7 6-24 The End Is Near
liberty bible church 1/14/07 P.M.
By Tom Zobrist
“the end is near!”
Genesis 7:6-24
introduction
Illus. of The End is Near! A priest and pastor from the local churches are standing by the side of the road pounding a sign into the ground that reads: “The End is Near! Turn yourself around now before it's to late!” “Leave us alone you religious nuts!” yelled a driver as he sped by. From around the curve they heard screeching tires and a big splash. The pastor turns to the priest and asks, “Do you think the sign should say 'Bridge Out Ahead?'”
Talk of the end of the world has been a common theme throughout the last several decades. But, is it just the boy calling wolf all over again? Is the end really near or is it all just the talk of religious fanatics? Is the end really near? If so, how do we prepare?
OPEN to passage.
Prop. In this passage, we learn from Noah how to prepare for the end of the world.
Open in PRAYER.
PREVIEW the passage. As the world grew more sinful, God’s patience wore thin. Cf. Gen. 6:3, 7, 8 Last week, we saw Noah’s preparations begin for the building of an ark to deliver him, his wife, his three sons and their wives. This ark would also be the salvation of every land animal and bird on the earth. Only marine life was exempt form this world wide destruction by flood. Tonight, we see the end come. What did Noah do to prepare and what can we do to prepare for the end of the world? We must understand that there are two broad choices. The first is…
i. we can enter god’s shelter vs. 6-16
Illus. of “The Lord Will Save Me” A traveling preacher finds himself in a tremendous rainstorm. Within a few hours the hotel he is staying in becomes flooded. As the water rises, the preacher climbs to the roof and starts praying. "Lord, save me so I can continue on my mission of preaching your gospel." Just then, a coast guard rescue party floats by in a rowboat. "Let's go mister. Into the boat." "I'll stay here," says the preacher. "The Lord will save me." An hour later a second boat reaches the scene and the water is close to the roof of the hotel. "Sir, you better get in the water is still rising." "No thanks. The Lord will be my salvation." Toward evening, the hotel is almost completely under water and the preacher is clinging to the satellite dish on the roof. A helicopter is spotted and on a loudspeaker is heard: "Sir, grab on to the line and we will pull you up. This is your last chance." "I'm all right,' says the preacher. "I know the Lord will provide sanctuary." As the helicopter departs, the satellite dish is hit by lightning and the preacher is killed. When he arrives at the Pearly Gates he is furious. "What happened?" he shouts. "I thought the Lord would provide!?" Moments later a thunderous voice is heard: "Gimme a break, Pal. I sent you 2 boats and a chopper!"
God’s shelter takes various forms. How does it look for Noah? How does it look for us today?
a. residents of the shelter
V 6 1. Noah was 500 when his sons were born. God had already condemned the world to 120 years. Cf. 5:32; 6:3 The ark preparation was somewhere in that time frame. His sons were 100. What about other children? Grandchildren?
V 7 2. These were the eight humans that God deemed worthy to be saved from the flood judgment. Along with them…
V 8-9 3. There were actually 7 pairs of the clean animals and seven pairs of the birds. 7:2-3
V 13- 4. Again it is made clear as to who entered God’s shelter. Noah’s family and all the land animals and birds of the
16 earth. The end of verse 16 answers the question as to how the ark was sealed. It was done by God Himself. Verse 16 also repeats the key that we spoke of last week. All was fulfilled by Noah as God had commanded him. 6:22; 7:5
b. the storm
V 10 1. After everyone was on the ark, the floods came seven days later. Cf. 7:4
V 11a 2. Enough detail of the time is given that we know that they were on the ark 377 days. We’ll specifically detail that next week. Here is the beginning time frame.
V 11b 3. Here’s the key to the world-wide flood. Illus. of the unbelievers who say there isn’t enough water in our atmosphere to create a global flood. There isn’t now, but there was then.
a. “the fountains of the great deep were broken up.” No doubt there were gigantic upheavals and shiftings in the earth’s crust which cause the ocean floors to rise and break up their reservoirs of subterranean waters. The coastlands were changed forever. Along with that…
b. “the windows of heaven were opened.” Torrential rains came as the earth’s protective vapor canopy released the waters protecting the earth since its creation a couple of thousand years before. Cf. Gen. 1:6-7 It was perhaps here that the polar ice caps were formed and the earth’s surface was changed for the duration of its life. The way man would live and his life span was also drastically altered by this catastrophe.
V 12 4. So great were these waters, that it took 40 days and nights for the flood to be complete.
Trans. One thing we can do to prepare for the end of the world is WE CAN ENTER GOD’S SHELTER. The other option that everyone has is…
ii. we can experience god’s judgment vs. 17-24
Illus. of “A Cat and Mouse in Heaven” A cat and a mouse died on the same day and went up to Heaven. At the top they met God and he asked them 'How do you like it so far?' The mouse replied 'It's great, but can I get a pair of roller skates?' God said 'Sure', and he gave him a pair of roller skates. The next day God saw the cat and asked him 'How do you like it up here so far?' and the cat replied 'Great, I didn't know you had meals on wheels up here!'
The theology of that joke is as bad as the theology that says that God does not judge the earth by using natural disasters. It may not be global judgment, but it could be territorial. I.e. Sodom and Gomorrah. The judgment here in Genesis 7 is global and will be the only global judgment until the end of the Millennium. How do we know it was global?
A. the water level
V 17- 1. Over the 40 days, as the water poured from the heavens and as the deep spewed forth their waters, the water
18 level rose to cover every dry part of the earth.
V 19- 2. The highest mountains were covered by at least 45 feet. It was not possible for anything beyond marine life to
20 survive. How could they breathe on the ark? Either the mountains were not as high before the flood or God made it possible for them to breathe. The earth’s changes and runoff would make the topography much different after the flood. The water level indicates a global flood. Also…
b. the body count
V 21- 1.Everything died. Not before nor since has there been such a disaster. Millions and perhaps billions died, along
23a with all animal life. Illus. of the tsunami disaster cannot even compare to this one.
V 23b 2. Only 8 humans a few of each species were kept alive by God.
V 24 3. The water level stayed at that height for 150 days.
4. Sin corrupted all of the earth and only a fresh start could suffice. It will be the same at the end of this Age. Cf. Matt. 24:37-39
c. why a judgment of this nature?
1. God is sovereign and frequently uses nature to judge mankind. He has power and freedom over His creation.
2. The flood would wash clean the earth. No trace of the previous wickedness would be found.
3. God used the flood to start a new creation. Noah parallels Adam here. God commissioned him to be fruitful and multiply and to have dominion on over all the earth. Noah would plant a garden, whereas God planted a garden for Adam. Since sin was already present though, Noah’s nakedness was a sign of degradation, whereas Adam’s was a sign of righteousness.
4. God makes a provision for those that are recipients of His grace.
conclusion
If the end is near, how do we prepare? Everyone has one of two choices. WE CAN ENTER GOD’S SHELTER or WE CAN EXPERIENCE GOD’S JUDGMENT. What does that mean for the world today?
1. God’s shelter is available to all who trust in Christ. GOSPEL This protects us from eternal judgment and the judgment of the Tribulation period.
2. God’s judgment is sure. Heb. 9:27
3. God’s shelter is available for other times of this life. Shelter during temptation and the trials of life. Life will not always be easy, but Jesus is always with us.
Illus. of Psalm 91 pictures this perhaps better than any other passage. I.e. The Mathewsons.
The end is near, but for the followers of Christ, we are sheltered by our heavenly Father through His Son.
pray
liberty bible church 1/14/07 P.M.
By Tom Zobrist
“the end is near!”
Genesis 7:6-24
introduction
Talk of the end of the world has been a common theme throughout the last several decades. But, is it just the boy calling wolf all over again? Is the end really near or is it all just the talk of religious fanatics? Is the end really near? If so, how do we prepare?
i. we can god’s vs. 6-16
a. residents of the shelter
b. the storm
Cf. Gen. 1:6-7
ii. we can god’s vs. 17-24
A.
b.
Cf. Matt. 24:37-39
c. why a judgment of this nature?
conclusion
What does this mean for the world today?
1.
2.
Cf. Heb. 9:27
3.
Cf. Psalm 91