You would think that when you’re trying to stuff just enough animals on one boat to ensure their future procreation that God would appreciate a pragmatist. After all, this is no time to get our feathers ruffled if we forget a few traditions for a few months.

What we find instead is that God did not just include enough animals to allow for future offspring. He actually commanded that a larger number of “clean” animals be taken…

“Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals…” (v. 2)

This begs the question, “Why the special treatmeant?” Are clean animals really worth more or just “better” than their unclean counterparts? Perhaps more fragile and God was just hedging his bet?

No, in fact there was a divine purpose in the bringing of “clean animals”.

You see Noah and his family would need much more than just food and shelter to survive. They also needed their God. The way that man connected with God back then was through sacrifice. It was vital to a life lived in relationship to him.

It is, therefore, fitting that God would make a way to keep Noah’s family not only safe and well-fed but also connected to Him. Like the other animals, some of the clean ones were meant to carry on their species through procreation. Still, with 7 pairs of each, it would seem as though God had provided enough for Noah’s family to continue to offer sacrifice, which we find he did, in Genesis 8:20.

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

No matter what circumstances you find yourself in, make a habit of giving to God. Sacrifice is as vital to our development as it was to Noah, and needs to be a part of our lives as often as possible.