13And 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. 14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
Sin had seperated man from God and made man so corrupt that God told Noah, “The end of all flesh is come before me”. But notice that Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah had favor with God because He was righteous and loved God. The bible says Noah was just and perfect in His generations or perfect among those with whom he lived who were evil. The purpose in this ark being constructed was to save Noah from the waters of Heaven that were to be released on the earth because of sin. There are some major types or shadows in this portion of God’s Word that represents the New Birth Experience or New Testament Salvation.
God told Noah to build the Ark with three levels (Genesis 6: 16). God gave to Noah a plan that would save him and his household (Genesis 6: 18 ). God told Noah I will establish my covenant with you, and He and his sons and wife and their wives went into the ark. Also 7 of every clean animal and 2 of every unclean as well. The Ark when finished had 3 levels and only one door into the Ark. This one door into the ark was a type or shadow of Jesus the one way to God and the only door into the sheepfold.
(John 10:1, 7-9) 1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
The Apostle peter speaks of how Noah’s Ark was a figure or shadow or type of our Salvation. ( 1 Peter 3:20-21) 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ .A “figure” is a type, shadow or symbol. Peter informs us that the building of the ark symbolizes or is a type of our salvation.
The Ark had three stories and I believe this represents God’s Plan of Salvation for man. This is a type or figure of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 1) Jesus died. 2) Jesus was buried. 3) Jesus rose from the dead the third day. The Apostles Paul declares this truth to be the very Gospel in (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) 1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
The Apostle Peter and The Apostle Paul both preach that judgement is coming to and upon all who do not obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ. ( 2 Thessalonians 1: 8 ) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 4:17) For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?The Ark had 3 levels and one door. The Church today is the Ark of salvation and Jesus is the door in and the only way we can be born again is by water and Spirit. Continued next Page..........