“They came to Noah and to the ship in pairs—everything and anything that had the breath of life in it, male and female of every creature came just as God had commanded Noah. Then God shut the door behind him.” –Genesis 7:16.
Undoubtedly, you’ve heard the phrase “the calm before the storm”? I sense in my spirit that this is where we are in this season. I believe we are in that place of seemingly blue skies, still. And yet, if you’ve been paying attention, you’ve surely seen the storm clouds looming on the horizon. The Apostle Paul warned us about this season when He spoke to believers about the hope of our resurrection and the dark days to come upon the Church in 1 Thessalonians. He encouraged us not to despair over this coming storm, rather have hope. Though he was speaking specifically about the rapture of the Church in his preceding verses, Paul makes it clear to his reader exactly how the events of this future time will unfold. Keeping in mind that Israel is God’s world clock. “When people say, “Everything is quiet and safe,” then suddenly destruction will hit them! It will come as suddenly as the pains that come upon a woman in labor, and people will not escape” –1 Thessalonians 5:3.
When we lay Paul’s account of the last day’s side by side with the biblical account of Noah and the flood, the similarities are striking. In the Genesis account, we’re told that up until the time the Lord sealed Noah and his family safely in the Ark, life outside of the Ark was a day like any other—seemingly blue skies above. People went on about their everyday lives—only Noah and his family obeyed God. Then suddenly God told Noah to put down his bucket of pitch. The time had come for them to get inside the Ark. Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation” –Genesis 7:1.
I’ve heard it said, “sometimes faith will make you look stupid until it starts to rain.”
Some theologians say it took between 55 to 75 years for Noah to build the ark—while still others say it was more like 120. The time it took, however, pales in comparison to Noah’s unswerving obedience to God’s command to build this boat despite the fact no one had ever seen the rain. 2 Peter 2:5 acquaints us with the fact that our Noah was far more than just the builder of the Ark of God, however. Noah was God’s herald, he was one who announces the heart of God to the world, listen: “And God did not spare the ancient world–except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.” We may liken Noah to John the Baptist in this respect—each God’s herald. The Bible isn’t specific concerning whether or not Noah was ever a “voice that cried out” to those around him to repent, but we do know the work he did on the Ark itself would have been a sure and certain witness nevertheless. Hebrews 11:7 surely attests to this fact. Just picture it, this mammoth boat a conspicuous herald in itself—a portent. And yet, everyone continued to go on about their business, ignoring somehow, this proverbial “elephant in the room.”
Sound familiar?
So, what of all this? What does Noah’s Ark have to do with anything going on today? And why am I telling you about it? Allow me to answer those questions by pointing you to the Ark’s door. Yes, that’s right—its door. This massive Ark, designed in the mind of God and crafted by Noah and his sons, was able to hold far more than eight people and a glut of animals. That Ark was 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high according to Scripture, or approximately 440×72×43 ft. The Titanic measured 850 x 92 x 64 ft. and at the time it sank had a total of 3,300 human souls on board. The Ark held only eight human souls onboard when God sealed Noah and his family inside—let that sink in for a moment. Additionally, on such a massive-sized vessel as this Ark, Scripture also informs us there was only one entrance, only one door. Only one way to get inside, one way to be saved from the rain that would soon flood the entire world. And God Himself stood as the sentinel at that door. Remember, our Scripture tells us that it was God alone who sealed an obedient Noah and his family safely inside the Ark—no amount of pitch or tar did that, and anyone else that may have was far too busy “living their best life” elsewhere. “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” –John 10:9.
Friends, just as Jesus abhorred the rampant sin He witnessed in the days of Noah, the very same holds true of Him today. God, after all, is immutable. “But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to sever their memory from the earth”—Psalm34:16. Yet just as Jesus had made a way for Noah and his family to enter into the Ark, He offered this same way to anyone else who would have repented of their sin that they may enter in as well. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” –Romans 10:13.
Noah had found favor in the eyes of God because God knew Noah’s heart was for Him—Noah’s good works didn’t bring about his salvation, God’s mercy, and His election of Noah did that. God knew Noah had an obedient and contrite heart—and it was counted unto him as righteousness, “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith”—Hebrews 11:7. We’ll see this same salvation by grace through faith evinced in the life of Father Abraham in Genesis 15:6. And in Ephesians 2:8-9, it’s the Apostle Paul who assures us that it is by God’s grace alone, through faith, and not by works, that we are saved. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”’
Now back to this door I spoke of earlier. This Only Way into the Ark, the Only Way that any one of them might have been saved from the rain that would soon flood the entire world...
Just as there was only one door that led into the Ark then, Jesus is that only door through which man can enter into eternal life—be restored to a right relationship with the Father. Listen to how Jesus Himself says this in John 10:8-11. Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” The rain is coming, friends. If you’ve been paying attention then you’ve seen those storm clouds looming on the horizon. It may not come tomorrow, or next week, or even next year—but as sure as the rain came in the days of Noah—storm clouds are heading our way. But the good news is—there’s more than enough room to enter into safety right now—today! Jesus Christ is the Ark of your salvation, and He will open the door and bid you come in, to anyone who knocks—sincerely seeking after Him. Just as Noah was saved by grace through faith from the destruction of the Flood, we can be saved by grace through faith in Jesus, when we repent and turn to Him. –Paul F. Taylor
Friend, my great hope is that if you didn’t have this personal relationship with Jesus when you started reading today, you’ll sincerely cry out to Him now. I pray you’ll ask Him into your life—your heart, as Lord and Savior. I promise you, that if you’ll earnestly knock, He’ll surely answer. “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” –John 10:9-11.
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