Genesis 6:11-16
Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!
“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.
Today was our second sermon from the EPIC series and I chose to blog about it rather than the verse of the day because I learned something new! Pastor Himaya was able to translate the picture of Christ through the building of the ark. Had I been taught this in years past, I must have forgotten but now I wish to share as some may have never been shown or they too may have forgotten.
God told Noah to build a large boat from wood. As this may be for our benefit so that we would be able to process how much time and effort went into this boat or so scholars didn’t conceive some idea that this boat was made from metals but it seems a little redundant to tell Noah to build an ark out of wood. During that time, they would not have used any thing else other than wood to make boats. But we see wood somewhere else in the Bible. The cross, made of wood, is a huge symbol of the love of God. Here, with Noah, we see the wooden ark as that love from God. “Waterproof it with tar.” Well, of course the boat needs to be waterproofed but this is a covering–like Christ is our covering. He is our atonement for sin. The tar was the covering of the boat to protect Noah and his family from the consequences of sin (the flood)–such as Christ is our covering to protect us from the consequences of sin (death and separation from God). Another word for the stalls that God tells Noah to build throughout the Ark is rooms. In John 14:2, Jesus tells the disciples “My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” And then lastly, God tells Noah to build one door for the Ark. There is to be one way in and one way out. The Bible says that God left that door open for 7 days before He (God–not Noah) closed it. This represents Jesus and the Kingdom also. John 14:6 states that “Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Like there was only one way to survive the flood and not face death and that was through that one door onto the Ark, so is Jesus our one way to free ourselves from that separation from God. He is the only answer to make us holy and to make us right with God again.
Pastor Himaya touched on that question we all get when discussing God’s majesty, his goodness and his sovereignty.... “where was God’s mercy during the flood when all of those people died?” His mercy was in the Ark, people. In the Ark. Like today, his mercy is in Christ. There is a way. You do not have to live without a relationship with God. You do not have to spend an eternity separated from God. You do not have to pay the consequences of sin because Christ has already paid our debt. Our freedom is in Him. Our ransom has been paid. We are free. But He is the only way. You have to believe. You have to accept Him. Allow God to show you His mercy through Jesus.
Lord, I thank you for showing me something new. I thank you that I can see Christ in my study. Lord, I pray that hearts will continue to be touched and souls saved for your glory alone. I thank you for the passion that you instill in me. I thank you that your Spirit is within me and that I can feel you. Lord, my soul cries out for your goodness, your sacrifice and for your love. How I love to hear the good news. How I love to know you died for me, Lord. For me. Before I even knew you, Lord. You took a brutal beating and died a sinner’s death for me. Because you loved me, I can now love you. And I do love you, Lord, with a heart so full that I can’t even place into words how you make me feel. I worship you, Lord. Continue to burn your fire within me.
Romans 5:11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
We are friends of God through Christ.
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| Vanderbilt 2009 post PNP Graduation |
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