What is the main reason for Noah to build an ark? What was God really trying to tell us about that ark life?
Let us begin by reading Genesis 6:5-8, 13-14, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood…”
As the Lord evaluated the state of His greatest creation, He saw that their wickedness was great, and their thoughts were continuously evil. How this saddened the heart of the Lord. So much so that He determined to destroy man and everything else He had created on the earth. BUT there was one man, a man named Noah who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. What does this mean? Was Noah not evil? Did Noah earn God’s grace? There is really nothing to indicate to us that Noah was any different than all the other people. Besides, I think most of us know you cannot earn God’s grace. (Romans 6:23, Titus 3:5, etc.) God, in His perfect sovereignty determined to be gracious to Noah and his family. He would preserve them and all animal life. This He did by giving Noah exact instructions to build a great ark to shelter his family and the animals in while He destroyed the world by flooding the earth. I encourage you to read Genesis, chapters 6-8 to learn about Noah, the ark, the flood, and the aftermath.
There are many lessons that we can glean from this event. So, let’s consider a few lessons for us to ‘take away’ from Noah’s ark.
* It is possible for us to grieve the heart of God with our sins. We read in Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Consider the grief of the Lord Jesus over Jerusalem because of their unbelief and rejection of Himself. Luke 19:41, “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it.” How tender is the heart of the Lord towards us!
* God is gracious and merciful to those who come to Him. Psalm 103:8 assures us that, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” In Hosea 2:23 the Lord says, “I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” In spite of the great sin in the world, the Lord was gracious, even as He is gracious today. There was safety in the ark, even as there is safety in the Lord.
* We have responsibility to the Lord so that we might receive the blessings He has for us. The Lord told Noah, “Make thee an ark of gopher wood…” (Genesis 6:14). How easy it would have been for the Lord to instantly create an ark for Noah, yet He instructed Noah to build it himself. We also read in Isaiah 1:19, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” Obedience is the manifestation of faith in the heart.
* God wants us to trust Him. Before the flood, it had never rained before. (Genesis 2:4-6). There had never been rain so there had never been a flood of any size, yet Noah obeyed the Lord and did that which probably appeared to be silly to everyone else. Trust God, even when you do not know what He is doing. Perhaps I should say trust God ESPECIALLY when you do not know what He is doing.
* God punishes those living in sin who continually reject Him. The very reason Noah was instructed to build the ark was so he and his family would be safe while God judged the earth for their sin. Hebrews 9:27 warns us, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” All will die (if the Lord be not come back soon). ALL will face the Lord to answer for their sins. Without having Christ as your savior, you will be judged and punished for every sin you have ever committed. Galatians 6:7-8 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” I trust that you have put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, will never face the judgment of God.
There are many, many more lessons to be learned from Noah and his ark. I trust that these few examples will cause you to look more fully at this event and allow the Lord to show you lessons that will impact your life and cause you to live a life of obedience to Him. (419.2)