SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1225

“Prepare an Ark”

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. – Hebrews 11:7

The wickedness of the world grieved the heart of God and He resolved to destroy His creation.

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord…Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. – Genesis 6:5-9

Because Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord, God provided a way of salvation from the wrath of the flood to come, and He commanded Noah to build an ark to His precise specifications. The Lord established a covenant with Noah in that day for salvation.

But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. – Genesis 6:18

After the Great Flood, God established another covenant with Noah and all future generations that He would never destroy mankind again with a flood and He set a rainbow as a sign of His covenant.

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. … and all flesh that is on the earth.” – Genesis 9:12-17

In the years following the flood, mankind returned to its wicked and sinful ways yet, in His great love, God made provision for another ‘ark’ in the person of Jesus Christ by which all those who enter in can be saved.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

Noah and his family were saved because he was righteous and walked with God. Jeremiah prophesied of the coming of God’s righteous Branch by whom all who come to Him can be saved from their sin.

In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. – Jeremiah 33:15

Just as Noah and his family entered the door of the ark to escape God’s wrath, we too can escape the wrath we deserve because of our sin by entering through the door that is Jesus Christ.

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved… I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. – John 10:9; Isaiah 43:11; Matthew 26:28

Our God is a covenant-making God. He keeps them and is faithful to fulfill them. He has prepared an ‘ark’ by which we can enter in and be saved from the wrath we are due for our sins. We can be declared righteous, not because of what we have done, but rather because of what He has done for us by His birth, death, and resurrection.

… And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ – Jeremiah 23:6

Merry Christmas!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. – Luke 2:11