Noah Builds An Ark – Part 2

 

Here is part two of our study on Noah. Obey all the way. Hope you have worked on Gen. 18:19.

 

  1. Noah was expected to follow the plan precisely. When God gives a plan, he wants it followed to the letter (Heb. 8:5). Jesus said that man was to live by every word proceeding from the mouth of God. He considered the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites because they did not follow every word (Mt. 23:23). Obedience is following all the plan. As humans, we have such a tendency to forge ahead our own way without thoroughly reading the instructions.  I have known entire classes who have spent the time to take a test wherein the instructions said to simply write your name and hand the test in blank.  Think how many things have been “assembled” with parts left over because the instructions were not read completely. To our own destruction, we often fail to obey the laws of God because we have not taken the time to understand them all. God commands unity in one church (Eph. 4:4;1 Cor. 1:10). We divide into denominations. He commands baptism (Mt. 28:19-20). We make it optional. He says “keep my commandments (Jn. 14:15). We ask how many must we keep. Because of Noah’s obedience, God’s grace kept the ark afloat. When we obey, God’s grace will save us as well (Heb. 5:8-9).
  2. God kept his promise to punish the disobedient. God is love (1 Jn. 4:8). God is merciful (Tit. 3:5). But God punishes the disobedient. Punishment provides the teeth to His demands for obedience. To coin a phrase, our God walks softly, but carries a mighty big stick called Hell. Listen to scripture in this matter: God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell…spared not the old word, but saved Noah…turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes…knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished (2 Pet. 2:4-9). When God says the disobedient are going to hell, you can count on it.
  3. The ark is a type of the church. A study of types and anti-types is fascinating. Think of the similarities between the ark and the church (1 Pet. 3:20).

Both designed by God.

Both have a pattern.

Both designed to save the faithful from destruction.

Both physically built by men under instruction from God.

All of the saved were in the ark in Noah’s day. All of the saved are in the church in our day.

There was one door to the ark. There is one door to the church (Jn. 10:9).

God controlled/controls the door on both.

Both were supplied by a light.

Both use/used water as an agent for salvation. The flood for Noah. Baptism for us.

Salvation in both is/was through the grace of God.

 

  1. Noah was saved by water. God has often used water as a dividing line between the faithful and unfaithful, between salvation and loss. Here are just some.

The flood (Gen. 6)                                 The Red Sea (Ex. 14)

The water of Marah (Ex. 15:22-26)        The water of Meribah  (Ex. 17:6-7; Num. 20:24; Ps. 81:7)

Moses lost entrance into Canaan                        The choice of Gideon’s army (Judges 7:4)

Leaving the wilderness into the promised land (Josh. 3:14-17)

Worshipping in the tabernacle (Ex. 30:20)

Naaman’s healing (2 Kings 5)

Baptism does now save us (1 Pet. 3:21

 

 

  1. Noah was saved by the obedience motivated by his faith (Heb. 11:7).
  2. Noah was saved by God (Heb. 9:15; Heb. 11:13-16, 39-40.

 

Mike Glenn