Noah's ark

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 11 MAY 2025 - MR IAN GILKINSON

Genesis 6 verses 1 to chapter 7 verse 5

Noah's ark - I am sure you have heard of it. How Noah built an ark to save his family and at least 2 of every kind of animal from dying from the storm waters of a global flood. You might even have an image of it in your mind. Perhaps it is the commercial image in Children's Bibles of a boat with no room with elephants and giraffes sticking out of every nook and cranny. The ark pictures the believer's salvation in Christ. Some of you probably have thought of that. Some not so much. Maybe the thought never crossed your mind. For a moment or 2 I want you to think of the typology of the ark. It is one of the clearest, most comprehensive types of the believer's salvation in Christ to be found in all of scripture. 

As we do so I want to consider the source of the ark. The ark was God's idea. It wasn't man's. A man didn't dream it up. Noah didn't dream it up. God did, as a means of escape from divine judgment. God was able to destroy all that had breath on the earth, all he had created on dry ground. The creatures in the sea - well some would live but not all of them. The idea was God's idea. It originated in his mind before a single drop of rain had fallen to the earth. Before this time the earth was watered by the dew. There was no rain. This idea, this original thought was in the Lord's mind even before 1 drop of rain fell to the earth. The source of the ark is God himself. That reminds me that God and not man is the author of salvation. The bible makes it clear - it originated in the mind of God before man was created. Before he created Adam and Eve it was in his mind. Before sin entered into the world. We are reminded in scripture that the Lord was slain from the foundation of the earth (Revelation 13 verse 8) The ark was thought of before man was made, before sin entered the world. God had it in his mind of sending his son Jesus to die for the sins of mankind. The source of salvation is God himself. 

Secondly, notice the special revelation of the ark. The need to build the ark was revealed by special revelation to Noah. The need to build the ark was revealed directly to Noah by God himself. Noah never dreamed of building an ark. He never thought of it. It never crossed his mind. It came to him from God himself by special revelation. God revealed the need to build the ark. It reminds me that man can never ever see his need of Christ, our ark unless it is revealed directly to them by God himself. Theologians believe a general revelation is creation which is beautiful. A special revelation is how God communicates to us. He spoke to Noah and told him to build the ark. Our need of salvation is revealed by God to us primarily through his word by the Holy Spirit. He takes the word of God and applies it to our hearts and minds. He illuminates our understanding, that we need to be saved, that there is no salvation outside of Christ. Unfortunately today there are few who fully understand that. They don't sit under God's word or hear God's word. Noah was made aware of the need to build the ark by special revelation. We realise our need when God's word is preached. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and need of Christ. We would not be saved without that. If you are not saved today you are still in the darkness of sin. God can illuminate your heart to know your need of Christ as Saviour. As we think of the ark, the source of the ark is God himself not man. It is the same with our salvation, it originated with God. It was by special revelation to Noah by God. Our need to be saved is revealed primarily through the word of God.

The substance of the ark. It was made of gopher wood (verse 14), the exact nature of which is unknown to us today. It was a type of dense hardwood, durable and in all probability for ship building purposes. This wood reminds me of several things. As I think of the Lord Jesus Christ the wood reminds me of his humanity. It was employed to provide a place of safety from the flood. The water of God's judgment was taken from the earth - trees grew out of the earth. Our Lord was the root out of a dry ground. He became a man. Man is made out of the dust of the ground. Our Saviour became a man to save us from the flood water of God's judgment. Notice also his sinless nature. Just as this wood was incorruptible in nature so too was our Saviour. Our Lord was without sin.  "In him was no sin nether was deceit or guile found in his mouth." He was sinless in all his ways. There was no sin in him. How different to us. We are sinful creatures. We are born in sin and shapen in iniquity, our hearts are desperately wicked. He became man but was without sin. It also reminds me of how Christ was cut down in the prime of his life to secure the lives of others. Even as the wood from the tree was cut down to secure the lives of not one person but 8 people, our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified in the prime of his life at the age of 33. In the language of prophecy he was cut down so that a refuge could be provided for us. These trees were cut down to provide a refuge for Noah and his family. Jesus was cut down in the prime of life to provide a refuge for you and me.

The sealing of the ark.  The ark was protected. It was covered within and without with pitch, being a resin substance which came from a tree to make it water tight. A bit like tar from petroleum. The covering reminds me of the blood of Jesus. His blood covers sin and provides a perfect atonement or a covering for the soul. The Hebrew word for pitch in verse 15 is the same word used throughout our bible for atonement. The blood of Jesus makes atonement for the soul. It covers the soul. We can be brought into a living relationship with Christ. It reminds us of divine judgment. Blessed is our ark, the Lord when he suffered in our stead to make atonement for our sin. The psalmist said "all thy waves and willows are gone over me." Think of the ark on top of the water being buffeted about no doubt by the wind and waves. Those inside were safe. Jesus on the cross experienced divine judgment. It was bursting on his soul in order to make atonement for our souls.

The size of the ark. We are told in verse 15 that it was 300 cubits in length, 50 cubits in breadth and 30 cubits in height. So it was roughly 450 feet by 75 feet in width. A large building construction with a volume of 1.5 million cubit feet. The total floor space was 100,000 square feet. There were 3 tiers equalling 33,750 square feet. When we think of the size of the ark it was big. Big enough to hold everything. It was designed to hold it all. That reminds me that our Lord Jesus is able to save all who come to him for salvation. It reminds me that there is room at the cross for you. If you are willing to come there is room at the cross for you. If you will just come Jesus has provided a great salvation and there is a home in heaven for us who believe in him. There is room for you too if you are not saved - but you must come.

The structure of the ark. The ark also had several distinct elements - one door, one window and 3 storeys or tiers, multiple rooms. The one and only door in the ark reminds me there is but one way to be saved from the flood waters of God's judgment, namely Christ. The one door shows there is one way to be saved. There is one and only one way to our Lord. Our Lord is the door by which we must enter in if we are to be saved. There is no other way to heaven outside of Christ. We must come to him if we want to be saved. Our good works are not good enough. No other religion will get you to heaven one day. The window - those who are in Christ Jesus are to look up for light in this dark world. The window was placed above the heads of man not on the side of the ark. Those in the ark had to look up for natural light. They had to look up for their source of light. We are to look up to Jesus for light in this dark world. Those in Christ Jesus are to set our affections on things that are above not on earth. They are temporal. Everything in this world will disappear one day. The Lord tells us to set our affections on things above not on things on the earth. The 3 tiers of the ark remind me that salvation involves the whole man - body, soul and spirit. When we get saved God saves the soul and the spirit is regenerated. When we die our bodies die but will be raised one day together with our soul and we will have a glorious new body like Christ's own. Those who are in Christ are saved from the penalty of sin. We don't need to fear God's wrath, hell and damnation if we have been saved from the penalty of sin. We are saved from the power of sin too. He has saved us to sin no more. He has given us power within to live holy, pure lives pleasing to God. He has not only saved us from the penalty of sin and the power of sin but one day we will be saved from the very presence of sin. In heaven there is no sin. It can also be inferred from the 3 storeys that the work of salvation is a work that involves Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father sent his Son into the world to die, to pay the penalty for our sins. The Son died on the cross to make atonement for our soul. He paid the price for our sin. The Spirit draws us to the Father.  The rooms in verse 14 are more specifically nests. The Hebrew word translated throughout the rest of the Old Testament is nests. I am reminded of the fact that those in Christ Jesus not only have refuge from the flood waters of God's judgment, they have also a resting place. We look forward to dwelling in God's house. The Weymouth Translation has the meaning of resting places whereas our bible says many mansions. It is going to be a resting place. We can look forward to that rest from our labours in this world. Jesus himself promised "come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." 

The sustenance of the ark. The ark was loaded with food for both man and beast to sustain life throughout the flood. The Lord not only saves us from sin, he is able to sustain all who are spiritually hungry for God in this world. As the bread of life he promises all who come to him will never hunger or thirst. Those who believe in him they shall never thirst. All those who believe in him out of their belly, their innermost being, will flow reivers of living water. Spiritual blessing that will satisfy. Spiritual thirst. We have experienced that in greater measure at different times in our lives. It is part of our inheritance. The Lord is able to sustain and satisfy us. Only Christ can satisfy the longing of our souls created by God and for God. He will meet that need in Christ.

The shutting of the ark. God shut Noah and all his occupants into the ark - verse 16. God shut them in. That reminds me that those who are in Christ, their lives are hidden with him in God. They are eternally secure and safe in Christ. It reminds me that those in Christ are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. They belong to God. They will be powered by him. If you are a child of God, have made a profession of faith and it is real, you will be in possession of the Holy Spirit now. He will come into your life and assure you that you are saved. He will preserve you, keep you. Are we not kept by the power of God unto salvation. If you don't have that assurance then you are not saved. The God who shut Noah and his family in was the same God who shut everyone else out. Multitudes died in the flood because they didn't trust in the true and living God. The God who shuts in the redeemed will also shut out all those who do not heed the warning of scripture to enter our ark, the Lord Jesus Christ by repentance and faith. We are shut in. Those who are not are shut out. They will not get into the kingdom of God unless they repent of their sin and trust him for salvation.

The schedule of the ark. After 370 days in the ark it came to rest. On the seventeenth day of the seventh month according to the Jewish civil year. It was also the first day of the Jewish religious year. Exodus 12 verse 2. The schedule of the ark reminds me of the resurrection of Christ who has as the Passover Lamb rose from the dead 3 days after the Passover which was held on the fourteenth day of the first month. That would make it the seventeenth day of the first month. It rested. The ark rested. In so doing it finished its saving work at that time. When Christ was dying on the cross he cried out "it is finished". The ark finished its work when it rested. Christ was able to cry when he finished his work. There are those who when the ark rested on Mount Ararat think of Christ's ascension. He is now seated at God's right hand side.

The safety of the ark. 3 days after the resting all the inhabitants of the ark disembarked. That was Noah, his wife, Shem, Ham and Japheth and their wives. 8 people in total disembarked. All who are in Christ will also arrive safely in heaven. Jesus himself said "no man is able to pluck them out of my hand." They will be kept by the power of God. Although there might be safety by many things done for the Lord, he will bear them up. Just as the ark bore its occupants above the earth, he will be able to say to his Father "those you have given me I have not lost." He who saves us will keep us an done day we will arrive safely in heaven.

The summons to enter the ark. 7 days before the flood began the Lord summoned Noah and his household to come into the ark - chapter 7 verse 1 - to come and not to go. Come into the ark he said for he himself will be with him and his family in the ark. He didn't say "go into the ark" and they would be left to their own devices. They were summoned to come. It reminds me that God was not only in Christ but he summons the sinner to enter our ark, the Lord Jesus while there is still time. We still live in the day of grace. It is coming to an end soon. We need to be ready for that day. We are summoned to come into the ark to be saved otherwise we might be left behind to survive the terrible days of Tribulation and then face the flames of fire and vengeance of God's wrath. God urges the sinner to come into the ark for today is the day of salvation. Not tomorrow. We are not guaranteed tomorrow or next week or next year. Today if God has been speaking to you and summoning you to come will you not do it?