We were all lied to about Noah's Ark!

The adversary is so crafty. The master of lies. It is astonishing how one tiny twist, one tiny sleight of hand, can be so damaging. One of the most devastating examples surrounds the record of Noah and the Ark. Many of us can remember the playful and cartoonish pictures of the Ark with two animals poking their adorable little heads out of the wooden ship when we were kids. For me, the two giraffes always stood out and stuck with me in my mind. I will never forget an artist's drawing of a ship that held two elephants, two storks, two horses, and two loooonnnggg giraffes with all their heads poking out of its windows. As a child, I knew this was an obvious depiction of the Ark that reminded me of the Biblical story of a worldwide flood. Even though I did not grow up in the church, I knew the story: Man was bad and sinned against God, so He told Noah to build an Ark and send all the animals two by two to save them from the flood he was going to send to judge the world. Every time I saw the photo I was always amazed at how all the animals would fit into one boat and would imagine each of them arriving two by two, just as I was told. As I grew up, I never saw a rendering of the Ark geared at children that did not depict each animal arriving two by two. Besides, that's what scripture says in the first place, right?

Yes, but no.

This is where the adversary loves to hang out—in between truth and an obvious lie. You see, the adversary's best weapon is taking a truth and twisting it ever so slightly so that it is palatable to our minds and we eat it up unaware. He did this very thing in the garden, twisting truth to make Eve see the fruit as a delight. The ol' switcheroo—a sleight of hand. This is the very thing he did to us with the Ark account, and most never even noticed. In fact, most of the churches continue to teach this twisted truth today. The lie? That all the animals came to the ark two by two. The animals did not come to the ark two by two.

Now, many of you are probably turning in your seats with a profound, "Yes they did! It clearly says that in scripture!" How do I know this? Two reasons: that's exactly what I did, and you're right, it does say in scripture that the animals came in pairs! But that's the twisted truth!

Everything on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come into you to keep them alive. 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.

Genesis 6:17c-22

"See! Right there in scripture. The animals came into the ark two by two, just as God commanded!" It's true! That's exactly what this scripture says, that each animal came in pairs to the ark. However, let me show you where Satan has twisted this to his own will! What is the saying? "The devil is in the details?" So so true.

And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.

Genesis 6:19

The animals will come in pairs, meaning they will come male and female. This detail isn't that obvious when we prooftext this specific passage. That's why it's important to have an understanding of the entire account. Don't forget this detail: they all came in pairs, male and female. The awakening happens in the very next chapter!

Then יהוה said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate...

Genesis 7:1-2.

This completely shocked me when I first learned about it. What was even worse, is that it took a trip to Bible College for me to notice! I had read Genesis countless times but had overlooked this very detail: Noah was to take seven pairs of all clean animals and only one pair of the unclean animals. Not only did this completely prove that the story that I had heard throughout my life was untrue, I had no idea the importance of clean and unclean animals! And that's where the adversary's lie became so powerful!

Most in the church today, including the priests and pastors, have no clue about the importance of clean and unclean animals!

This sad truth has a root in this very story. The church overlooks how important it was to our Father for seven pairs of the clean animals to come into the ark but only one pair of the unclean animals were allowed in. This may not seem like a major issue, but that is the power of this twisted lie right there. Clean and unclean animals are unimportant to believers today. However, the distinction means so much to our Father. So much so that he raised up Prophets to point out this very deception!

And the word of יהוה came to me: "Son of man, say to her, You are a land that is not cleansed or rained upon in the day of indignation. The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.

Ezekiel 22:23-26

This is the power of just this one example of a twisting of scripture: Her priests have done violence to my law. That sums it up in one sentence. This is one instance that the adversary has used to convince those that call themselves believers today, to reject the Law of Moses and render it insignificant to believers today. How so? Because he blotted out our understanding of the importance of clean and unclean animals in the life of Noah. Simply put, the adversary hid the fact that Noah had and kept the same instructions that Moses received and wrote down out of Mount Sinai. That is why God considered Noah righteous because he was an obedient child that kept his instructions.

What is righteousness defined by the Bible?

And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before יהוה our God, as he commanded us.'

Deuteronomy 6:25

Keeping the Law of Moses is the definition of righteousness according to scripture. This makes a lot more sense when we realize that the Law of Moses is the Law of God, and the Law of God is a revelation of His perfect ways:

So you shall keep the commandments of יהוה your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him.

Deuteronomy 8:6

When one recognizes that the Law of Moses is the image of our Father and that Noah himself was seen as righteous before יהוה, which can only mean that he endeavored to walk in the image he was created to be (we were all created in the image of YHWH), one has the opportunity to see the devastating effect of hiding the significance of clean and unclean animals at the Ark. The importance should solidify when one reads the account of Noah offering a burnt offering and sacrifice that aligns with the offerings outlined in the Law of Moses as soon as he gets off the ark.

Many were taught a false record of Noah and the Ark with what on the surface seems like a minor detail. The reality is that what we learn as children can impact us for the rest of our lives. Personally, this impacted me so much that when I finally read the whole Bible as an adult, I overlooked this important detail and missed the reality of the significance of clean and unclean animals in the eyes of our Father.

This should cause us to question and seek the Father:

What else have I missed because of what I was taught at church?

What truths have I overlooked that our Father wants me to know?

What is really important to our Father??

More importantly, I pray that this one example encourages believers to rethink the significance of the Law of Moses. Believers must recognize the importance of the Law of Moses in order to recognize the true image of our Messiah. The Law of Moses is the revealed image of our Creator. It is the image of our beloved Messiah, and that sin itself is breaking the Law of Moses. Sin is lawlessness. As believers, we are called to walk in the sinless image of our Messiah, who kept the Torah perfectly. Under the amazing grace of our Father, we are able to walk in freedom as we learn to rule over sin and strive to walk in righteousness.

Many have heard that the Law of Moses is too difficult. That it is so hard, that Jesus himself had to come down and keep it for us because we couldn't. This is taught in most Christian churches today... but I warn you: This is another twisted lie from the adversary!

It is actually blasphemy against the very words of our heavenly Father:

For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Neither is it beyond that sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you CAN do it.

Deuteronomy 30:11

You see. The devil is in the details. Better said, The devil hides the details.

I hope this blesses you. I highly encourage you to take a moment and read Deuteronomy 30 in full this very second. You will be surprised how much the Father warned us about all this.

Sean is a former Atheist who was finally awoken to the reality of our Creator—which lead him to the one place he thought he would never step foot: “Bible College.” During his studies, our Heavenly Father flipped his Christian worldview upside down in order to reveal the Whole truth of His perfect Word. As a follower of Messiah Yahusha (Christ Jesus), Sean encourages believers to deepen their faith, seek the truth, test everything, and be willing to walk in the true image they were created: the image of the Most High and his flawless son.

Deuteronomy 30 in full:

“And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, 2 and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. 4 If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. 5 And the Lord your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. 6 And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. 7 And the Lord your God will put all these curses on your foes and enemies who persecuted you. 8 And you shall again obey the voice of the Lord and keep all his commandments that I command you today. 9 The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, 10 when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

11 “For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lordswore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

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