Christ Is Our Ark

And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. - Genesis 8:4

Why did the Holy Spirit think it was important that we know the ark rested on the 17th day of the 7th month? Every detail is there for our learning. 2nd Timothy 3:16

Remeber Proverbs 25:2 says "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings to search out a matter."

Okay, This one takes a little digging. We know that the seven feasts of Moses are not only commemorative of events in Israel's past; they are also prophetic of Christ. Passover is celebrated on the 14th of Nisan, this is commemorative of Israel being "passed over" by the angel taking the firstborn in Egypt, but it is also prophetic of our Passover, Jesus Christ; who, as the Lamb of God, was also offered on the 14th of Nisan. Just like the blood of the lamb on the doorpost caused the angel of death to "Passover" the house in Egypt, the shed blood of Christ the Lamb causes death to pass over us. In fact, even the food that is eaten during the Passover meal, as well as how the food is prepared and eaten is prophetic of Christ.

(If you have never had the privilege to participate in a traditional Seder or Passover dinner which focuses on how the Passover meal is representative of Christ, then I urge you to give it a try. Many churches offer Passover meals around “Easter” and there are many guides you can find online that will walk you through preparation of all the food and the ceremonial meal itself. You will be greatly rewarded, and it is a great dress rehearsal for the type of things we will be doing in the coming kingdom)

Passover is always celebrated on the 14th of Nisan". In the fourteenth day of the first month at evening is the Lord's Passover." Leviticus 23:5 Remember that Jesus and his disciples were celebrating the Passover dinner on the night that he was arrested. In fact when Christ breaks the bread and says take and eat, for this is my body, he is speaking about one of the pieces of motzah that is eaten during the Passover dinner. Also when he says take and drink for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins he is speaking of the 3rd cup of 4 total cups taken during the Passover meal which interestingly enough was known as the cup of redemption.

So we know Christ was crucified on Passover Nisan 14th. The Jewish day begins at sundown, so the night the Lord and His disciples were celebrating in the upper room, the same night that Jesus was later arrested and tried, was actually the beginning of the day of Nisan 14th / Passover. Of course later on that same ”day”, what we would consider the “next” day, Jesus was crucified.

Now as we have stated and as we all know, Christ was crucified on Passover Nisan 14th. Christ of course rose on the 3rd day after his death just as He told us He would. Nisan 14th + 3 days = Nisan 17th

So what does Noah’s Ark resting on the 17th day of the 7th month have to do with Christ being resurrected on the 17th day of Nisan? The key is understanding that the Jews have two calendars, a civil calendar and a religious calendar. The religious calendar was instituted in Genesis 12. When you examine the institution of Passover, God instructed Moses in Exodus 12:2 to make that month, Nisan, the "beginning of months." "this month (The month of Nisan) shall be unto you the beginning of months." Therefore, the Jews observe two calendars: the original (Genesis) calendar which begins on Rosh Hoshana, the 1st of Tishri, in the fall; and the religious calendar instituted in Exodus 12 which begins on the 1st of Nisan, in the spring.




















So on the old civil calendar of Genesis, Nisan is the 7th month. Remember, scripture tells us that the ark rested on the 17th day of the 7th month. So for Noah and all those living before the institution of the religious calendar in Exodus 12, the 17th day of the 7th month would be Nisan 17th! As we discussed earlier, this is the exact day that Christ rose from the dead. So the day the ark of Noah rested and ushered in a new beginning for mankind on planet earth, was on the anniversary, in advance, of the day that Christ would raise from the dead and usher in our new beginning on earth through Him and His finished work.

The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, and the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed. It is staggering to realize the lengths that our Father has gone to in order that we may know him more. In all his graciousness He blessed us with a collection of 66 books, penned by 40 different authors over 1000's of years, yet it is an integrated message system dictated directly from the God of Eternity. One Book, one message. It's all about Him!!!