NOAH'S ARK
Genesis 6:5-7: 1-23
Genesis 6: 5; And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6: And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7: And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9: These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10: And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11: The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12: And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13: And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14: Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15: And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16: A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17: And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 18: But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. 19: And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20: Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. 21: And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. 22: Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.”
Genesis 7: 1: And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation…7: And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood…16: And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in. 17: And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. 18: And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. 19: And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20: Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. 21: And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: 22: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. 23: And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
The account of Noah and the ark is familiar to most. It is often found in children’s books. But it is a true story. Noah was a real man. There really was an ark. There really was a flood.
The importance and purpose of Noah’s ark is to give us a picture of Christ in whom every true believer is saved by God’s grace.
THE NEED FOR THE ARK
First, in their need for the ark we see why we need Christ. The problem is mankind’s sin, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually...And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” (Gen 6: 5, 12)
Do you think this describes our day? In our day, man is constantly imagining new ways to commit evil continually. We have corrupted our way as they did. And God sees it all like he did in Noah’s day
In your free time, read Romans 1: 18-32. It sounds like he is describing the world we live in today. Whenever sodomy is received and defended among a people, scripture says it is God’s judgment. It is an indication that God has turned men over to reprobation.
So the problem in Noah’s day was that God was about to pour out judgment on mankind and destroy everyone for their sins, “And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” (Gen 6: 7)
God says through the apostle Peter that as soon as he has called the last of his elect into Christ, God shall do it again. The next time God will destroy the world and all things in it with fire. Do you scoff at that warning? They scoffed at Noah’s warnings. God said men would scoff at this warning in the last days, too. Scoffing only proves God’s word is true, “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2 Pet 3:3-7)
Here is the issue. Do you, personally, see your need of Christ? This is true of all men, by nature. But is it true of you, personally? It was true of Noah, except for one thing that made Noah to differ, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Gen 6: 8)
There is nothing in us or done by us that makes the true believer to differ from the rest of Adam’s sin-cursed, fallen race. “[We] were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Eph 2:3-5)
So we see our need of Christ: our sin and the judgment of God for our sin.
THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION
Secondly, in seeing that the ark was the only way of salvation in Noah’s day, we see that Christ is the only way of salvation in our day. “And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me;…Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.” (Gen 6: 13-14)
It did not matter if you were a prisoner or a king, God’s judgment was upon every man therefore every person outside of the ark would die. God said, “And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.” (Gen 6: 17) When Christ returns everyone will stand before God in the day of judgment. We will not be judged by comparing us to one another. Nor will be judged by measuring our good works against our bad works. God says that “he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17: 31) It is by the Lord Jesus who is the Righteousness of God that all men outside of Christ will be judged.
The flood of water represents the righteous judgment of God. God said in Isaiah, “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; (Isa 28:17-18)
Take the recent tsunami in the Philippians as an example. The waves swept over those coastal towns, overflowing every hiding place and everyone in its path. In Noah’s day, the water rose fifteen cubits above the tallest mountains.
Every sinner who seeks refuge atop Mount Sinai, trusting in their law-keeping, shall find that the waters of God’s judgment shall overflow them! Those who seek refuge atop the mountain of their outward, religious form such as baptism and church membership shall be swept away from their false refuge when the overflowing wrath of judgment comes. Each sinner seeking refuge atop the mountain of their self-righteous opinion of themselves shall all die when the overflowing judgment of God sweeps over their hiding place.
God promised Noah there was one and only one refuge, which was inside the ark. The ark was safe because it was covered within and without with pitch. The word “pitch” means “to cover” and “to take away.” Throughout the Old Testament the word “pitch” is translated “to make atonement.” For example, the blood-sprinkled on the mercy-seat covered the broken law so it is called the day of atonement. It was the day of covering, the day of pitch.
Now, think of the flood of God’s judgment that beat on that ark. God broke up the waters of the deep from beneath the earth and the waters of the heavens from above. Water surrounded the ark in the great deluge of judgment. Yet, not one drop of water touched those inside the ark because of the pitch. They had a covering to protect them.
All God’s people, chosen of God before the foundation of the world, were in Christ when he went to the cross. When the flood of judgment fell on Christ in place of his people, Christ covered us—pitched us—so that not one drop of judgment fell on his people. Christ’s death really was the death of every sinner Christ represented. Without, believers are pitched—covered, atoned for—by Christ’s shed blood on the cross which he shed for us. Within, believers are pitched by Christ by the application of his blood, which purges our conscious from dead works to serve the living God. (Heb. 9:12, 14).
Therefore, when God brings us to believe on Christ, God makes his everlasting covenant in our hearts. He told Noah, “But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.” (Gen 6: 18) Not all of Noah’s family found grace in the eyes of the Lord. But all the family of God—all God’s elect—shall be saved in Christ because Christ fulfilled the covenant of works in behalf of his people so that now we are under the everlasting covenant of grace.
Oh, will you hear what is being declared in this beautiful picture of grace! Christ is the only Ark! The only Salvation for needy sinners is Christ Jesus who made atonement on the cross for his people. There was one window in the ark which was to give light. It typified the Holy Spirit through whom the Sun of Righteousness shines into our hearts. There was one door to enter the ark. Christ said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” (Jn 10: 9) “Jesus saith…, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (Jn 14: 6)
ROOM AND PROVISION IN THE ARK
As we behold how there was enough room and plenty of provisions in the ark for all who God purposed to save, we behold there is plenty of room and provisions of grace in Christ for all whom God purposed to saved.
The ark was four hundred and fifty feet long, seventy feet wide and three stories high. So there was enough room for all the different kinds of animals God purposed to deliver. God said, “And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.” (Ge 6:19-20 AV)
In this abundance of room and in these different kinds of animals we see that God chose to save a multitude in Christ out of every kind of people on this earth. God’s elect are chosen from among Jew and Gentile, bond and free, male and female, rich and poor, from every nation, kindred, tribe and tongue on this earth. (Rev 5: 9)
Also, God purposed there would be plenty of provisons for everyone within the ark. God said, “And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.” (Ge 6:21) There is full sufficiency of grace in Christ: full sufficiency of righteousness and redemption and full provision as we walk through this life. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Php 4:19)
Yet, the only way they knew there was a place and provision prepared for them in the ark is because when God called them in, they obeyed and entered in. We read, “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. 7:1: And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for [because] thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” (Gen 6: 22; 7: 1)
No doubt, Noah’s obedience refers to Noah building the ark. But notice, Noah was obedient before he obeyed and entered the ark. Long before sinners enter Christ by faith, Christ obeyed God for us. When Christ obeyed all his people obeyed God in Christ. Therefore, in time, God calls us into Christ because he sees us righteous in Christ. God does not call sinners to Christ in order to make us righteous before him but because he has already made us righteous before him in Christ by Christ’s obedience. God used Paul to declare that very thing in 2 Timothy 1: 9-11. Notice, Christ saved us then called us through the gospel, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
When God calls his redeemed child it is an invincible call. He makes us willing to obey. Then when we obey and believe on Christ, we know God’s election of grace and provision of righteousness in Christ is for us personally. We see that typified in our text. The only way the animals knew God purposed to save them and that there was provision already provided for them in the ark was by obeying the call and entering into the ark, “There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.” (Gen 7: 9)
God sends his preachers to give the general call. We cry, “Believe on Christ and you shall be saved!” We are crying for dead men to do what dead men cannot do unless God make it effectual like it was in the valley of dry bones. (Eze 37: 1-10) But the only way you will know if you are one of God’s elect is if you, yourself, believe on Christ. Then by believing on Christ we find there is full provision of grace sufficient to save us from all our sins, even as God promised. Christ said, “My sheep hear my voice.” That is the call of the gospel. Christ said, “And I know them.” That is the power of Christ giving us life to truly hear and believe. Christ said, “And they follow me.” That is the believer believing Christ and entering Christ through faith. Christ said, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” That is Christ revealing his full provision of grace in our hearts and sealing us within and preserving us so that no believer shall ever perish. (Jn 10: 27)
We know there is yet room in Christ. The way we know is because Christ is still sending forth this gospel. God did not send a single drop of rain till all who God purposed to save were in the ark and God shut them in. Christ shall not return till all Christ’s redeemed are called to faith in Christ. “He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance…And account that the longsuffering of God is salvation!” (2 Pet 3: 9, 15) God never fails to accomplish his sovereign will. Therefore, because God is not willing that any of his elect should perish, none shall perish. Since God is willing that all his elect shall come to repentance, all shall be brought to repentance by God. Therefore, we can count on it! The longsuffering of God shall result in the salvation of all those for whom Christ died.
So sinner, believe on Christ and you shall know all the promises of God are yes and amen in the Lord Jesus. Believe on Christ and you shall find full provision of grace to save you from all your sins. Believe on Christ and you shall be saved!