The Gopher Tree

By

Kiwi S. Kalloo

Establishing people in the Heart of God in Kingdom Worship and Present Truth.

8/11

• The word Gopher meaning “to house in”. [Genesis 6:14]

     Make thee an ark of gopher wood rooms shalt thou make in the ark and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

     Kopher is a Hebrew word translated as “pitch” in Genesis 6:14. Pitch is a waterproof covering. (No one knows for sure what kind of pitch Noah used). But if this scribal error theory is correct, then the verse would properly read, in effect, "Make yourself an ark of pitched wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch."

     God told Noah to build an ark out of wood, not any wood but out of gopher wood, the gopher tree is known for its longevity and strength, God gave Noah all the dimensions as to how to build the ark, Noah, his wife, his 3 sons and their 3 wives, eight of them entered into the ark through the side door and stayed in the ark until the flood of water was abated, Jesus was known for standing tall in faith and never bowing to anything. Just as the gopher tree grew out of the earth so did Jesus grow out of an earthen vessel?

     The gopher tree gave his life to save Noah and family just as Jesus gave his life to save all of humanity. Imagine the gopher tree growing up from the inception of a seed, being nurtured by the dew to the harsh scorching of the sun, when the gopher tree grew up and was fully matured, it had to be cut down. It had to die so that Noah could live; the only way the tree could help to redeem Noah was to die, just as Jesus had to die. But even after the tree died, Noah had to build the ark, to say this another way, Noah had to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling.

     Even after that, Noah still had a choice to enter into the ark just as we have a choice to enter into the ark Jesus. Jesus was born out of an earthen vessel and had to endure the rain and sun and had to give his life to save us. As surely as the gopher tree and Jesus gave their live, we will also have to die to the flesh to become an ark of refuge to the ones who are weak. Moses when he was a child was placed in a basket type of an ark and survived the judgment of the Pharaoh and was saved alive. The waters carried him to safety where he was brought up in the presence and palace of the King; Moses endured judgment and remained untouched while all the rest of Israel went into bondage.