"And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face
of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls
of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." Genesis 6:5-8 (KJB)
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| Patterns for crafting an ark symbol for your Jesse tree. |
The term thebeth, Hebrew for Ark, used by Moses is different from the common name by which he describes a coffer; and is the same that he employs when speaking of the little wicker basket in which he was exposed on the Nile; whence some have thought that the ark was of wicker-work. However, for those who believe in God's preservation through storms and trauma, the comparison made by Moses between the Ark of Noah and his wicker basket has much more to do with salvation by the grace of God. The ship or ark and his floating basket both provided protection and preservation of God's people:
"And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the
river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she
saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it." Exodus 2:5 (KJB)
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| A color suggestion for painting the ark symbol. |
The ark is the oldest symbol used for the church as a ship in the scriptures. It is important to understand, however, that symbolic imagery is also quite literal throughout the scripture. Not only does it stand for ideas, it also is a part of literal narrative. In other words, there was indeed an ark that preserved God's family from annihilation and the ark on the Jesse tree also represents this repetitive promise made by God throughout all of scripture, to preserve his literal family, root of Jesse, and all who are spiritually adopted into his family, the church.
"The image of the Church as a ship was one that naturally grew out of
the idea of the Ark, and also was doubtless associated in the Apostles'
minds with the ship which so frequently contained Him when He spoke
with the multitudes. Its appearance in the catacombs, on gems and in
mosaics, is very common. Its distinguishing mark is usually a cross
above the mast, (in later depictions of the church as a ship) or the
Holy Dove hovering over it. (The dove was used by God to bring hope of
renewal to Noah after the flood. Genesis 8:11)" Jenner
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| A baker's clay symbol of the ark symbol. |
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