Survival tips are great, but nothing beats wisdom.
This week, I want to focus on a piece of preparedness wisdom found in the best-selling book of all time.
Without giving too much away, I'm sure you'll find this analysis useful in meaningful conversations this weekend. Let's get into some timeless wisdom.
If you're up on your Bible study, you already know that the story of Noah and the Ark in Genesis is first of many preparedness lessons in the book. It's also one of the most powerful and iconic, with symbolism and references to Noah carrying through to the New Testament.
To summarize, God tells Noah he plans to flood the earth and wipe out all of its inhabitants. He instructs him to build a massive boat to protect his family from the flood. Then, when the waters receded, they would rebuild civilization.
The boat's dimensions would have been as big as a modern aircraft carrier, according to some scholars. Of course, it had to be to harbor all the animals, plants and food God prescribed Noah to bring aboard.
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The most important verse, I think, related to preparedness is this:
"And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them." Genesis 6:21
Deciphering the vague King James English here is a little tricky. God is imploring Noah to gather enough food for his entire family and animal flock. This means all the food they can possibly gather and store - a ton of food.
This brings us to my next point.
Why so much preparation for only 40 days?
OK, so skeptics might think that all that preparedness is too much for what God said was only 40 days and nights, right?
Well, I'm sure that's what the victims of the flood thought too. They must've thought Noah was crazy. Their lack of faith is why they angered God in the first place.
But it's important to not read that time frame so literally. The Bible, as many know is filled with symbolism. The interval of 40 days symbolizes a time of intense trial and tribulation. That's what Noah and his family prepared for, and they did not chance under-preparing, as God had warned them.
Think about it, a world-ending flood receding in only 40 days?
In fact, at the end of Genesis 7, it is noted that "the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days."
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So, which is it? I believe the interpretation is that we need to be prepared for as long as possible, which is what the 40 days and nights symbolizes. The actual time the flood prevailed is irrelevant if Noah and his family don't survive.
Like we say here all the time at My Patriot Supply, there is no such thing as over-preparing. Noah knew that. He had faith in the Lord and was steadfast to his commands.
However, Noah struggled with humanity and its folly, which teaches us another preparedness lesson.
So, while Noah was building his Ark and living a lifestyle of faith and preparedness, he was also trying to spare humanity from the flood. To get them to turn away from faithlessness, violence, greed and sin.This is what St. Peter refers to Noah as (2 Peter 2:5) in the New Testament. He explains all the times people have turned away from God, and the righteous men like Noah who tried to save them.
Jesus also echoes this sentiment to tell of his second coming:
"But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Matthew 24:37-39)
This gives us even more insight. While eating, drinking and marriage are not wicked and condemned, these activities are ignorant of the dangers ahead. Faith and righteousness must be heeded in order to enjoy the good things in life. The same goes for preparedness.
Finally, one last lesson from Noah's story. Something we should all think about with preparedness that's often overlooked.
"Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth"
After the flood, God commanded Noah and his family to rebuild civilization. They used the birds they had to spread seed across the earth to grow food. They multiplied their herd and their family.
As participants in the preparedness lifestyle, we too should give some thought into how we would rebuild after a collapse.
We'll need supplies - like like seeds - but also skills and knowledge. Today, I'd like to think about how to expand this area of your preparedness planning. This kind of thinking can be rewarding, because it allows you focus on the positive instead of the acute intensity of a crisis.
I think on this holy weekend, it's best to end on that positive note. As we say around here, the best way to stay positive is to do as much as you can, and leave the rest to God.
Have a great weekend, and Happy Easter, friends!
In Liberty,
Grant Miller
My Patriot Supply
