"AN ENDLESS HOPE"

Press, 22 May 1978, Page 10

"AN ENDLESS HOPE"

■ And God remembered Noah.” The strange work of judgment being over, the saved family and all in association with them came into remembrance. "God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters began to subside; the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained. " The beams of the sun now begin to act upon a world that had known judgment. Judgment is God's strange work. He delights not in, though He is glorified by it. God is ever ready to leave the place of judgment and enter that of mercy, because He delights in mercy And the Ark rested

upon the mountains of Ararat. "And it-came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened one of the windows of the Ark he had made: and he sent forth a Raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.” The unclean bird made its escape, and found no doubt a resting place on some floating carcase. It sought not the Ark again. Not so the dove. "The dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto Noah into the Ark — and again Noah sent forth the dove out of the Ark: and the dove came into Noah in the evening; and, 10, in her mouth was an Olive leaf plucked off.”

What excitement there would be for Noah and his family, large though the Ark was the thought of sunshine, the firm earth to walk on and to be free from the confines of the Ark was seen in the Olive leaf which symbolised life and spoke clearly that judgment had passed away and that a renewed earth was coming fully into view. Yes, the Olive leaf symbolised life. What is life? Life is the state of an organism characterised by certain processes or abilities that include metabolism, growth, reproduction and response. The Bible tells me, "the spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the almighty has given me life.”

(Job 33:4) The Bible also tells me that this life I now have is temporary and unsure. What then does God mean by saying, "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore." (Ps 16:11) The Bible also tells me that, "God can command The blessing, even life for evermore." (PS. 133:3) A young man came running to Jesus and kneeled to Him, and asked Him "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

The answer to this question will never change and the simple guarantee of Eternal life is found in (Rom. 10:9-10) "That if you will confess with your mouth The Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Yes, Noah saw in the Olive leaf that life with God is an endless hope; but without Him a hopeless end.