We meet together this morning, on the first Sunday of a New Year. This in itself, reminds us of the irresistible march of time. Another stage in our mortal career has been completed, and the end of our probation is one year closer. We can derive hope and encouragement from this fact when we remember the Apostle Paul's statement, "Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." The division of time into years and days is of Divine appointment. It is part of the Law of the Universe, being governed by the rotation of the earth around the sun. When speaking of the heavenly bodies Genesis declares, "Let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for years." Our viewpoint then of the years as they pass should be as measures of the doings of God, marking off the stages in the development of His purpose until there shall be time no longer in relation to human affairs, because "in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished as he hath spoken by his servants the prophets."
That is the end in view, and each year marks the completion of another stage by which that end will be ultimately reached. The calendar of Christendom in common use, known as the Julian calendar, is of no special interest to the servants of God except as the method currently employed for the systematic division of time, but a consideration of Bible New Years opens a wide area of study
The world's first New Year was happy and prosperous. It was ushered in with rejoicing and praise; all the sons of God shouted for joy, the morning stars sang together, God saw everything that He had made and behold, it was very good. But alas, sin entered into the world and death bysin. The reign of evil commenced, man degenerated, and spiritual and moral darkness settled over the earth. 1600 years from that first bright and prosperous New Year brought a condition described in Genesis 6:11, "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth."
The immediate cause of this lamentable state of affairs was the improper affinity between the sons of God and the daughters of men, and God determined to put an end to the existing state of things. Conditions on the earth had degenerated to the point that only Noah and his family were found to be righteous before God. Noah was told to build the ark, during which time {120 years) he preached repentance to the people. The world that then was being overflowed with water perished. For 150 days the waters prevailed, after which they commenced to assuage; they decreased in preparation for the dawning of another New Year, and of that we read in Genesis 8. "It came to pass in the six hundredth and first year in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry."
The circumstances connected with this New Year provide a wonderful type of the things to which we individually stand related. It was heralded by a mission of the dove, the symbol of peace. It was marked by the establishment of a covenant styled in the prophets, "the covenant of my peace" expressive of divine love and mercy and kindness. Let us turn to the record in the prophets where the allusion is found. Isaiah 54:9, speaking of what God will do for Israel:
"For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."
The covenant with Noah was made possible because he was saved from death by the waters of the flood, to which the apostle Peter referred; "The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein, few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." This fact must not be overlooked, that while the water was death to the world, it was life to Noah inasmuch as it cleansed the earth of its iniquity and paved the way for a covenant of peace. Noah was typically baptized; the covenant was in blood for Noah offered burnt offerings and the Lord smelled a sweet savour; "and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold, and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
Here then was a covenant of an ever-abiding earth, guaranteed by the Creator Himself. The token of the covenant was given in the rainbow which appeared in the cloud. God said: "I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth." Noah and his family found grace in fulfillment of the prophecy of the father, "This same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed." Truly that was a bright and happy New Year, brimming with hope and gladness, joy and peace.
Now I am sure that everyone of us this morning, can see the beautiful typical significance of the simple facts which have just been narrated. Who is there here who cannot see behind these things the Lord Jesus Christ, he whom we remember this morning? "This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only but by water and blood." Just like Noah, Jesus appeared at the end of an age, as a preacher of righteousness, and of glad tidings concerning the acceptable year of the LORD. Darkness covered the earth in his day. His birth signified the fulfillment of the prophecy, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." John the Baptist was the messenger who prepared Christ's way. He preached "the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." John warned Israel of impending doom and judgements. "Ye generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"
When Jesus was baptized, the peaceful aspect of his work was indicated by the appearance of the Spirit in the form of the Dove. John saw the Spirit and heard the Father declare, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Just like Noah, Jesus brought a message of comfort and the promise of rest:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls."
We have answered his call, that is why we are gathered here this morning, to remember him in partaking of the Bread and Wine. Jesus told his disciples, "This is my blood of the new testament (covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins." This is the covenant of God's peace, established between Him and those who like Noah have been shut in for safety and protection from the storm raging around about us.
Remember how on the day of his resurrection, how the disciples were gathered together in that upper room with the doors shut for protection how Jesus appeared unto them? His first words were "Peace be unto you." This was not peace to the world, but to believers of all generations, the Lord's chosen friends, of whom we hope to be accounted.
Some 30 years after Jesus crucifixion, the divine judgement spoken of by John, descended upon the Jewish world. The political heavens and earth which now exist are also reserved in store for a similar fate. We know this because the Lord Jesus himself declared, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the day of the Son of Man." We have been reading about the conditions in Noah's time, "And the earth was filled with violence. "What do we see around us? Violence, immorality, greed, and a pleasure seeking society.
Time is quickly running out on the world. Will this year be an important year. We hope it will be the year of our Lord's return. The signs of the times and prophecy indicate that this will be an eventful year. We are privileged as his Brethren and Sisters to be numbered among the small remnant who are related to that glorious salvation from eternal death.
Noah, plus 7, that perfect number, found safety in the Ark. What could better symbolize Christ and his Bride, saved by water and blood, justified by faith, having peace with GOD and related to the rest that pertaineth to the faithful? Our individual participation in these things will depend on whether we have developed a character like that of Noah or any of the other faithful men and women of old. Noah was saved because he found grace in the eyes of the Lord. We have been reading about Noah for the last 3 days so there is no need to quote verses to prove our point. Noah walked with God, and was perfect in his generation. But, someone might say, well that was a long time ago, times change. Have the rules of conduct changed for those who aspire to be like Noah- the sons and daughters of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation? Absolutely not. References to perfect characters such as Noah and Job, in the sense in which we understand the term, help us understand verses that we read in:
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matt. 5 v 48.
Is perfection attainable in this sin cursed condition in which we like Noah find ourselves? By our own selves No! By the redemptive work of Christ Jesus, and by God's Grace and forgiveness, the answer is Yes! Jude declares:
"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."
Noah was instructed by God to take every clean beast and every clean fowl and offer burnt offerings on the altar. We may rest assured that the significance of these two kinds of animals and birds, clean and unclean, though not expressly recorded in Genesis, was well understood by Noah. He was commanded to take the clean beasts by sevens and the and the unclean by twos into the ark, and upon what principle would he act if he did not know the difference between the two and the significance. The clean beasts, as defined in the Law of Moses suggest many profitable thoughts. They were like those that chewed the cud, and the figure surely stands for those who meditate upon the Word of God.
Jesus said, "Now ye are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you." Men and women of clean mind, who are given to meditating upon and the assimilation of the divine mind, and because they are clean, clean in mind and in heart, they think on whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. These are the refined among men who give their bodies a living sacrifice unto, recognizing it as their reasonable service. They are cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit; in a word, like Noah, they are holy, separate - separated by those thoughts.
The clean animals were also those that parted the hoof, that is they were sure footed in difficult paths. Again, how beautiful is the figure, especially in its application to Noah who walked with God. "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord." "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek Him with the whole heart. Again in the Proverbs it is written, "He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely." Noah in his life exemplified those beautiful principles. How often is probation likened to a walk. We are commanded to walk worthy of God, to walk in love, to walk circumspectly; and there must also be that parting of the hoof. There are exceptions mentioned where there is one condition prevailing but not the other; the camel, the coney, the hare - these chew the cud, but are not cloven footed. They surely represent those who go halfway, who read and study, who perhaps, are intellectual in the truth but who fail to manifest its spirit. Both the conditions must be present - head and heart must combine in our service.
Then there were the swine who though they part the hoof yet do not chew the cud; these represent those that walk in the way, but who lack the purifying and ennobling influence of the Word. They are gross, satisfied with the husks, they lack that refinement which comes only with daily contact with the pure and holy Word of inspiration.
We think of some of the clean beasts; the lamb, the symbol of purity, innocence, harmlessness, docility; the ox, the symbol of service. "Be ye stedfast, always abounding in the work of the Lord" is the counterpart of the significance of the ox as one of the clean animals. On the other side of the picture, those that went in by twos into the ark - the dogs, the serpents, the wolves. We know how these are spoken of in the Scriptures - harmful, malicious in their ways, the beasts and the birds of prey - significant of the condition of the world which lieth in wickedness, and of Babylon the Great in particular, the hold of every unclean and hateful bird.
Surely these clear-cut distinctions between the clean and the unclean which were all well understood by Noah and which are explained to us in the Holy Writings, help us to appreciate the underlying lesson of it all - that of separation which must be maintained between the children of God and the children of men. We must be the counterparts of the clean in our thoughts, feeding on the Word of God, steadfast in our walk in life, just as Noah was righteous before God in his generation.
The token of the covenant was given to Noah and to his companions and of that we read:
"God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations; I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth that the bow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you, and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth." Genesis 9:8-13
The covenant secured the perpetuity of the earth and of Noah's descendants upon it, and it was in connection with this oath, confirming the promise, that the rainbow sign was given. It is no part of God's purpose to perpetuate a race of sinners on the earth; that therefore cannot be the significance of this covenant and the token. This rainbow sign surely has to do with those great covenants, first made known in Eden, enlarged in the promise to Abraham and David, confirmed by the precious blood of Christ, those covenants concerning an ever-abiding earth inhabited by glorious, sinless, immortal beings. Hence we find in the book of Revelation that the rainbow sign or symbol continually reappears in connection with the glory of the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
You will remember that vision seen by John in Patmos, of Christ enthroned in power and great glory. He is the occupant established upon the throne, and encircled thereabout was a rainbow, a token of the covenant fulfilled in Christ and the redeemed. Ezekiel speaks of the same thing in chapter 1 concerning those terrible figures, those flashing ones whose appearance was the appearance of lightning. The glory of the Lord revealed is spoken of by Ezekiel as "the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." Glory, beauty, fixity of purpose are the signification of the rainbow in cloud, and the Lord looks thereupon, and we may too, and can we not think of it as the sure and certain guarantee of the fulfillment of all our hopes:
"For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."
That will be the happiest of all the New Years. Let us all aspire to it with all our power. The opening year may not close before the promise is fulfilled, "The year of my redeemed is come." To the world truly a time of fearful judgement, when the foundations of the great deep will again be broken up and the heavens opened, and the world that now is will be swept away in those dreadful judgements from God, but to the saints a time security and of rest. "Come, my people, enter into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee. Hide thyself as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast." And what then? To step forth like Noah into a purified and glorified earth, when the meek shall inherit it and delight themselves in the abundance of peace; and finally to witness the dawning of that day when there shall be no more curse. Let us close by quoting those stirring words of the Apostle Paul in 1st. Cor. 15. "...Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
J.M.B.