Sometimes we tend to look at our church callings and grumble. Surely some are harder than others. We can look to the pioneers and see those who had a difficult task, but I would contend that nobody ever had a more difficult task than Noah. Yes, Noah – the one that built the ark. Imagine having that calling.
You would spend your entire life calling people to repentance, with very little success. The Lord would instruct you to build an ark to save your family – because He intends to destroy the earth. So you and your sons begin building, while you desperately try and convince people to change their ways and follow God – as they try and kill you.
There are no takers.
And then the day comes that you, your wife, your three sons and their wives seal yourselves up in the ark, and listen as the rain begins to fall. As the waters begin to rise, you know that every single person on the earth will be killed. Your neighbors, your friends, other relatives – all gone.
Eventually the rain stops, and the waters recede, and you begin again.
After living for 950 years on the earth, you finally die and find yourself in the Spirit World – in Paradise. But this joy must be dampened by the knowledge that those countless souls who perished in the flood are trapped in prison. And in spirit prison they must remain, until the promised time comes when Christ comes to the earth, where he atones for our sins, and dies.
As Jesus’ body lay in the tomb, his spirit will visit Paradise and establish a way for those souls to escape that prison. But until then, there they wait – for thousands of years.
And then the long-awaited day finally arrives. The time of the Savior’s birth draws near. Can you imagine how excited you would be?
But it gets better, because in the Spirit World, you are more than simply Noah. You are the angel that stands next to Adam in holding the keys of salvation.
You are Gabriel.
You have the sacred privilege of visiting the young girl Mary, and delivering the joyful message:
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women.
And so it begins. And you are right in the middle of it. How long have you waited for this to happen? The moment that had been thousands of years in the making: The Christ will be born.
I can’t think of anyone else who would find more joy in this simple announcement than the angel Gabriel.
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In ancient Grecian texts, Gabriel was the same angel that appeared to the shepherds on that sacred night, and warned Joseph in a dream to take the newborn Jesus and flee to Egypt. We don’t know for sure if it was Gabriel – but I hope it was.
Now, when I see a manger, or a Nativity play, or a movie representing the Savior’s birth, I take a look at the angel, smile and think, “Attaboy Noah.”
Gabriel/Noah is listed in the LDS bible dictionary under “Noah”.
(Post originally published December 11, 2011)
I am one who has been pretty harsh on McConkie in the past. Over be past 2 decades of working for the church history department, researching for the UofU and BYU, I will need to apologize to Bruce in the next life. We have knee-jerk reactions to his ideas because his name is so heavily charged, but when put in context and using his own culture as a backdrop, Bruce was more right than he is given credit. Most of what he wrote was said or written as Bruce the theologian, not Bruce the apostle. We should hope to heaven that our opinions are judged with more mercy than we judge Bruce R. McConkie. I wish that he had never made his comments on evolution or academics or whatever. I am an evolutionist and a professionally trained historian, and his comments offended me. But I think it is theological poetry to think that Michael is the angel that comforted the Messiah during the time when the Christ overcame the fall that Michael introduced. Bruce was a pretty bright guy, and a better scriptorian than any of us who are typing on blogs instead of studying scriptures.
Love finding the depth & connections in the scriptures! This one is beautiful. Plus, Mary was Noah’s great-great-(etc) granddaughter! That must surely have made their exchange (at least, for Noah) just that much more tender – loving this girl, knowing her purity & goodness, yet also understanding the life of ridicule & hardship she would face… Let alone the responsibility of raising & teaching the Messiah about His divine mission! Whew…
I also thank you for the reminder. Good thing to bring up in seminary this week! The OT and Christmas collide again.
My now 10 year old daughter made this connection last year. Heavenly Father certainly saved the best for last didn’t he. Thanks for the reminder!
It’s about time you become a GA. I’d so love to quote some of your thoughts in my Christmas talk but it feels strange to say “Like MMM so poignantly put it…” ? Thank you for the great insight.
Just say, “I recently read…”
Loved this one. Also, we need to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” when I get home.
Can’t wait!
Loved the perspective. Another tough gig that I’ve thought about would be Methuselah, Noah’s Grandpa. Methuselah and his family, including Lamech, Noah’s father, are left alone, after the city of Enoch is taken up (Moses 8:2) the lone righteous family in a sea of wickedness. Extra-Biblical tradition is that Methuselah died (became translated v.3 in Moses 8?) 7 days before the flood began. Anyway, not an easy family to be called to.
This is a beautiful post! I never made the flood connection to the Saviors birth- now you have my brain connecting all sorts of dots. I love that the Lord works in patterns, and those patterns are predictable and steady every time.
*Side note* I am super excited for the Noah movie- someone did their research- and from what I have seen it is spot on for what scholars have found about the ark, and the events and time period surrounding the flood. It may not be what we traditionally think about when we think of the flood- but academically, it will be fascinating to see!
Okay, this perspective is one that I had never really thought about it! Well done! Gives me some new thoughts about Noah and the Nativity.
Can you confirm the Michael/Adam theory of being with the Savior in the Garden? I think that merits some clarification and we trust you.
Luke 22:43 says that an angel was in Gethsemane to strengthen Jesus.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie said in “The Mortal Messiah”:
“If we might indulge in speculation, we would suggest that the angel who came into this second Eden was the same person who dwelt in the first Eden. At least Adam, who is Michael, the archangel—the head of the whole heavenly hierarchy of angelic ministrants—seems the logical one to give aid and comfort to his Lord on such a solemn occasion. Adam fell, and Christ redeemed men from the fall; theirs was a joint enterprise, both parts of which were essential for the salvation of the Father’s children.”
We know from past experience that speculating along with Elder McConkie is risky at best. 🙂
Loved the last line, you Jimmy Stewart fan you
didn’t catch that- thanx Gail!
Compare Noah/Gabriel to Moroni. Tough, tough life–great angel gig.
Wow! This may be one of your top 5!
I about cried, so beautiful. I knew they were one in the same but hadn’t seen it in that perspective.
Well done.
I love a background story! Especially a true one!!!
It is wonderful to think about each of the different players in this Nativity story. Often the focus is on Mary and Jesus but when you think about the others that get to be a part of the creche also it really makes the whole thing even more of a miracle and something to celebrate.
The past few weeks while my little 2 year old dresses up as Mary and carries around her doll as baby Jesus I have thought about Joseph and what an amazing person he must have been.
Thanks for the thoughts and insights. It brings the story to a whole new meaning when you make connections like that.
That is such a great perspective/connection that I had not made! It was Noah’s reward for remaining faithful and working hard to fulfill what the Lord had commanded him to do. Great post!
What a beautiful, beautiful post! Imagine! (The artwork is stunning, too.)
JWW
Love the attention to a different perspective.
Well done
Thanks for your post. I also like to think about Michael/Adam and some of the privileges he has. He helped create the earth and some say (Bruce R McConkie I think–emphasis on the think) was in the Garden with Jesus on that one special night. What valiant spirits! What wonderful blessings! Thanks for the reminder.
Great post. And yes, FHE fodder.
I thought of you today when the Primary kids were given a candy cane which had a “poem” tied to it. The poem explained how a candy cane reminds of Jesus because it looks like the letter J. The white reminds of us of His purity and the red reminds us of his blood. Why, it’s almost like taking the sacrament!
I love the story of Noah. It is a story of continuous hope and unconditional love. I think of how many “chances” he gave his fellow men. It reminds me to never stop hoping for those we love (and those we don’t love as much.) to make the changes they need to make. It reminds me that there simply are not enough second chances we can give.
Another lurker here. 🙂 I knew that about Noah/Gabriel, but I didn’t really make the connection like you did in this post. Thank you.
You have jump started an idea for FHE tomorrow.
Love your blog!
Long time stalker speaking up. Wow, what a great perspective! I’m going to re-watch the church’s new bible videos and think of Noah.
By the way, I agree with nearly everything you say (especially the post about Glee. Thank you for calling a spade a spade!) but I never comment because I’m too lazy to exit google reader and actually visit your blog.