Noah’s Ark

One evening I was at the dining room table reading the story of Noah. After reading for several minutes I realized that there was something missing. It was then I asked my wife if she remembered when God told Noah to preach to the people of his day and warn them of a great flood coming to the Earth, but they would not listen to him. They began to mock and ridicule Noah and his family. Well, of course she remembered that. She knew it as well as I did! There’s only one problem; it’s not in the Bible.

Now wait a minute. Don’t quit reading just yet. Noah certainly is in the Bible, and I believe every word of Genesis, even the flood that covered the entire earth. It’s the events surrounding that flood, what God actually spoke to Noah, and what Noah did, that we’re going to look into. However, before going any further, let’s consider one very important lesson this brings up. It is often too easy to believe something to be in God’s word and therefore true when we have never actually read it for ourselves. At times, even when we do read the Bible we really don’t see what we’re reading. We can be blinded by what we know to be true, or rather what we think we know to be true. There are many teachings and beliefs that people hold onto without having searched it out in scripture. We can hear something so much that we will eventually believe it. Even if we choose not to believe it, if we hear something long enough it will influence the way we think. That’s why Jesus said in Mark chapter 4 verse 24, "Take heed what you hear." When it comes to God’s word there’s no substitute for breaking out the Bible and reading it for your self. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)


　

The purpose of

The flood

We have heard for years about how Noah warned the people of a coming flood, and how they mocked him, but he kept on building. The truth is that’s not what happened and there’s a reason for that. First of all, let’s look at the Genesis account of the flood. In Genesis 6:7-8, 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. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Then in verse 13 God said to 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." In Genesis 6:17-18, God says, "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 everything that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thy sons, and thy wife, and thy son’s wives with thee."

We see from these scriptures that God’s purpose for the flood was to destroy all flesh, and the purpose of the ark was to save Noah and his family. In fact God never told Noah to warn mankind, he told him to build an ark. He obeyed God and "…prepared an ark to the saving of his house"(Hebrews 11:7). God never intended for anyone else to enter that ark, except Noah and his family.

The purpose of the ark was not to save man but to preserve the righteousness of God on the earth. Second Peter 2:5 says that Noah was a "preacher of righteousness." He, no doubt, spent years proclaiming the righteousness of God through his words and his life. That is probably why, when he obeyed God and built the ark, his family obeyed him and got on board.

It wouldn’t have been enough for Noah to warn, convince, or manipulate men to enter into the ark to escape the floodwaters. The decision was not the ark or the flood; the decision was righteousness or sin, and that choice had already been made long before the ark was built.

In Genesis 6:3 the Lord said, "my spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." Judgement came long before the rain fell. Noah was saved because he loved God, and was righteous in God’s eyes, not because he feared water.

If Noah would have convinced men that they could escape the drowning flood and filled the Ark with ungodly men that had no change in their hearts, not moved by God’s spirit but by fear, God would have had to sink the Ark and start over again. The purpose of the flood was to destroy the wicked from the earth, but Noah lived a righteous life and God honored his faithfulness and made a way for him and his family to be saved. So, we see that when God sent judgement and condemned sin in the world, he found a righteous man and saved him and his family.

Let us leave Noah for now and look at another man. In Genesis chapter 18 God pronounced his fierce judgement on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. You may know the story of how Abraham talked with God and began what sounded like the auction of the ages. Abraham compelled God not to destroy the cities if he found 50, 40, and finally 10 righteous people. Then in Genesis 19:15-16 the Bible says, "…the angels hastened Lot, saying, "Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hands of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city." When God sent judgment because of sin he found a righteous man and saved him and his family. (II peter 2:6-8).

Lets take a look at the comparison that Jesus gave us in scripture as it relates to Noah, Lot and the day we’re living in right now. In Luke 17:26-27 Jesus said, "…as it was in the days of Noah, So shall it be also in the days of the son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the Ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all." Verses 28-30 says, "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, the sold, they planted, they built; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the son of man is revealed." Noah and his family were the only ones to hear the call to enter into the Ark. Lot and his family were the only ones to hear the call to flee Sodom.

And so shall it be when Jesus returns. If you’re not in the family of God, through Christ, you will not hear the final call.
The way has

Been made

In the day when God will judge sin on the earth, just as God used Noah and Lot, God will find a righteous man and use him to save his entire family. That man is Jesus Christ. The question is, Will you be part of the family? God’s plan was clear in the days of Noah and Lot and it is clear today through his word. If you want to be saved you must be in his family. Just as he made a way for Noah and his family to escape the flood, and for Lot and his family to escape the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, he has made a way for you to escape the judgement of sin and to have eternal life with God forever.

In Genesis 9:8-9, God establishes a covenant with Noah and his sons. Noah found grace in the eyes of God. And because of grace, we can be made righteous in the sight of God, through Christ. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, "for he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Also, in Romans 3:22, "even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe…"

To demonstrate how much he loves us, and how much he wants us to be a part of his family, Jesus gave his life to save us while we were yet sinners. (Romans 5:8) God’s love is so great that even when we were enemies of the cross he sent his only son to die and make the way for us to be at peace with God forever. Once enemies, but now so much more, now we can be in the family of God. Your place in God’s family can be certain because he has covered every possible aspect of acceptance for you in his family.

There are primarily three ways to become part of a family. You are married, born or adopted. The effort that God has made for you to be in his family is outstanding. Here are some examples of what the Bible has to say about Marriage, adoption and birth into the family of God. In the example of marriage Paul says in second Corinthians 11:2; "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you… to Christ." He also spends much of Ephesians 5 talking about the relationship between the husband and wife in marriage and then sums up the chapter in verse 32 by saying, "…this is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his church." We see in Revelation 21:9-10 that the church is referred to as the Bride of Christ.

As for adoption; In Romans 8:14-17, Paul writes, "for as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

Now lets talk about the birth. We no longer have to live as enemies of God. We can be born into his family. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3, "…except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." First John 5:1 says, "whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: And everyone that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him."

When you come to the Father, through Jesus Christ, he will accept you as his own. The way to eternal life and everlasting fellowship with God has been made. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me." (John 14:6)

In John 10:9 Jesus said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved…." You have an invitation from the father, an invitation to eternal life. Jesus said in John 14:1-3, "let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there ye may be also." Jesus taught in John Chapter 10:1, "…if a man tries to enter any other way but through the door he is the same as a thief and robber." And who would try to get into a house without using the door except someone who is not a member of the family? If you have a relationship with the father you are welcome in the house and you don’t need to seek another entrance because you’re welcome through the door. That door is Jesus! The bible tells us that; "if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved" (Acts 16:31). The Bible also says in Romans 10:9-10, "that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

The Bible says in Romans 10:13, "for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Jesus said in John 6:37; "All that the father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." When we, with our hearts, respond to the call of God; putting our hope and confidence in Christ and accepting the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and we turn our backs on this world and begin to follow Christ then we will know the joy and peace that can only come from God. "…As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. (John 1:12) You can experience the comfort of knowing you have a relationship with your father in heaven. A father that loves you with a perfect love.

Accept you’re invitation into the family of God today!