Gods favour. I do not wish to be self-righteous but to just express what I have learned and just wish to share this for those who are open to it. Let us all strive to make modern ARKS out of obedience to God, build ALTARS of gratitude, anticipate a RAINBOW by honoring our covenant with God! Where a part of it clearly says that we need to promote, defend and live life! Will we see the blessing or the curse, I do not know but time will tell. Hopefully we see the rainbow PS 1 -The rainbow covenant was not the most important covenant that God ever made with his people. It is however an example of an important to learn something about it as we learn about the greater covenants, including the new covenant mediated by Jesus. PS 2 If you have some ARK ideas, lets meet and discuss!