This week I want to address a story in the Bible that we all learned as children. It is the story of Noah and the ark. For those of us who haven't studied much ancient history, this story appears-under different names with slightly different variations-in the history of cultures across multiple continents. So what's the real meaning of this universal story?
The literal rendition of this story yields some pretty amazing and highly improbable events. Imagine being tossed around in a boat for forty days and forty nights sitting on an ocean that covered the highest mountains on earth. Not only would the air be so thin that it would be impossible to breathe, but you would literally freeze to death since Mt. Everest sits at about 30,000 feet. At its summit, temperatures can drop to 60 below zero, and in the summer it never gets above freezing. Break out the oxygen tanks and thermal blankets!
So what's this story all about, anyway? Was it really a judgment from God condemning all the people on earth to a watery grave except for Noah, his family, and the animals? Or is there a deeper spiritual meaning the Biblical author would like us to walk away with? For those who are spiritually and consciously ready, I think the later is in order.
I want to point out something for my readers who still might be frightened by the word "esoteric" that keeps popping up in my blog post. Many are under the impression that this word signifies secret teaching, but that's not really the case. Jesus stated the kingdom does not come by observation because it is "within" you! Now apply this same concept to the word esoteric. By esoteric I am simply meaning teachings or stories that are meant to be internalized. The story of Noah and the ark is meant to be understood the same way. The esoteric rendering of this story can teach us much about where we need to be concerning our spiritual development and consciousness.
Many stories and literal structures in the Bible represent the human mind and brain. In an earlier post I showed how Ezekiel's millennial temple, which can be found on my website, is exactly that. The story of Noah is also symbolic of the mind. Before delving into this, let's briefly review the literal story:
At the time of Noah, the earth had become corrupted. God wanted to cleanse his creation, so he devised a plan to flood the earth and rid it of its wickedness. And why was man considered wicked? Genesis states that man was wicked because his thoughts and imaginations were evil (Gen 6:5). I have emphasized the word "thoughts" in the previous sentence because of its relevance to the esoteric rendering of this story, which we'll address shortly. But first, it is important to know that one of the meanings for "man" in that same verse and many other verses of Genesis means "low." The concept here is a low man, and the evil thoughts of the low man in the literal story represent the lower or animalistic nature of the mind. In Genesis 6:9, we learn that Noah is the exception. He is described as a "just man." There is a different Hebrew word for man here, and one of the meanings is "high." Noah was a "high man" that lived a spiritual life instead of an ego-driven one, and so Noah is representative of a higher state of consciousness. Noah's name is also relevant to all of this. Noah means "rest." This is perhaps the most significant of all, for Noah represents not only the higher nature of the mind, but also a mind at "rest." A mind at rest is the state of being which salvation is.
The problem with the lower ego-driven mind is that it is not very conscious; this type of mind goes through life by reacting to situations instead of acting. The individual has little control, and even though he or she thinks they are making their own decisions, they are usually just acting from emotion and instinct. This is natural for the lower mind. But the story of Noah was written to teach us to live spiritually, not carnally (ego-driven).
In the literal story the water is purifying the earth by killing all evil thoughts and imaginations of man. These thoughts and imaginations are the lower mind. Noah, who represents the mind at rest, rises ABOVE the evil "thoughts" below the ark because the flood is a type of baptism in which the lower mind is cleansed. This state of being brings salvation not only to himself, but to his family as well.
Similarly, those in Jesus / WORD/ Christ are saved when they develop Christ consciousness, which represents a state of being. It is a consciousness transformation.
My article on Adam and Eve and how that story relates to consciousness may shed more light on this subject for you. It can be found here.
So what do you think? Can you now see how the story of Noah and the ark is another Biblical example of the mind?
Joshua Tilghman is the owner of http://www.spiritofthescripture.com, a blog dedicated to unveiling the hidden meanings beneath the literal interpretations of the Bible. If you're on a spiritual journey and would like some practical answers that are often excluded from traditional Christianity, please visit and receive a wealth of knowledge that will jumpstart your spiritual journey.
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