42. "Enter into Christ: 'NO WAY' to get out!" Genesis 7:1-16

 42. "Enter into Christ: 'NO WAY' to get out!"

Genesis 7:1-16 The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.” And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him. Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sonsʼ wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noahʼs life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.

I. God allowed Noah to enter into the ark. Why Noah? What did he do to be qualified to that ark? Why the Lord shut him in into the ark? These verses is about Noah and his family and the pair of animals entering the ark and being shut in the ark by the Lord.

-Noah was qualified to inter into the ark for He was found righteous before the Lord. Genesis 7:1 "The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation." God here dealt with Noah, and not to the other people, for the people in this generation are wicked before God. Imagine a man in the midst of the wicked people, or you yourself in the midst of your bad influence friends? Can you resist the temptation not to join and belong with their wickedness? Will God have found you righteous? Righteousness of man is necessary in dealings with God. God deals with His righteous people to recieve revelation and spare their life in the judgment He allows to happen. God had no dealings with unrighteous men. But God deals with His righteous men to speak for God to the unrighteous so that they have the chance to be saved. And so, Noah have found righteous before the eyes of God. 

What was the characteristic of Noah? "...Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God." 

If today will be the end of the world, that day of judgment of God to the whole world then who will going to be spared? For all have fall short to the standard of God, for all have commited sins against God and sometimes of being hardheaded that makes as disobedient to the Lord, who will be qualified again like Noah? Who will be found righteous, here I understand the sacrificed of Jesus into the cross of calvary, there, the guilt of the nation was put into His hands, Jesus took the condemnation of all of the people but only to those who will believe will recieve the peace and freedom from the guilt of sins as sinners. In our generation people will not be saved just because they are righteous and faithful, but because of the grace of God. Can we say confidently that we are faithful and righteous? Who ever can say it, I pray that you really do. But for me and to all who are not confident enough, our salvation is because of Jesus, because of His grace He gave His life to put into the judgment, he recieved comdemnation for the sins of His people like me -a sinner- who will believe Him forever. 

In terms of Noah, he walked with God by faith, which was God’s divine element transfused and infused into him to be his believing ability. As a result, he became heir of God’s righteousness and a herald of righteousness, as a protest against the evil generation. Noah’s righteousness strengthened God’s standing to execute His judgment upon that ungodly generation.

These questions I had to ask to myself after realizing the story of Noah. How much is the level of my believing ability? Am I faithful before God? Noah obeyed the commandment of God even he didn't know whether it would really happen or not. Am I doing God's commandment even in the midst of my doubts? There was no signs of the coming flood, there was peace and abundance. But Noah did everything what God had commanded to him. Can I do it also? Can I protest against evil doings, or will I not lead people to do wicked things, will I not be an innitiator of bad doings, which was my usual old nature. Will I remain righteous and walks faithfully with God until that judgment day? I Hope so, only but by the help of God.

II. Let us learn a little more about his life. Noah got his ministry, to save all the pairs of different living creature. Genesis 7:2 "Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate,"

Clean and unclean animals had spare and had been entered into the ark. Even God allowed to destroy everything, God has the plan to restore again and create a new beggining of mankind and creatures from the saved generation in the times of Noah. God has the concept of the separation of clean and unclean, that is the very principle of God. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

What was the purpose of the clean animals? For the burnt offerings. To give God a high praises and thanks giving, same with us, we are separated from unclean, and made us clean by the blood of Christ, for the purpose of giving Him the highest praises and thanks giving. Will cannot offer our self alone, but with Christ. Here in, Genesis 7:2 Noah built an altar to offer with God. The building of an altar and the offering of offerings on it signify the offering of Christ to God through the cross. In the church life, the first thing we must do is not to work for God but to go to the cross to be terminated; then we need to experience Christ and offer to God the Christ whom we have experienced in different aspects for God’s satisfaction. 

Our prayer to God in Jesus name is a kind of burnt offerings. 'Burnt' from the Hebrew word literally means that which goes up and denotes something that ascends to God. The burnt offering typifies Christ not mainly in His redeeming man from sin but in His living a life that is perfect and absolutely for God and for God’s satisfaction and in His being the life that enables God’s people to have such a living. It is God’s food that God may enjoy it and be satisfied. This offering was to be offered daily, in the morning and in the evening. That is why we need to pray to God every each time to bring offering to God. Our prayer is a sweet incense for God. 

III. God saved Noah and also the pairs of animals, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. (Genesis 7:3) 

God preserved all living creatures. The ark was not only for the salvation of man but also for the salvation of all living creatures. And it is written that by Jesus He will reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:20) "...we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. (Hebrews 2:9) Salvation offered by Christ is not for few individual but for all the living creatures, His creations. Not “all people” but “all things,” referring not only to human beings but also to all creatures, which were created in Christ and now subsist, cohere, in Him and are reconciled to God through Him. Not only things on the earth but also things in the heavens needed to be reconciled to God. This indicates that things in the heavens also are wrong with God because of the rebellion of Satan, the archangel, and the angels who followed him. His rebellion has contaminated the heavens. 

Salvation is not only for eight people like in the time of Noah, also not just for the Israelites but also for the Gentiles, those nations who are not included to the chosen people of God. Salvation is now open and being offered to everyone who will listen, believe and obey the way of Salvation accordingly to God. That is why Jesus said to His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15) 

This reveals that God’s redemption, accomplished by the Slave-Savior through His death and resurrection, is not only for man, the leading one in God’s creation, but also for all the creation. Hence, all things, whether on earth or in the heavens, were reconciled to God, and the gospel should be proclaimed to (in) all creation under heaven. Based on this, all the creation expects to be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Romans 8:19-22 "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now." -and all will only be freed through our Lord Jesus. 

IV. For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” (Genesis 7:4) 

So God destroyed the face of the earth, "the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights. (v.12) Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. (v.17)

In the bible, "Forty" is the number for trials, temptations, and sufferings.

Read these verses: Hebrews 3:9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. (In 40 years the the children of God, the Israelites have been tested and also God being tested here to be more gracious and patient to the Israelites, but because of the complaining attitudes of Israelites their journey to the promise Land took 40 years than the promised 40 days of pelgrimage.)

In Matthew 4:2 "when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry." (Here, forty days and forty nights is a time of testing and suffering of Jesus. The newly anointed King was led by the Spirit to fast for this period of time that Jesus might enter into His kingly ministry.)

1 Kings 19:8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. (Here, after Elijah ran for his life with fear from the deathtreat by Queen Jesebel, And Elijah lay down and have slept, then an angel appeared and awoke Elijah to eat. So that he will gain strength for the forty days and forthy night of journey to do the given mission of God to him.)

I learned that some trials and sufferings are made by us, by choosing wrong options, obeying our own will and ignoring God's commandments, and some are allowed by God. 

But what ever trials, temptations, and sufferings you are experiencing remember that God is at work also, He has great plan for you, and these experiences will turn for your own good, and this is the time for God to show His power. God will give you strength to overcome these, if it is impossible for you to overcome, then let God take the move. God is at work with you, just enter into God's help, cooperate with God. 

V. "So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood." (Genesis 7:7)

To be saved, Noah needed to come into the ark, likewise for as to be saved we need to come into Jesus. But when to come into Him? Do not wait the flood to come, do not wait that sufferings or trials suits you up to death. We need Jesus, to be saved from our situation, from sins, from being fleshly desires, from anxiety and stress and from curses of this world. (Matthew 24:38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,)

However, this verse indicates the explanation of why and how the Lord’s Jesus judgment day will be like the days of Noah. In the days of Noah the following conditions existed: (1) people were befuddled by eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, and (2) they did not know that judgment was coming, until the flood came and took them away. When the Lord’s second coming is about to come, people will likewise be befuddled by the necessities of this life and will not know that God’s judgment (signified by the flood) will come upon them by the Lord’s appearing. The believers, however, should be de-drugged and should soberly know that Christ is coming to execute God’s judgment upon this corrupted world. So be watchful about the second coming of our Lord Jesus, be like Noah who are righteous and who walked faithfully with God. 

Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."

We are called to be faithful with Him. To live in love with God, and to have such fear from disobeying Him. God wants us to be prepared for the things yet to come, more severe than your usual problem -that tribulation day, and if it is the will of God for you to experience trials and sufferings, be of good cheer and do not lose hope just obey the commandments of our God. For these things will happen are for your own good, "...but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. I Peter 3:15-17). If we are terrified and troubled by the persecutors, it will appear that we do not have the Lord in our hearts. So, in suffering persecution we should show others that we have Christ as Lord within us. 

Though we are not righteous like Noah for we are all sinners and we know that the wages of sin is death, we are all qualified for the judgment of God but God is so loving and gracious for all, that is why Christ died for our sins, bearing up our sins on the cross, that our sins might be forgiven by God. But He was made sin and took away the sin of the world that the problem of our sin might be solved. 

VI. In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. (Genesis 7:11)

We can see here how powerful our God is. God controls everything under the heavens and even above the heavens

 Meaning, God controls even the root cause of your sufferings, but He allowed it to happen for His divine purpose for mankind, we cannot complain, we are not God and these things are not in our controls, but judgment of God are for His enemies, those who disobeyed His words, but if you are the children of God who obeys His word nothing to be worry for judgment is not for us, just trust God and hold firmly into His words.  

Read how God almighty described here, "He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth,..." Proverbs 8:28-29. 

Trust and put your hope to our God who created the heavens and the earth. Our God who controls His creations, by His command the spring will come up and the windows of heaven will open. For Psalms 78:23 says, "... He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven,". God is so powerful, indeed He is. 

VII. "So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in." Genesis 7:16 

At last, our message here is "Entering into Christ, and 'NO WAY' to get out!". Noah’s entering into the ark is a type of our entering into Christ. God’s shutting Noah in indicates that, although we are free to enter into Christ, once we are in, we have no way to get out. Once we believe into the Lord Jesus, we are “shut in” by God with no way to get out of Jesus. We are shut in into Jesus. And why to get out? Jesus is the source of everything, choose to be saved by all His riches and glory. 

Jesus said to His children, " I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” (John 10:28-30). God don't want us to be snatched by satan, by this world. And the enemies will do everything to destroy us, to kill us or to steal us from the hands of our God. But trust God that He is more powerful than enemies and He said in this verse the assurance that we are under His hands, we are saved and safe, so do not go out from the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

***