The Ark

Genesis 6:1-8 The Ark

1. God's Preparation Of Noah

(a) Noah was living in an Age of Sin. 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Wicked and ungodly leaders were trying to reshape society, calling evil good, and good evil.

Honesty was replaced by hypocrisy. Love was replaced by lust.

Holiness was replaced by hellishness. God was replaced by greed.

(i) Days of Confusion + compromise – 6 v. 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

(ii) Days of Conflict – 6 v. 13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

(iii) Days of Corruption – 6 v. 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

(iv) Days of Condemnation – v. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

(b) Noah was living in an Age of Sorrow. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

Sin may not bother a lost world, but it breaks the heart of a holy God.

(c) Noah was living in an Age of Suffering. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Sin not only breaks the holy heart of God, it brings the heavy hand of God.

2. God's Position With Noah 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

A. Noah's Conversion Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Grace Taught - Eph 2 v 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Grace Bought - 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Grace Sought - Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. because He sought It.

Noah was not saved because he built the ark. Noah built the ark because he was saved.

B. Noah's Character 9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Noah was a "just man." righteous, or better translated, "justified."

Because Noah had accepted God, God had accepted Noah.

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

C. Noah's Conduct 9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations,

Perfect literally means "without a blemish or spot." or "blameless." ie he was different.

D. Noah's Commitment 9 and Noah walked with God.

He Alone enjoyed an unbreakable friendship and an unbroken fellowship with God.

E. Noah's Confidence 22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him,so did he.

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.

Faith is obeying God in spite of the circumstances and regardless of the consequences.

Noah was saved by grace through faith.

3. God's Provision For Noah 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

Just as Noah was physically saved by God's provision of a ship,

we are spiritually saved by God's provision of a Saviour.

A. The Substance Of The Ship - Make thee an ark of gopher wood;

Gopherwood is what we call today cypress. it is almost indestructible. It does not easily rot.

This symbolizes the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as this wood was cut down so the ark could be built, the Lord Jesus was cut down and nailed to a cross that we might be saved.

B. The Security Of The Ship and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

Pitch.- literally means atonement.