READ: GENESIS 7:1-24 TEXT: v16 THE LORD SHUT NOAH IN
And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.
We have the divine commentary on this
story: Heb 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. Of course the whole story is dramatic...man's
rebellion inducing God to wipe out entire race apart from
those/ark...the faith of Noah....the huge ark...the great flood ...the
safety of those in the ark etc., Not less dramatic is the fact that no
human hand closed the door after Noah entered the ark. It was God's
hand pulled the huge waterproof door behind Noah. These things are
true. Historical facts. Not only revealed: Bible but even in geology
etc...evidence of a world wide flood as revealed here. Account is most
instructive for purposes of preaching/gospel. Just as man sinned
then...so has he sinned again. Wrath/God is still abides/sinner God has
appointed a day: His wrath will again be poured out - not/flood...but:
fervent heat/earth burned up. Thankfully as then so now...men can still
find grace (6:8) There is a way/salvation...this salvation is found
alone in the cross work of Jesus Christ. 4 main thoughts/consider:
1) THE ARK WAS OF DIVINE INITIATIVE AND PLANNING:
A/ World could not have been more dark/wicked: Note the cause 6:5 & affect: 6:6 Despite a most stern warning: 6:3
B/ Noah himself is the subject of cause/affect: 6:8-9
By nature Noah: 6:5 Left to himself...Noah would have been as sinful as any around him.
1 John 1:7-9 would be Noah's text.
Noah was saved because electing grace marked him out for salvation.
Divine mercy moved in a sovereign way upon his heart.
C/ Had grace not have done so: Noah: not have been saved. Sobering application!
Reject a "Christianity" which gives us airs about ourselves and elevates the sinner instead of the free grace of God.
D/ Noah did not originate the ark. Not of human invention.
Noah did not have the wherewithal to build it.
Human genius do not do this. Human genius signally failed in case/others.
E/ Men are saved from wrath/God through the Cross of Christ.
Not of human invention: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Salvation by the Cross is the idea of God.
Man could never think it/plan it/execute it apart from the sovereign hand/God: Acts 4:26-28
It is this that fires us up to preach the Cross. It cannot fail!
Cannot know disappointment or failure. Not only its invention but it's success: ordained of God.
2) NOAH ENTERED/ARK: OBEDIENCE/GOD'S COMMAND:
A/ In itself not enough: Noah should build the ark.
Not enough: Bear reproach: identifying with it (What reproach!) Not enough.
B/ Noah had to enter/ark. Saving faith: an active thing. Saving faith
actively obeys the gospel commands/Bible. Evangelical obedience.
Not to be confused with idea/salvation by works. Evangelical obedience recognises: Romans 5:6 "without strength"
C/ Noah was distinctly invited/ark (7:1)
Don't merely linger about its door...don't just talk about it...know about it...but actually enter in.
This which is the act/faith. Failure: disaster!
D/ Everyone is invited to come to Jesus Christ: salvation.
Free unlimited/unrestrained offer/gospel. Indeed cp. John 10:9
It is not presumption to cast salvation/your soul in its entirety upon Christ.
Presumption (Rebellion!) to cast the salvation soul upon something else either: alternative or a supplement.
Had Noah played that game...would have been lost forever.
E/ By entering into the ark...Noah bid farewell to a doomed world with its doomed philosophy & its doomed religion.
Did some believe message/judgement...but reject God's remedy?
F/ The Cross both condemns/saves.
God's proof of our absolute helplessness: Gal 2:21 but once we get to: harrowing thought ("I really am lost")...
It is: 1 Corinthians 1:18 but only then.
G/ Noah believed it so much that he preached it to others: 2 Peter 2:5
This is why we ought to be busy in evangelism. It gives edge to what we are telling people. Publicly identified.
3) GOD SECURED NOAH IN THE ARK:
A/ Came a time when all preaching ended. Great ark was built.
Day of wrath had come/sinners: 6:3 No more pleading with men/saved. D-Day!
A faint early sounding out of a question later articulated by Pilate: Matthew 27:22
B/ Time for the antediluvians to make up their mind.
They had had their sins/mockery etc...were they going to be saved or not?
Wrath/angry God was coming. Noah & family were now entering into the ark.
Waved goodbye to...large crowd(?)
Ignored the wiseacres... ignored the patronising looks of the more polite. Perhaps one last invitation...and then: v13
C/ Something wonderful happened. Might use/word: miraculous
(text) No human hand. It was not Noah or his sons who closed the doors/sealed it. It was the hand of God. What/tell us?
THAT NOAH/FAMILY WAS SAFE & COULD NOT PERISH
Old ark took some pounding: v11 I have been on some rough sea
crossings...but I'm sure they were like skating on ice cp. This case.
I'm not saying that Noah/family were comfortable/100% full of joy/free from anxiety...but they were 100% safe.
None of them were lost. Survived the flood. Arrived safely.
D/ Wonderful picture: the soul flees for refuge/Jesus Christ.
Picture a page. Distinctive watermark. Picture of the ark. Perhaps even
being rocked to/fro & battered in the storm. A most dramatic water
mark indeed. Almost fear/those inside. Look at the words printed in
bold black letters for emphasis:
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3) and again:
And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my
hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is
able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (John 10:28-29)
Here is the answer to those who say that they could never hold on to
salvation & would relapse into the old sins again which we are
called to forsake.
I'm not saving Jesus Christ... Christ is saving me.
It is not my honour at stake...it is His.
He did not call upon me...I called upon Him. Therefore: safe for evermore.
4) EVERY GENERATION NEEDS AN ARK FOR SAFETY:
A/ Ancient story...but an ever contemporary truth. Every generation sins. Every generation is doomed...needs a Saviour.
B/ Last generation (Are we in it?) is particularly noted/Bible: Matthew 24:37-39 Only it's not a flood...but great fire/heaven.
Where is the only place of refuge from that? Ans:- Where it has always been...Acts 4:12
C/ Invitation is still sounding forth. Door/mercy is still wide open. Whosoever will may still come. Appeal.
THE END