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. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, 9 two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, 14 they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in. 17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days. Meditation God provides a way of salvation, escape from the flood of judgement, and entrance into comprehensive new creation. The flood was God’s just judgement on a world in rebellion. All the earth was corrupt, but Noah was found righteous (6:5-8). Noah believed God would save his family and him, preserving the promise of Genesis 3:15 by providing salvation from judgement. From faith, Noah “did all the Lord commanded” (6:27; 7:5, 16). Noah built the ark, gathered the animals, said goodbye to friends, “and the Lord shut him in” (16). The flood is judgement pictured in the punishment of death, pointing to the cross of Christ, and inviting us to both salvation and new creation. In almost an exact reversal of the account of creation, the flood waters covered the land, killed all animals, and wiped out all peoples (20-24). Only Noah and his family were saved. The cross of Christ is the ultimate picture of judgement fulfilled, where the Author of all life actually died. Jesus was flooded by the Father’s wrath against our sin, dying in our place, so His blood can wash and cleanse all who believe. The ultimate flood of judgement covered Christ on the cross for believers to have security in God’s salvation and entrance into a comprehensive new creation. God promises a “time of restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21) made possible by the peace Christ offers through His blood shed on the cross (Colossians 1:20). All who believe Jesus is God’s provision of salvation will escape the coming judgement and enter comprehensive new creation. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you about the judgement of God through the flood and God’s pleasure to provide secure salvation for Noah and His family? -Do you believe Jesus is the only way of salvation from the coming just judgement of the Lord? If so, does your life show it, as Noah’s was set apart from people in his day? -How does the promise of comprehensive new creation through the cross of Christ draw you to endure until Jesus returns again? Key Verse 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in. Comments are closed.
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AuthorPastor Mitchell celebrates twenty-five years of marriage with Lisa and together they have four adventurous children. |