Genesis 14 Series

Genesis 14

Did you know that literally hundreds of different cultures from around the world have a story about an ancient flood that covered part or all of the world? There is at least 270 different ‘flood’ stories that are told throughout the world. Even the Koran mentions Noah’s Ark.

Also, there are hundreds of people that say they’ve actually seen Noah’s Ark stuck in a glacier in the mountains of Turkey. And I’m one of them. That’s right, I’ve seen Noah’s Ark. But it wasn’t in Turkey, it was in Texas. How it got there I don’t know, but it did. Listen, I’ve got proof right here in these pictures.

[Explain and show pictures.]

But seriously, I do believe that Noah’s Ark, or at least remnants from it, are still out there on Mount Ararat. It’s just too big a structure to completely disappear.

- Possible pictures

- Hundreds of documented eye-witnesses dating back to the 1850’s

- The 270 flood stories

- The biblical account

But you know what, when God is ready He’ll reveal the Ark to the world. All in His time.

Just like with the flood itself. When the right time came according to God, time was up for the world. But I tell you what, Noah was at the right place at the right time.

I. The right place at the right time

[Read Genesis 7:1-10.]

- Extra pairs of ‘clean’ animals

[Read Genesis 8:20, (for sacrifice). Read Genesis 9:3, (for food).]

- Animals came to Noah

[Read Genesis 6:20.]

- Entered ark a week ahead of time

[Read Genesis 7:10.]

Could you imagine if Noah would have waited until the last minute to get in the Ark? No doubt, some animals wouldn’t have made it. Maybe not enough supplies would have gotten on the boat. It would have been a frantic dash to get on board when the rain started.

But as usual, Noah was at the right place at the right time. Because of that, he could fully receive the blessings of God. He could full enjoy the path that the Lord had for Him. He could experience God’s perfect will for his life.

And Noah needed to be at the right place at the right time because:

II. When it rains it pours

[Read Genesis 7:11-12.]

For forty days and nights it rained and rained and rained. It never stopped. The rain just continued to pour from the sky mercilessly.

Now remember, rain is something new for the earth. It had never rained upon the earth before this, (which could have been up to 2000 years!) Now all of a sudden water if falling from the sky continually for forty days and nights. Where’d all that water come from? Is this even scientifically possible? Well sure it is.

[Read Genesis 7:11.]

1. The fountains of the great deep

- Volcanoes

- Geezers

- Evidence of that with shifting continents, fault lines, seas and lakes, etc.

These cataclysmic events would have caused the firmament to melt thus causing the forty days of continuous rain.

2. The firmament

[Read Genesis 1:6-8.]

As we learned weeks ago, the expanse, (rachia – firmament), was basically a protective canopy of ice that encircled the earth’s upper atmosphere. It protected life on earth from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun and also provided a perfect climate for life.

That’s one of the reasons people lived so long before the flood. But as we’ll see in the coming studies, the further people get away from the flood the shorter their life spans.

So this beautiful, protective creation of God that was designed to help life on earth exist eternally was now used to bring the end of all life on earth. How tragically ironic. Man, when it rains it pours.

But even in God’s judgment on sinful humanity there’s grace. There’s grace in the fact that life will go on because of God’s plan for the lifeboat.

III. Man the lifeboat

[Read Genesis 7:13-16.]

Being in the right place at the right time Noah, his family, and the animals were safe.

Not just safe because they were in the boat, but safe because the Lord closed the door behind them and sealed it shut!

You know, Noah had spent a lot of time working on the Ark. He spent 120 years on that thing making sure it was strong, durable and watertight. (That’s why the Lord told him to seal all the cracks with pitch, some kind of tar or glue.) But this was going to be the storm of all storms. That boat would actually be in the water between 8 months and a year; (we’ll talk about that next week). So it had to be ready for such an adventure as that. So the Lord put His finishing touches on the work that Noah had done. He sealed the door shut! His creation would endure. Life would go on. Life was now protected and secure because of the power of our protective God.