"A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above" (Gen. 6:16).

Noah's window has doubtless furnished great comfort to God's pilgrims in all ages, assuredly gathering that as Noah was compelled by the structure of what was carrying him safely through the storm, to look light to the one source of it, which was above, so the godly, in passing through circumstances of trial, have learned from that to look, not at the whelming floods through which they were at the moment passing, but at the One who was their sole source of light above. In that way, light would come, not directly upon the water-floods, but better still, upon what was bearing them safely through and above them.

Peter began to sink when he dropped his eye from the Lord to the surrounding waves (Matt. 14:30).

But our comfort in contemplating the passage at the beginning of this paper may be increased when we remember the real force of the word which is there translated "window;" it is never in any other instance translated window. The word is tzohhar, and is used as a substantive twenty-four times; eleven times it is rendered "noon," as "where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon" (Cant, i, 7); ten times it is rendered "noonday," as "and thou shalt grope at noonday" (Deut. 28:29); once it is "midday" (as i Ki. 18:29), and once (as in Jer. 20:16) "noontide," the remaining instance being that under consideration.

The word comes from a verb signifying "to make oil," occurring but once (Job 24:ii).

It might be questioned if very much light could be expected naturally from a window of "a cubit" under any circumstances, particularly at such a time of storm and tempest, but as Noah cast his eye up at that single inlet to his ark, what would he see? " Noonday:" no other hour of day or of night did that little window speak of. It was never midnight there, nor four o'clock in the morning, always
"noon."Come rain or come sunshine, "noontide" could alone be seen up there.

Noah means "rest," and we can think of him as answering to his name, as shut in by the Lord Himself and passing through all that terrible flood which overwhelmed every living thing outside the ark, he lifted his eyes to that little window and saw "noon," stamped upon the one means of communication with what was outside.

Noah's passage between the old world and the new, may illustrate primarily, the passage of the godly remnant in the last days through the time of trouble coming upon the earth, and from their old status under the legal covenant, to their establishment in blessing under Messiah in the land; the root of their blessing being not the old covenant of the letter which kills, but of the Spirit which gives life.

How well then may we, who have the Spirit, and enter into the spirit of the new covenant, and thus ante-date all this blessing, apply in the fullest way what we have been speaking of in regard to this "window?" We are passing likewise between the old creation and the new, shut in with God and by Him; the storm buffets without, but within, as we cast the eye aloft upon our "window," we see only "noonday." We are "in the light as He is in the light"-not a question of how we are walking, but of where we are.
As we contemplate Him appearing "now in the presence of God for us," the glory of God radiating from His face, we too may find our "noon," and enjoy the "rest" which comes from letting Him have His blessed way with us. J. B. J.