All the great civilisations in history have a story of a great flood. They are mostly garbled and corrupted apart from the account in Genesis. What was the Days of Noah like? It was a time of apostasy. It was a time of violence. It was a time of wickedness. Life was going on as normal and no one seemed to care. It had reached saturation point with God. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

1 – Grace provides a Saviour

The ark was a unique ship. Notice the following about it:-

• The security of the ship – Noah needed to be saved. The Ark was a type of Jesus Christ. The Ark was to be made of gopher wood that would not rot. It was to be pitched on the outside with tar to keep the water out. The word for this tar is the same word for atonement. Not one drop of water got through.
• The sufficiency of the ship (vs. 14-15) – There was plenty of rooms and it was huge in size. It was sufficient for all who would come aboard. There is room in the Ark for you.
• The shape of the ship (vs. 15-16) – There is no mention of a bow or stern. There was no helm. It is like the shape of a coffin. We are buried in Christ Jesus. There was a window in the ship that Noah could open to look out. There was one door and it was sealed by God. Noah was to be heavenly minded.
• The sustenance of the ship (vs. 17-21) – There is shelter and sustenance for those who are in Christ Jesus. He sets a good table.
• The schedule of the ship (Genesis 8:4) – The Ark rested upon the Mountain of Ararat. It coincides with the time of the year that Jesus arose from the dead.

2 – Grace provides salvation

Noah was saved by grace. This Ark shows us that salvation is by grace. See Romans 3:21. This is the only way anyone has been saved in the world. It is God’s only plan of salvation. It is by grace, through faith. It is necessary to have faith to receive grace. They had to go into the Ark. See Hebrews 11:7. We are not saved by faith and works; we are saved by faith that works.

3 – Grace provides security

Noah was safe in the Ark. Noah was to come rather than go into the Ark. God was in the Ark with Noah. They were “in” Christ. See 2 Corinthians 5:17. It was God who shut Noah in. He could not lose his salvation. We are not only saved by grace, we are also kept by grace. Noah did not have to hold onto the Ark to be saved from the flood waters. He was safe and secure within the Ark. The pitch on the Ark provided atonement. Noah was justified by faith when he entered the ship of grace.

God destroyed the early world by flood. What will happen in the future? See 2 Peter 3:3-13. People will scoff and think Christians mad – just like in the days of Noah. Noah was considered a “nutcase” building an Ark in the desert. God wants people to be saved again before this judgement comes. Jesus is the Ark of our salvation. Those who believe in Him will be saved from the wrath that is to come. Come into the Ark today.

Categories: Genesis