Finding Jesus in the OT Week 6 - Noah

Passages

Genesis 6 ESV

1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. 5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

The type

The story of Noah and the Ark is one of the more famous OT passages

Many people know about the great flood, and almost every major religion points out the idea of a flood

Archeologists have dug up bones of fish on the tops of mountains - proving that there was a flood that took place

We even see a rainbow as a mark of God’s promise to never flood the earth

However, the story of Noah actually is a type of Jesus!

Just as the ark was graciously provided by God for sinners, so is salvation in Christ graciously provided by God for sinners (Gen. 6:13-14).

Just as the ark was planned by God, so is salvation in Christ planned by God (Gen. 6:14-15).

Ephesians 1:4 ESV

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

Just as the ark was a place of safety, so is Christ a place of safety (Gen. 6:17).

John 10:28 ESV

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Just as Noah and his family must come into the ark for their safety, so must we come to Christ for our salvation (Gen. 6:18).

Matthew 11:28 ESV

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

John 6:37 ESV

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

Just as the call to come into the ark was a limited-time offer, so is God’s call to come to His Son a limited-time offer (Gen. 7:16).

Isaiah 55:6 ESV

6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

Just as the coming of the flood was unexpected, so is the second coming of Christ unexpected.

Matthew 24:37–39 ESV

37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

The Ark is a powerful image of God’s mercy, but also God’s wrath

In providing the Ark God was giving the people of the world a chance to come back to Him and be saved from the wrath of judgment

In providing Jesus, God is offering people a chance to come back to Him and be saved from wrath and judgment

However, there is an expiration date

Questions

What questions do you have from the reading?

What similarities do you see between Noah and Jesus? What differences?

God's wrath was poured out on all of mankind because of their sin/wickedness. Do you ever consider God's wrath today when it comes to our sin? Do you feel different about your sin compared to the sin of the people in Noah's day? 

God provided for Noah all that he needed while on the ark. When you are in the midst of a storm, have you seen God taking care of you? Does that give you confidence when you face another storm?

When the doors closed on the ark, a time for salvation for the people ended. What does that tell us about God's gift of salvation? Does the idea of urgency lead you to share with others?