“a raven, which kept going to and fro” (Gen. 8:7b, NKJV)
In the previous teaching we had a deeper look at the raven Noah repeatedly sent from the ark, starting forty days after the flood and continuing until the waters had dried up. Gen. 8:6-7 notes that “So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth.”
Concerning the typological meaning of the “forty days” at issue here, we should remember that it is a period of time that overturns the duration of the curse in precise numeric terms. From a New Testament perspective, the number points to the manifestation of the reality of the risen Jesus Christ, and his direct agency regarding “the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). Here forty days thus typologically points to the period between Jesus arising from the dead and ascending to the heavens, that is to say a period where the spiritual man, as part of a Body filled with glory makes manifest the new earth.
In the previous teaching we started untangling the important phrase “to and fro”, but it requires a more focused examination.
In Zech. 4:10 we find this important prophetic pointer: “For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
[Our readers should try and keep in mind the larger overarching framework of these teachings – remember, we are still concerned with the theme of the corporate spirit or mantle of Zerubbabel. It is primarily focused on Zech. 4:1-5 and speaks about the two olive trees, or two witnesses, or two anointed ones, of whom Zerubbabel is clearly one. We have extensively pointed out thus far that God is currently building a corporate or collective temple in the Spirit, and that it is not made by the hands of men. Eph. 2:21-22 (TLV) describes it as follows: “In Him the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple for the Lord. In Him, you also are being built together into God’s dwelling place in the Ruach.” Or as the KJV notes, “an habitation of God in the Spirit”. Around Day 1361 we for instance discussed Rev. 11:1, where we are told to “Rise and measure the temple of God …” This symbolic measuring of every believer as individual temple, but also as corporate temple, the spiritual home “with many mansions” of which Jesus is the Builder (John 14:2-3; Heb. 11:10). An important facet of the corporate spirit or mantle of Zerubbabel is thus understanding the scope of this spiritual building process, which is nestled in our individual and corporate empowerment. The examination is aimed at studying the anointing of the Christ-life within you as temple, an attempt to measure how you become a vessel of Christ.]
- Selah: Are you a vessel of Christ?
- Read: 31 and Ecc. 1-2
- Memorise: 2:24-25.
