Illustrations explain complex things in simple ways. Like putting together a bicycle or piece of unassembled furniture. Or setting up a computer or electronics. If you want to learn how to tie a knot, or learn a new crochet stitch, the best way is to look at a picture.
The Old Testament is FILLED with ILLUSTRATIONS. These are true stories that demonstrate current realities. For example,
The TABERNACLE is an illustration of the work of Christ. Hebrews 9:9 “This is an illustration for the present time...”
ADAM is an illustration of Jesus, the Second Adam. Romans 5:14 “Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam ...who was a pattern of the one to come.”
And OT SAINTS illustrate our need to remain obedient in the Christian life. Hebrews 2:1 We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
The illustration that we are studying today is the illustration of The ARK. It teaches us about SALVATION. Just like Noah entered the ark to be saved from the flood, we enter the ark of salvation through faith in Christ to be saved from our sin.
Our study today compares The new beginning for Noah as he left the ark. The steps that Noah took at the end of the flood teach us about our new beginning in the Christian life. Noah began a new life in a new world, just like we begin a new life when we commit our lives to Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Noah presents a PICTURE of STARTING OVER in the CHRISTIAN LIFE
Genesis 8:13–19 (NIV84) — 13 By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 14 By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry. 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it.” 18 So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. 19 All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on the earth—came out of the ark, one kind after another.
As we consider the end of the flood, and Noah’s entrance into a new world, it illustrates our new life in Christ.
Jesus Saved you to give you NEW LIFE.
Genesis 8:13 (NIV84) — 13 By the first day of the first month of Noah’s six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.
This was Noah’s 600th Birthday present! There is no small coincidence in the exact date given to us in the text. The Lord wants us to know that the Noah entered his new beginning on the first day of his 601st year.
His first 600 years represent his OLD LIFE. Six is the number of MAN
a. Created on 6th day
b. Work for 6 days
c. Sabbath day
d. Sabbatical year
e. 600 = Mortal flesh
Noah’s first life is over, his new life begins.
Following Christ results in NEW LIFE
We are saved From DEATH to LIFE. Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Illus. Although Augustine was raised by a godly mother who constantly prayed for him, he led a life of wickedness. From stealing as a child, to a humanistic teacher, to immorality and drunkenness as a young adult. After a year of listening Ambrose preach on salvation, he surrendered his heart to Christ. When his lover heard of his conversion, she begged with him to return to her. She came to him and pleaded “Augustine, it is I!” Augustine replied, “Yes, but it is not I!”
We are saved from DARKNESS to LIGHT. Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
We are saved from BLINDNESS to SIGHT. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
The world of the FLOOD was a world marked by
SIN
SORROW
PAIN
DEATH
God CLEANSED the WORLD and brought Noah into a new reality, just like He cleanses us and brings us into a new reality and a new life.
Note what God says to Noah. In Genesis 8:15–17 (NIV84) — 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it.”
It is a reminder that Jesus Saved you to be FRUITFUL.
God told Noah to Go into the ARK. Genesis 7:1 NOW 1 year and 17 days later, God tells Noah to Come out of the ARK. Genesis 8:15 “These two commands are not contradictory, but complementary, reminding us of two complementary commands of Christ.” Henry Morris
Go into the ark represents The call to SALVATION. Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Come out of the ark represents The call to SERVE GOD. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:19–20)
Noah was to FILL the EARTH
Creation mandate repeated. “Fill the earth”
God desires FOLLOWERS. This means that our calling as Christians is not just to enjoy the fruits of salvation, but to share the fruit with others so that they also might be part of the redeemed. We are saved so that we share the message of the gospel.
But evangelizing others is not the only reason that God saved us and gave us new life. Jesus Saved you to WORSHIP HIM
Genesis 8:20 (NIV84) — 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
Noah BUILT an ALTAR. The first action on the part of Noah was to build an ALTAR.
His FIRST ACT was an act of WORSHIP
As Christians, we are to be worshippers.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.” (Hebrews 13:15)
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
Noah worshiped FIRST
Noah worshiped GENEROUSLY Genes 7:2. Noah had SEVEN of every clean animal. Noah gives 1/7 of his entire sustenance.
Noah gives COMPLETELY. This was a BURNT offering. All was consumed and offered to the Lord.
Is your life a life of worship to God?
God was PLEASED with Noah’s sacrifice
Genesis 8:21 (NIV84) — 21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Promise that as the earth endures, the seasons will not end
MAN MADE GLOBAL WARMING not a possibility
Finally, we see in the actions of Noah that
Jesus saved you to OBEY HIM
COMMANDS for Noah
Everything will be food for you. 9:3
Do not eat meat with its blood. 9:4
Murderers are to be executed. 9:5-6
Be fruitful and multiply
We are given commands.
“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,” (1 John 5:3)
““If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)
“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:3–6)
Living for Christ requires obedience. Many today have affection, but salvation requires obedience to the gospel.
Augustine knew the gospel....
One day he heard how some men had moved to give their whole heart and life to serve the Lord. Augustine was suddenly confronted with his sin of self-living. “He rushed out into the garden and flung himself under the fig tree and wept bitterly, crying out to God, How long, how long, why should not this hour be an end to my baseness?” From a neighboring yard he heard the voice of a child say, “Take and read” Augustine went over to a bench where laid a copy of the Epistle of Romans and he read Romans 13:13-14, “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Romans 13:13-14)
Here is a summary of what we see in the life and actions of Noah as he left the Ark. It illustrates to us the new life that we have in Christ.
New Life
Fruitfulness
Worship
Obedience
REST
Noah’s name means REST
Genesis 5:29 “He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.”
Genesis 8:4 “and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.”
Genesis 8:9 “But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.”
Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
Hebrews 4:9–10 “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.”
The opening prayer of Augustine’s “Confessions” sums up his whole experience in life. He writes, “Our hearts are restless until they can find peace with you [Lord Jesus].”
