The Ark of Salvation
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Introduction:
Moral insanity in Noah’s day, it’s the same in ours… looking into a mirror… so relevant a passage
A world out of control
A world gone mad
A world with a reprobate mind
A world where people think right is wrong and wrong is right
A world where men are with men and women are with women
An insane world where women are becoming men and men are becoming women
Whenever mankind rejects the knowledge of God, it will always result in their corruption… loses its moral compass… self-destructs
This is the description of the days before the flood, of a corrupt people, with a debased mind, with one family as the exception… Noah’s
Chapter 1: Creation
Chapter 2: Image of God
Chapter 3: The Fall
Chapter 4: Cain & Abel
Chapter 5: Bridge… concludes with Noah, “the one who will give us rest”
Chapter 6 describes the situation we find ourselves in todayA message about the danger of sin, and the assurance of judgement, and the dire consequences of what will happen to those, who do not repent.
Should we hold this as true history? A Literal
Those whom the Lord chose to record scripture, DID.
Isaiah, Ezekiel, 1 Chronicles, Luke, Peter, Hebrews, Christ Himself.
If you do not believe this took place, you are simply at odds with the entirety of scripture
We then, must take this passage very carefully
Don’t read this passage and get caught up in what isn’t important
Ark look like?
Number of animals?
Kinds and species? Dinosaurs?
Scientific calculations?
Don’t miss this… chapter 6 is about how:
God will judge sin
God’s grace is made available
No unbeliever will escape the wrath of God
Noah was Pure
Noah was Pure
Not perfect… but pure
9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Comes after verse 8… “found FAVOR in the eyes of the Lord”
Means GRACE
When it says Noah was “righteous”… that’s how God saw him!
And he PREACHED righteousness
2 Peter 2:5 “5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;”
Blameless… in his dealings with people! Not perfect… but blameless
In a world of PURE… evil… Noah, found favor ion the eyes of God. And he preached
If Noah preached among the vilest group of people the world has ever seen
If in that world/day, Noah can be a beacon of righteousness… then in THIS day, so can you.
Why do we feel like we can go easy on our Christianity today? Or quiet or passive!? As if we can just not say anything about who we ARE, and just blend in with the world
Noah does not blend in!
If he does he perishes in the flood!
But God was gracious, and God saved him out of the world as a believer, JUST as He has you.
Because of this, we are to live as Philippians 2:15 “15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,”
If Noah could do it in his generation… so can you
“Noah walked with God”
I think he saw what was coming.
I think he knew, the character of God
I think he sought God’s favor
And when I think about believers today… I see example after example, person after person, believer after believer, that is FAR more interested in the favor of the world , than in the favor of God.
Shame on them!!! And shame on you and I if we EVER trade the glory of God for the glory of man
There is certainly something to glean here from the character… of Noah.
This man was given a mission: “build the ark!”
The physical labor in this is inCREDIBLE!…
This isn’t a little day long, week long project!
Chair… bed-frame… of which honestly, I’m not GREAT at!
Noah is going to be at work for a CENTURY building this thing! Something the world has never SEEN!
Consider his character:
Dedicate 100 years of his life!
Go through extensive toil & labor!
Endure the scoffers & mockers that parade by him each day!
Year after year, decade after decade… “Look at this fool!” “He’s building a BOAT! HAHAHA”
So Noah , would build a big boat , on dry land , in a world that has seen water but never seen a storm… WHAT a fool.
Yet, he preaches
Yet, he builds
Yet, he walked with God
And the ONLY THING… that Noah had to motivate him year after year… was the promise of God.
Not the scientist / meteorologist / philosopher / wisdom of man… but on God’s word.
And we need this very truth so so much today, and here it is:
THE WORD… OF GOD… IS SUFFICIENT
Noah lived his life based on the future promise of God!
What if we lived, with that same unwavering commitment? How different our lives would be.
The World was Corrupt
The World was Corrupt
11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.
FILLED… you could go anywhere without seeing violence!
Cruel and wicked world.
12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
Even though humanity has forgotten God altogether… God has not forgotten them and their evil deeds. “God looked… and it was corrupt”
Oh it is the same today is it not?
God has looked and seen every wicked individual… and if they be not covered by His grace… wrath is laid in store for them.
13 Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.
God takes sin seriously
Noah was pure
The world was corrupt
Thirdly…
Salvation was Provided
Salvation was Provided
14 “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.
“Ark” is interesting… different than “ark of covenant”
2 places.. here and Exodus 2 when Moses is put in the basket/ark
Connection!
Exodus 2:3 “3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.”
Moses and Noah are both delivered by God’s grace through the ARK… this box of safety God provided for them
Pitch… “to provide a covering” … they will be safe under the COVERING that God has provided
Adam and Eve tried to “cover” .. their sin and their bodies? and they couldn't
So God provided a covering, remember? Of animal skins. Foreshadows sacrifice, foreshadows blood, foreshadows atonement.
The only covering you need today, is the covering of Christ, and to be found in safe in the refuge of his promise… to those who believe.
15 “This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
16 “You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.
Minimum 450 feet long
Window: to bring light/ventilation
And why build this ark? … because destruction is coming.
17 “Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish.
“Flood” … an entire, all consuming pool of water… not to encompass a town/city/area… but the entire world, even above the highest mountains.
18 “But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
19 “And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.
20 “Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.
21 “As for you, take for yourself some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them.”
22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.
No compromise!! Noah did ALL that God commanded him! For 100 YEARS!!!
And has NOTHING to show for it… but a giant rectangular box.
But it was worth it.
18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,
20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.
21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
We too, have safely been delivered through the water, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, unto life. Just as the in the days of Noah, salvation came through the ark, so too in the days of Christ, it comes through His work.
On the ark you find a single door… as Christ says in John 10: “… “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep… I am the DOOR; if anyone enters through me, he will be saved.”
Enter by the narrow gate, for the broad way leads to destruction.
Hold fast to the promise of God
Judgement is coming, and for most it’ll be all too late
It’s appointed for man to die once, then the judgement — Heb 9:27.
Conclusion:
Noah’s name is rest…rest… in a day of turmoil, amidst a century of hard physical labor… Noah could rest.
Why didn’t God call him home???
Because there must be a redeemer.
Noah was a righteous man, but he was no savior
To enjoy heaven above with God for eternity, we MUST have a savior
In the death of the whole world apart from Noah, God will start all over again… and spare a remnant.
You and I are apart of that remnant of believers… will extend through the coming of Christ
In the days we do have, do not be married to the world, but to Christ.
Don’t walk in the ways of man but in the ways of God.
For the only way to escape the great wrath of God to come, is to be in the ark… to be in Jesus Christ
There is a period of time, as in the days of Noah, that we have and then it’s gone.
Matthew 24:37–39 “37 “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Have you been convicted of your sin this day?
Believe in Jesus, who lived perfectly and died at the hands of ungodly men, so that those who do believe may have their sins wiped clean and be seen as morally perfect as He.
Turn away from your sins, and be baptized into Christ, washing away your sins.
We sing the song: What can wash away my sins? NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.
Place your faith in Jesus, that you might be apart of this great remnant, today