Noah’s Ark and What it Means for You!
Genesis 6:11-22
13 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. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. (ESV)
I. A Warning –“I will destroy them…” v.13 God said, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh…” Notice again in verse 17 “For behold, I will bring a flood…to destroy all flesh..” Look back in verse 7 “I will destroy man..”
This warning from God is not what might happen if man does not turn around and do better. It’s not a potential warning. It’s a certain, determined event to take place. During stormy weather there will be a tornado watch and a tornado warning. A watch means conditions are right for the possibility of a tornado. Look at verses 11,12 and note the wickedness and violence. This is a “watch”. Conditions are ripe for the judgment of God. A warning means a tornado has been spotted and you need to take cover now. This is not God’s flood watch, but it is God’s flood warning! It is coming directly to you. “I have determined to make an end of all flesh” (ESV) It’s not a sudden warning. God has put the word out for a long time.
(1) A prolonged warning – (see Gen. 6:3) “yet his days shall be 120 years” God did not make the announcement of a global flood and in five minutes it comes. The warning goes out for a long period of time. This speaks of the patience of God. “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all might come to repentance.” 2Peter 3:9 Today, look how long God has warned America to turn back. It was a devastating earthquake that destroyed much of Haiti. What holds back something of a greater magnitude from hitting our country? It’s by the grace of God that we have not been destroyed. The national sin of America is abortion. God said to Noah, (v.13) “for the earth is filled with violence through them..” The most violent place in America is not on the streets of Chicago, Memphis, or New York. The most violent place in America is occurring in the womb where mass murder is going on. The slaughter of innocent babies is not what you hear about today. God hears the cries of those babies just as He heard the cry of the blood of Abel. Noah’s flood is a warning to America. There is coming a fire from the Lord.
Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
(2) A clear warning – No one can say that the warning is not clear. God said in v.7 “I will destroy man from the face of the earth” It is repeated again in v.13 and v.17. Noah was God’s mouthpiece declaring coming judgment. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
2Peter 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; Noah preached clearly of God’s intent to destroy mankind. How clearer can you get? The warning of coming judgment is clear in Scripture. Consider what is said in 2Thess 1:7-9
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
II. A Solution - “make yourself an ark of gopher wood” (v.14)
1. A Specific Solution - God gives specific instructions on what to do. “Make yourself” This is what you must do. God did not send angels down to build the ark. God did not build it in heaven and send it by UPS. If it was to be built, Noah and his sons had to do it themselves. God gave the instructions, the dimensions, and the procedures and told what type of wood to use. The wood was to be gopher wood. This is probably cedar, or cypress wood which was very abundant in that area of Armenia. The dimensions were to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. “Pitch” a resin substance, was used to fill in the cracks of the wood and provide a seam to keep water out. How did the ark look? It definitely was not in the shape that’s often seen in children’s story books. It was a hollow chest, or a box designed to float on water. The huge size of this box made it impossible to capsize. It was not designed for speed, but rather for stability. The volume of space inside the ark was 1.4 million cubic feet which is equal to about 522 standard railroad box cars. That amount of space could carry 125,000 sheep. It had 3 stories with each being 15 feet high. The average size of land animals is less than the size of a sheep. It has been estimated that only 60% of the space would have been necessary for all the animals. Only two of each kind, male and female was brought on board. What about dinosaurs? It is very possible that dinosaurs were still alive and a young dinosaur would have been small enough to get on board. What kept animals from eating other animals? Remember, according to Genesis 9:3 all animals were vegetarians until after the flood was over. There was plenty of room.
Look at verse 19-21. And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark. Verse 21 says you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten. Someone has suggested that with 3 decks, that the top deck which was under roof was for the birds. The 2nd deck was for the grain, food for the trip. The 3rd and lowest deck was for the larger animals. It would make sense to put the heavier animals, such as the elephant in the bottom. You wouldn’t want Mr. Elephant on the top floor.
You can say the solution for being saved from the flood was totally from God. Even though Noah had to cut the timber, and put this Ark together, it was God who gave him the strength, the health, and desire to take on this huge project. Our salvation is totally of God. We are saved by grace alone, in faith alone, by Christ alone. We are to appropriate the means of grace and repent. Even repentance is a gift from God. The solution is totally divine, but humanly we are responsible to take advantage of the opportunity to believe and follow Christ. Noah took up the saw and began to cut lumber. Jesus commands us to “take up our cross and follow him.” It is wrong to think, “well, if God wants me on board of the Ark, He will put me there in His own time.” Later on in chapter 7 God will say, ‘come into the ark, you and your household”. We are responsible to “come”. Thank God for the divine initiative to change our hearts and desires. Man stands responsible for his own sin of rejection of the Cross of Calvary. What keeps you out of the Ark of Salvation is your own rejection of Christ.
2. A Sufficient Solution - “make yourself an ark of gopher wood.” There had to be sufficient wood to make the ark. The wood took on the punishment of the flood on the outside and at the same time provided salvation, security and peace for all those inside. The cross of Jesus was the wood upon which bore the suffering Savior who took upon himself the punishment for sin. The timbers were cut and prepared to receive the nails which hung our Lord and Savior. Jesus is our Ark. He alone is our Sufficient Savior. And then it says “make a window for the ark” v.16 An ark without a window would not be sufficient for survival. The window, no doubt, allowed for air, or ventilation. Noah, his family and the land creatures need oxygen. Air to the physical being is like the Holy Spirit to the Spirit being. There is no salvation apart from the Holy Spirit. Jesus told Nicodemis in John 3:8
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Some say the window “may have actually been a low wall around the flat roof to catch water for all on the ark.” Water speaks of the Word of God. John 15:3; 1Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
3. A Solitary Solution - “set the door of the ark in its side….” Only one door is made. It is the same door that God shuts in Genesis 7:16 “and the Lord shut him in.” This reminds us of what Jesus said in John 10:9
I am the door: by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. It is the solitary door, the only door. Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Many people think there are other ways to heaven. There’s not one way for the Buddhist, and another way for the Muslim, and another way for the Hindu. There is only one way. That way is through Christ.
4. A Saving Solution.. (v. 17) “And behold, I Myself am bringing a flood..” Here again we see what’s coming up. Judgment is just around the corner. The Ark would be the solution to saving Noah and his family from becoming swept away in the flood.
Once someone was asked, “are you saved?” They responded with this question, “saved from what?” Both are good questions. God wanted Noah to realize what building the Ark was all about. It was about being rescued, or delivered from impending judgment. God gave Noah specific directions and sufficient directions. He gave Noah the only solution – solitary solution and the main reason is to save them from what was coming up. The Ark proved to save them. It was the only life raft. It was their only life line.
III. A Covenant is made - (verse 18)
This is the first mention of a covenant in the Bible. “I will establish my covenant with you” Covenants were very common in the Bible. After the flood God mentions again about establishing a covenant with Noah and his family. A rainbow would be the sign of the covenant. (see Genesis 9:17) God establishes a covenant with Abraham, and then with Moses, David and when we come to the New Testament, Jesus says In the same way [He]also [took]the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (HCSB) 1Cor. 11:25
The word in the King James is Testament and it means “Covenant”.
Notice in Genesis 6:18 “with you will I establish my covenant…” He speaks of the future. He was not establishing it at that moment, but “I will establish my covenant with you.” After the flood notice in Genesis 8:20 “Noah built an altar unto the Lord..” Noah offers up a sacrifice to the Lord.
Notice in Genesis 9:9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; God does not say I will establish in the future, but right now “behold, I establish my covenant with you.” This points to the day when Jesus will be offered on the altar of the cross.
A covenant means there is the provision and protection of a covenant relationship with God. More details will be given when we get to chapter 9. It speaks of an eternal covenant – or perpetual to all generations. It points toward the New Covenant in the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In Christ alone we find the forgiveness of sins. In Christ alone we find a relationship with the Heavenly Father. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Not only were Noah and his family protected from the judgment to come, but they were brought into a relationship with the Living God. A relationship of acceptance, a relationship of love, a relationship of peace.
Becoming a Christian is more than just being protected from the fires of Hell, it’s all about a personal relationship with the God of the Universe. That’s what the Lord’s Supper is all about. It’s about remembering Christ and what has been made possible for us. We are in covenant relationship with Christ.
Thank God we have been saved from something – eternal Hell. We have also been saved to something! We are adopted into the family of God. We have a Heavenly Father. This relationship is real and fulfilling.
Swan Creek Baptist Church
Pastor Chris Gowen
229 Glenn Springs Rd
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464
www.chrisgowen@msn.com
