NOAH’S ARK SAVED 8 LIVES Genesis 6:11

God had no alternative. He must judge His creation, which had insulted and rejected Him. ‘The earth was corrupt before God ‘ ( it was depraved and putrid ) and the earth was filled with violence’ ( there was assault and lust for power.) (v11).

The Bible repeated God’s grievance ‘as He looked on the earth and saw its degradation for all humanity had defiled their way on the earth.’ (v12)

God turned to Noah, saying , ‘ 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.’ (v13) The message was clear. God was impelled to act. Does our national violence and corruption compel God to send supernatural disasters? We observe the hurricane Floyd, with winds of 240 km per hour, and extending over 1000 kms, off the US coastline, compelling 3 million people to retreat to the higher levels. Is God calling that nation to repentance ? It is the most frightening hurricane in the nation’s history.

‘Make yourself an ark of gopher ( cypress ) wood, make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. ‘ (v14) No rain had fallen since creation, for God had covered the earth with a mist. No boat had been made. Hence the whole direction of God demanded such faith for Noah to listen and attend to God’s Word. Men scoffed at Noah in building a boat of vast dimensions, when men had not felt rain on their faces or properties.

Gopher or cypress wood was resinous and ideal for building construction or for idol making. Noah was directed to make rooms or nests or apartments in the ark, to accommodate the birds and animals.

God gave an unusual command to ‘cover it with pitch, inside and outside’. The Hebrew word describes the pitch or bitumen which would cover the entire structure within and without. The same word means ‘an atonement, an expiation and propitiation’. Christ’s blood has made an atonement for our sins, or a complete covering of them. He is our propitiation or mercy seat, where His precious blood, shed on Calvary’s cross, has made peace with the Father. Physically, the pitch waterproofed the ark guarding the occupants from the torrential rain and the floods from the heart of the earth. Spiritually, those 8 in the ark were secure from the judgment waters of a holy God. His wrath had been appeased. His justice had been satisfied. Our debt had been expiated in His cross sufferings. How marvellous to see Christ’s great salvation here!

The unbelievers vigourously pounded on the ark and mocked at the pitch covering the ark. Today they still scoff at the power of the shed blood of God’s Son. Those inside the ark were comforted whenever they saw the pitch covering the surface. They knew this was their security, just as the believer rests in the finished work of our Lord Jesus. Our eyes are firmly fixed on Him for He is our eternal safety.

Every detail had been planned,’ This is how you shall make it. The length of the ark is 300 cubits ( 150 metres ), its width 50 ( 25 m.) and its height 30 ( 15 m ). ‘ The vessel was ideal by navigational requirements to withstand the enormous hydraulic pressures which God unleashed on them. Astronomer Dodwell of Adelaide Observatory published his mathematics on a meteor plunging in the Pacific Ocean in 2345 BC, tilting the earth to its present deviation which produced a tidal wave , travelling at 1000 m.p.h. which covered all the mountains of the earth. That may well have been God’s judgment.

Acclaimed Zoologists have shown that every genus or species of animals, birds, reptiles could be well contained in a vessel of this size. Young dinosaurs did not require much space. Our Creator planned all things well.

‘You shall make a window in the ark. Set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second and third decks.’ ( v16)

The window allowed light and air to enter the ark, and the carbon dioxide and methane of all the creatures to escape.

There was only one door. In the chapter of Christ as the Good Shepherd, ( John 10 ), He taught’ I AM THE DOOR’. If any one enters by Me, he shall be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ( v9) Noah and his family perfectly illustrated the safety that they enjoyed when they entered through the door of the ark. The rest of creation perished. One year later, through that same door they left the ark to replenish the earth and establish the Name of the living God. Christ is the Father’s only door to eternal life.

But why did God direct that three stories be built? They were joined together structurally as one. They resisted the force of the underwater streams, and from the 40 days of crushing rain. Together they illustrated our great salvation in the Lord Jesus, for ‘I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any other creature (that is, nothing) shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. ( Rom 8:38,39) The truth is known as the Triunity or three in one. Each deck was an essential part of the whole, even as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit comprise the Godhead.

God showed His intention ‘ Behold I am bringing the flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is life; and everything that is on the earth shall die.’ ( v17) How God’s heart ached that He was impelled to devastate his beginnings. Truly, ‘the wages of sin is death.’ His original creation of man ( His highest work ) and all other creatures were living only because He had given them life. Now death, disaster and darkest ruin from man’s defiance would follow.

In this dismal scene, God’s love shone brightly, ‘ But I shall establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark- you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.’ ( v17) Noah had found grace in the eyes of the Lord’ (v8), which God expressed in this pledge. God bound Himself to Noah in that promise, just as our Lord Jesus bound Himself to us in His pledge or agreement when He said, ‘

This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.’

Then God told Noah to bring every living species of all flesh, male and female, of birds, of every creeping thing into the ark. ( v19,20 ). ‘ You shall take to yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself, and it shall be food for you and for them.’ ( v21) The Heavenly Father would adequately provide for this God-fearing family and the creatures which would be preserved from the deluge.

Noah was obedient. ‘ thus Noah did, according to all that God commanded him’ (v27).

The Lord chose Him for this characteristic, so precious in the Father’s sight.

Our children sang this song which describes this great leader:

Trust and obey. There’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus. But to trust and obey.