The Bible is all about Jesus Christ and throughout the Old Testament Jesus was concealed through types of his future coming. A type is an example or illustration that points to a person or an event. As it says in Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” It is a great blessing to have revelation of Christ from the Old Testament and to apply it to our lives.
Reading through the story of Noah’s ark we can see, the Holy Spirit’s work in the world from the old to the new testaments and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. THE ARK WAS PROVIDED BY GOD, THROUGH GRACE – JESUS IS OUR ARK
Genesis 6:13-14 “God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself and ark…”
Because Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, a way was provided in order for him to escape judgment (Genesis 6:8). He found grace in the eyes of the Lord not through any of his own works, but by obedience to Gods commandment by faith. As it says in Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Then in Ephesians 2:8-9, it says “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
In the same way we are saved by grace through faith, Noah was also saved. God is a righteous God and he must judge sin, but as we see he is also a merciful God. It says in Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?”
For this very reason God the Father sent Jesus Christ by his grace, as our “ARK’ so that we can escape the judgment that is to come. John 3:16-17 says “For God so loved the world, the he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Revelation 13:8 says “… before the foundation of the world in the book of the Lamb who was slain.” This show
that Jesus was made a way and God knew the cost involved before even the world was created. This is a revelation of how special and valuable you and me are to God.
2. ARK’S DESIGN WAS REVEALED IN ADVANCE – COMING OF JESUS PROPHESIED
Genesis 6:14-15 “And this is how you shall make it…”. When God spoke to Noah, he was given detailed plans and instructions in order to build the ark. In a similar fashion, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ was prophesied with over 300+ prophecies about how we were to recognize the Messiah when he comes. Some examples of these prophecies are:
Psalm 2:7 “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.” – Jesus would be the Son of God
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” – Jesus born of a virgin
Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” – Jesus born in Bethlehem
Isaiah 53:10 “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.” – Jesus would be an offering for sin
Psalm 16:10 “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” – Jesus would be raised from the grave
3. THE ARK HAD ONE DOOR, AND MANY ROOMS – JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY AND HE HAS PREPARED A MANSION FOR US
One Door:
Genesis 6:16 “…and set the door of the ark in its side…”
During the time of the flood the only way for salvation was if someone walked through the door of the ark. There was no other option to be saved. In a similar way the only way for salvation now is through Jesus Christ. As it says in John 10:9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 14:6 also says “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” When we accept Christ into our lives we receive forgiveness and entry into heaven, but by rejecting him we cannot enter into his presence and receive salvation from our sins.
Many Rooms:
Genesis 6:16 “…Make it with lower, second and third decks.”
When we receive Christ into our lives we not only received salvation from our sins but we became part of Gods family. 1 John 3:1 “See what kind of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…”. Jesus also told us that in his Father’s house there are many rooms, John 14:2 “In my Fathers house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that i go to prepare a place for you…”
4. THE ARK IS A REFUGE FROM THE STORM – JESUS CHRIST IS OUR REFUGE
Genesis 6:17-19 “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. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your son’s wives with you. 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.”
Just as the ark was a refuge from the storm and from judgment, Jesus is our refuge from God’s wrath. As it says in Romans 5:9-10 “Since therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life”
5. NOAH INVITED INTO ARK – JESUS INVITES US TO HIM
Genesis 7:1 “Then the lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.”
God invited Noah into the ark, where he would be safe from the storm that was to come, and his family was included as well. In a similar way Jesus has invited us to come to him for rest. Matthew 11:28 “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…”
6. SECURE IN THE ARK – SECURE IN JESUS CHRIST
Genesis 7:16 “And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.”
Just as the Lord secured Noah and all those who were in the ark, in a similar way the Holy Spirit has sealed us with the promise of salvation through Christ Jesus. Ephesians 1:13-14 says “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
John 6:37 also says “All that the Father give me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”
We can be confident in Christ Jesus that our salvation is sure.
7. AFTER THE FLOOD THE DOVE IS SENT OUT – 3 PATTERNS OF THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
a. The work of the Holy Spirit in creation
Gen 8:8-9 “Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. But the dove found no place to set her foot and she returned to him to the ark, for the water were still on the face of the whole earth.”
This shows a type of the work of Holy Spirit before the flood and before creation.. In Genesis 1:1 it says “…And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” The Holy Spirit was active in creation of the world
b. The work of the Holy Spirit from the Fall to the Birth of Christ
Genesis 8:10-11 “He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf”.
This symbolizes the period from the fall of man to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It says in Gen 6:3 “Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”” The Spirit of God never remained on man, but throughout the Old Testament we can see the work of the Holy Spirit upon certain individuals, but the Spirit of God never remained. Just as the dove returned to Noah with an olive branch, the Holy Spirit always returns fruitful to God the Father.
c. The work of the Holy Spirit in the Church (from the time of Jesus onwards)
Genesis 8:12 “Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.”
This symbolizes the period of Church where the Holy Spirit is poured out on all flesh. Just as the dove was sent forth the Holy Spirit is sent forth in the last days. Acts 2:17 says “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that i will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall see dreams;”
John 14:15-17 says “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with your forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you”.
This is a wonderful promise the Lord has given to each of us. Through the story of Noah and of Christ, we know that God loves each and every person and his will is that no one should perish but everyone come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). The story of Noah is also a signs of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Matthew 24:37 says “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of he Son of Man.” As in the story of Noah we must know that his coming is at anytime and there will be judgment on earth. Every person has an opportunity to turn from their ways to the ways of the Lord. The door is now open for anyone to come to salvation through excepting Jesus Christ our ark as your Lord and Savior.
If you have not excepted Christ as your savior, you can do that right now by saying the following prayer and living a life that is pleasing to God:
“God I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me. Amen.”
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