Noah and the Ark / Noé y el Arca
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Introduction
Introduction
A common room decoration theme is that of Noah’s ark.
Many Christian parents and non-Christians like to adorn their newborn’s room with images of the ark, the cuddly animals aboard or about to board the ark, or the ark upon the waters.
It is not necessarily wrong in itself; however, it is possible that we have lost sight of the reality that is occurring in the biblical story.
This story is a tragic retelling of God’s judgement upon humanity. This gets obscured by the cuddly animals and the colorful pictures that we see in children’s bible storybooks.
This event is intended to provoke in us the fear of the Lord, but most of all repentance and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ.
The story about Noah and the ark appears as follows:
- we see how humanity had become so corrupt that God is determined to bring judgment upon planet earth. God has mercy upon a man named Noah and commands him to build an ark for him, his family, and the animals that were spared.
- Noah is commanded by God to enter the ark along with his family and the animals. Rain begins to pour down upon the resulting in a worldwide flood that eventually kills all living thing upon the earth except for those inside the ark.
- Noah sees that the rains have ceased and sends a dove to explore the land. Almost a year after the rains started, Noah leaves the ark and worships God.
- God establishes a pact/covenant with Noah that he will not destroy the earth ever again through the means of a worldwide flood and gives the rainbow as a symbol of his promise.
The writer to the Hebrews writes about Noah:
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Heb
Por la fe Noé, cuando fue advertido por Dios acerca de cosas que aún no se veían, con temor preparó el arca en que su casa se salvase; y por esa fe condenó al mundo, y fue hecho heredero de la justicia que viene por la fe.
He focuses on the story of Noah and teaches us the following:
Noah believed in what he could not see.
Noah’s actions saved his family.
Noah’s faith condemned the world.
Noah’s was saved by faith.
I. Noah believed in what he could not see.
I. Noah believed in what he could not see.
I. Noé creyó en lo que no podía ver.
I. Noé creyó en lo que no podía ver.
The writer to the Hebrews says that Noah believed in that which he could not see.
What is it that Noah could not see?
God could not see God who:
Would destroy all life upon the earth.
And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
Y se arrepintió Jehová de haber hecho hombre en la tierra, y le dolió en su corazón.
Had spoken to him regarding his plan to judge the world.
And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 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.
Gn 6.
Y miró Dios la tierra, y he aquí que estaba corrompida; porque toda carne había corrompido su camino sobre la tierra.Dijo, pues, Dios a Noé: He decidido el fin de todo ser, porque la tierra está llena de violencia a causa de ellos; y he aquí que yo los destruiré con la tierra.
Had said that it would rain within 7 days such that the entire world would be flooded.
For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.”
Porque pasados aún siete días, yo haré llover sobre la tierra cuarenta días y cuarenta noches; y raeré de sobre la faz de la tierra a todo ser viviente que hice.
Gn
We do not know much time passed after God called Noah to the day that it began to rain upon the land. implies that 120 years had passed between God’s calling of Noah and eventual judgement upon the earth.
Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”
Gen 6.3
Y dijo Jehová: No contenderá mi espíritu con el hombre para siempre, porque ciertamente él es carne; mas serán sus días ciento veinte años.
This means that Noah believed God’s word even though the days, weeks, months, and years passed without seeing a single drop of rain come upon the earth.
God was not asking an easy task of Noah. God had called Noah to build a an ark that would be three-floors and 510 feet long (1.5 football fields).
But Noah believed in God’s word to him.
For this reason, the writer to the Hebrews praises Noah and speaks about how he believed that which he did not see.
The fact that Noah believed in that which he could not see does not mean that he simply had blind faith.
It is possible to have a lot of faith in something and be completely wrong/misguided.
It is possible to believe in things that are false and be totally off the mark.
One can have sincere faith and be sincerely wrong.
However, Noah believed in a real God, that was really speaking to him about things that would come. He had faith that the things God had said (i.e., the rain, the worldwide flood, the sparing of the animals, the sparing of his family through the ark) would be true.
Noah could not see that which was told to him by God - but he had something that was sure - he had God’s word!
In the same way, we have God’s word, we also have a sure word recorded in the 66 books of the Bible.
We can faith and certainty that whatever is contained in the word of God will come to pass!
God’s word never fails.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
El cielo y la tierra pasarán, pero mis palabras no pasarán.
We are also called to believe in God’s word. Humanity is called upon to believe that which is written in God’s word.
We are not called to become religious.
We are not called to become moral people.
We are called to believe what God’s word says about the condition of man, about God, about sin, about the only way to salvation and forgiveness, about Jesus Christ being the only way to the father, about the consequences of not believing in God’s way of salvation.
II. Noah’s actions saved his family.
II. Noah’s actions saved his family.
II. Las acciones de Noé salvaron a su familia.
II. Las acciones de Noé salvaron a su familia.
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Genesis
Por la fe Noé, cuando fue advertido por Dios acerca de cosas que aún no se veían, con temor preparó el arca en que su casa se salvase; y por esa fe condenó al mundo, y fue hecho heredero de la justicia que viene por la fe.
Noah believed in God’s word to him and began to build the ark.
Building the ark was Noah’s way of demonstrating his faith in God.
It would be an extremely hard task, it would be a 120 year project.
Many would come to Noah and mock him. They would mock this man who for 120 years spent his entire waking hours building the ark to save them from a worldwide flood.
It was Noah’s faith in action that brought salvation to his family.
His family benefitted from Noah’s faith.
It isn’t that Noah’s faith saved his family. In fact, later we read how Noah cursed one of his son’s who had demonstrated some sort of serious disrespect against his father.
However, because of their association with this servant of God, they were spared from being condemned along with the world who perished.
What does this teach us?
It teaches us the grace that God shows to a family through somewhat that believes.
What wonderful blessing it is to have a Christian parent who regularly prays for their children that they may be blessed of God, that they may be wise, that they may come to know the truth of the Gospel.
What wonderful blessing it is to have a believing spouse that daily prays and hopes for their spouse’s salvation. What blessing it is to have a spouse that desires to be like Christ and honors their husband/wife as commanded by the Bible.
What blessing it is to have a believing child who honors their parents knowing that this is the first commandment with a blessing. What blessing it is to have a believing child who prays for the salvation of their parent as they enter the last years of their life.
III. Noah’s faith condemned the world.
III. Noah’s faith condemned the world.
III. La fe de Noé condenó al mundo.
III. La fe de Noé condenó al mundo.
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Por la fe Noé, cuando fue advertido por Dios acerca de cosas que aún no se veían, con temor preparó el arca en que su casa se salvase; y por esa fe condenó al mundo, y fue hecho heredero de la justicia que viene por la fe.
Notice who the writer to the Hebrews says that Noah’s faith condemned the world.
How is it that his faith condemned the world?
It wasn’t that Noah condemned the world or that he desired it’s condemnation.
Rather, it tells us that Noah’s faith - this believing man that trusted in God’s word, that trusted in what God had said about his judgement, the rain, the flood, the ark, etc…this faith was actually condemning the world for everything God had said was coming to pass.
Noah’s faith was condemning the world for he believed while all the others were made a conscious decision to reject God’s word of warning and judgement and continue in their sin.
The faith of God’s people in 2019 is the same faith that will condemn the world.
The fact that every year people come together to celebrate Christmas, Christ’s birth, but fail to believe in the Savior adds to people’s condemnation.
The fact that people die every day, as a result of our sin, just as God’s word had declared - adds to people’s condemnation.
The fact that the Christianity is well and alive even though atheistic communism had tried to eradicate it - adds to the world’s condemnation.
The fact that there are millions of believer’s throughout the world and many more coming to faith each day - adds to people’s condemnation who refuse to believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The fact that we continue to celebrate the Lord’s Supper until the coming of the Lord Jesus - testifies against the world and adds to their condemnation if they fail to believe.
IV. Noah’s was saved by faith.
IV. Noah’s was saved by faith.
IV. Noé fue salvo por fe.
IV. Noé fue salvo por fe.
So how is is that Noah was saved? Was he saved because he built the ark? Was he saved because he was obedient?
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Por la fe Noé, cuando fue advertido por Dios acerca de cosas que aún no se veían, con temor preparó el arca en que su casa se salvase; y por esa fe condenó al mundo, y fue hecho heredero de la justicia que viene por la fe.
The Bible tells us that he was an heir of righteousness - he was covered by God’s righteousness because of his faith in God.
He was saved in the same way we are saved.
He was saved by trusting in God’s promises.
We must be saved in the same way by trusting in God. No one is saved by any other manner outside of believing in God’s promises in his word. We are called to believe that we are sinners and that he sent his Son to die in our place. We must confess our sins and receive his forgiveness - there is no other way!