Arise
(Genesis 6:9-8:22)
The story of Noah and the flood is one that has captivated our imaginations, for many since childhood. Yet, in our familiarity with the tale, we often overlook the true depth and significance of this extraordinary event. It is more terrible and more wonderful than we have ever imagined, but unfortunately, our retelling of it tends to fall short.
To correct this mistake we must, first and foremost, acknowledge that the flood was not a mere myth or legend, but a real historical event. Jesus Himself referred to it as a historical event, comparing the signs of His coming Kingdom to the days of Noah (Luke 17:26-27). We must acknowledge that the flood was more than a localized event and was instead global in its scope. Its impact was not limited to a specific culture; it left its mark on countless civilizations worldwide. Its universality is further emphasized in Genesis 9:11-13, where God establishes a covenant never to destroy the earth with a flood again.
We must also remember that the flood was meant to be a preview of the future. 2 Peter 3:1-7 reminds us that the flood serves as a warning of the impending judgment of God. Instead of water, it will be fire. Just as the wickedness of humanity provoked divine wrath in Noah’s time, we are cautioned that a similar judgment awaits those who persist in unrighteousness. The flood, therefore, serves as a historical preview of the global judgment to come. Its relevance transcends time and should stir us to examine our own lives and the world around us.
The story of Noah and the flood is about more than Noah. Rather than solely focusing on Noah’s righteousness, service, relationship, wisdom, and altar, we can uncover a profound parallel between Noah and Jesus Christ. Noah serves as a type of foreshadowing of Jesus, emphasizing His righteousness, service, relationship, wisdom, and altar. Jesus is the greater Noah and the ultimate source of salvation.
Noah’s righteousness provided relief from the flood’s devastation, but it is Jesus’ righteousness that becomes our true relief from God’s wrath. Through His perfect obedience to God’s will, Jesus lived a sinless life and offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. His righteousness covers us, offering salvation and reconciliation with God.
Noah’s service in building the ark was an act of obedience and dedication. Similarly, Jesus’ service to humanity was demonstrated through His sacrificial death on the cross. He humbled Himself, taking on the form of a servant, to offer eternal life and redemption to all who believe in Him. His service becomes the ultimate sanctuary, providing safety and salvation.
Noah’s intimate relationship with God served as his refuge amidst a corrupt world. In the same way, Jesus offers us access to the Father and invites us into a personal relationship with Him. Through faith in Christ, we can find refuge, strength, and guidance. His presence in our lives becomes our ultimate source of comfort and security.
Noah displayed wisdom by faithfully following God’s instructions. However, Jesus embodies the wisdom of God Himself. In Him, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. Through His teachings and example, Jesus imparts wisdom to guide us in making right choices and living according to God’s will.
Noah’s altar symbolized his faith and devotion to God. Yet, Jesus is the ultimate altar. His sacrifice on the cross atoned for our sins, bridging the gap between humanity and God. Through His death and resurrection, He became the assurance of our salvation. Our faith in His finished work on the cross grants us the assurance of eternal life.
His righteousness is our relief
Genesis 6:9-12
In Genesis 6:9, we read, “These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.” The mention of Noah’s righteousness sets him apart in a world characterized by corruption and violence. However, it is essential to note that this righteousness was not a result of Noah’s own inherent goodness, but stemmed from his faith and relationship with God. Just as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6), Noah’s righteousness was also linked to his faith.
Continuing in verse 11, the text states, “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” This description underscores the pervasive wickedness that engulfed humanity at that time. It serves as a backdrop against which Noah’s righteousness and faith shine even brighter. Despite the prevailing corruption, Noah remained faithful and obedient to God, trusting in His promises.
Verse 12 further highlights the state of the earth, stating, “And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” This verse reinforces the extent of the corruption and the universal nature of humanity’s sinful condition. In the face of such moral decay, Noah’s righteousness stands out as a testament to his faith and reliance on God.
Drawing parallels from the New Testament, we find echoes of Noah’s faith and righteousness. In Romans 3:9-24, Paul emphasizes that no one is righteous by their own merit, as all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. This stresses the contrast between the fallen state of humanity and the righteousness that can only come through faith in Christ.
Moreover, Hebrews 11:7 specifically mentions Noah’s faith: “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household.” This passage reinforces the notion that Noah’s righteousness was inseparable from his faith. It was his faith that led him to respond obediently to God’s warning and to undertake the monumental task of building the ark. Through his faith, Noah found salvation for himself and his family.
Additionally, in Philippians 3:7-9, Paul discusses the surpassing worth of knowing Christ and being found in Him, not having a righteousness of his own, but the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ. This aligns with the theme of Noah’s righteousness, as it was not his own righteousness that saved him, but rather the righteousness imputed to him through his faith. The message is both simple and profound: We, like both Paul and Noah before us, find our ultimate relief and salvation in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Through faith in Him, we enter into a relationship with God, where His righteousness becomes our covering, providing relief from the judgment and condemnation that sin brings.
His service is our sanctuary
Genesis 6:13-7:16
In Genesis 6:13, God declares His determination to bring an end to all flesh on the earth due to the prevailing violence and corruption. He instructs Noah to build an ark of gopher wood, giving specific dimensions and details in verses 14-16. The ark was to be a refuge and sanctuary, a place of salvation from the impending judgment. This parallels the concept of Christ’s service as our sanctuary, as portrayed in the New Testament.
The construction of the ark demonstrates Noah’s obedience to God’s commandments. In verse 22, we read, “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” This echoes the example of Christ’s obedience and service in Philippians 2:8-9. Just as Noah faithfully carried out God’s instructions, Jesus obediently served, even unto death on the cross, securing our salvation.
Furthermore, in Genesis 7:1-16, we witness the fulfillment of God’s instructions. Noah, his family, and the animals enter the ark just as God had commanded. This act of entering the ark symbolizes trust and reliance on God’s provision and protection. Similarly, believers today find their sanctuary and safety in Christ, as described in Ephesians 1:1-14. Through faith in Christ, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, finding refuge and security in Him.
The Hebrew term used for the ark in Noah’s story goes beyond a mere description of a boat. The word used is “tevah,” and it carries a deeper significance. It conveys the idea of a box or a vessel, evoking a sense of containment and protection. In Exodus 2:3-5 and 25:10, the Ark of the Covenant is depicted as a sacred box, a sanctuary of God’s presence among His people. Ultimately, the command to build an ark was a command to build a sanctuary, not a ship.
The concept of the “tevah” extends beyond its physical dimensions. It represents a place where Noah and his family found safety and preservation, a haven in the midst of chaos. This notion aligns with the profound truth of finding sanctuary in Christ. Just as the ark provided a means of deliverance for Noah and his family, Christ serves as our ultimate ark, our sanctuary. Through faith in Him, we are sheltered from the floods of sin and find refuge in His redemptive service.
Finally, in Genesis 7:16, we read that the Lord shut Noah and his family inside the ark. This act of sealing them within the sanctuary of the ark signifies their complete safety and separation from the impending judgment. This sealing is reminiscent of the sealing we have in Christ, as described in Ephesians 1:1-14. Through our faith in Him, we are sealed and protected, finding our sanctuary in Him alone.
His relationship is our refuge
Genesis 7:17-8:5
Genesis 7:17-8:5 unfolds the story of the flood, emphasizing that it was not Noah’s actions upon the ark that saved him. This account is not about Noah’s ingenuity in building a city on the water. It is not a story of human persistence, cleverness, or effort in any way. Noah’s salvation was not the result of his own efforts or merit but because God remembered His promise to Noah, just as we too are saved through our relationship with Christ.
As the flood persisted for forty days, the waters surged and lifted the ark high above the earth (Gen 7:17). It is crucial to recognize that Noah’s safety and deliverance were not a consequence of his craftsmanship or cleverness in constructing the ark. Instead, the story emphasizes that Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord because of his righteous and faithful walk with God (Gen 6:9). Noah’s relationship with God was the key that opened the door to his salvation. His relationship was literally his refuge.
The floodwaters prevailed, submerging all the high mountains and extinguishing every living creature on the earth (Gen 7:18-23). Yet, amidst this cataclysmic event, God remembered Noah and the creatures that were with him in the ark (Gen 8:1). It is in God’s remembrance that we witness His faithfulness to His promises. This parallels the truth revealed in Romans 5:1-11, where we are saved from the wrath of God through our relationship with Christ.
God, then, caused the wind to blow over the earth, the fountains of the deep were closed, and the rain ceased (Gen 8:1-2). The waters gradually receded, marking the conclusion of the flood. Noah’s preservation was not a result of his own efforts, but a testament to God’s faithfulness. It was through God’s intervention and remembrance of His promise that Noah found refuge and deliverance.
It is appropriate to get a bit technical here for it was not only Noah who found refuge, but every person on the ark. Every person on the ark was saved through Noah’s relationship with God, just as every person today is reconciled with God through their faith in Christ’s relationship with the Father (Rom 5:1-11). Why is this significant? It is significant because we are not good enough in our aspect of this relationship to rely upon it. Perhaps it would be better to say we are saved not by our relationship to Him, but by His relationship to us.
In John 21:15-19, we find a conversation between Jesus and Peter after the resurrection. Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him using the strongest word for love, “agapao,” and Peter affirms his love for Jesus each time using a lesser word for love, “phileo.” After each affirmation, Jesus instructs Peter to feed His lambs, tend His sheep, and feed His sheep. This conversation holds significance in understanding the nature of our salvation and refuge. Peter’s salvation and service were not based on his own actions, achievements, or even his own love for Christ, but on Christ’s love for him. Noah, in this case, like us, was not saved in his perfect faith or his perfect relationship with God, but in being a recipient of God’s gracious, underserved, perfect love for him. Just as God, in His grace, remembered Noah, He remembers us and acts on our behalf. Through even imperfect faith in Christ, we are saved from the consequences of sin and find refuge in Him.
Noah’s story serves as a reminder that God’s relationship with us is the ultimate source of refuge and salvation. It is not our works, but God’s faithfulness to His promises that secures our deliverance. Just as Noah was saved because God remembered His promise, we too find redemption and safety because God remembers us. Our salvation is not based on our own merits but on God’s grace and faithfulness to His promise.
His wisdom is our welfare
Genesis 8:6-19
Noah was not presumptuous about His position and salvation but exercised caution and wisdom by patiently waiting for the right moment to venture out of the ark. After forty days, he opened the window and sent out a raven, which flew to and fro until the waters had receded. The dove played a crucial role in Noah’s discernment of the conditions outside the ark. Sent out three times, the dove initially returned without finding a resting place, showing that the waters still covered the earth. Yet on the second occasion, the dove returned with an olive leaf, signaling to Noah that the land had dried. A week later the dove did not return, signifying that the water had indeed receded. Yet, this fact was not enough for Noah to venture forth. Unlike Adam who acted independently of God, here the faith of Noah is seen in his waiting two more months until the Word of God made it clear that it was time for him to go out.
This approach mirrors the greater significance of Christ as the better Adam. Unlike the first Adam, who acted independently and sought self-sufficiency, Christ exemplified complete reliance on God’s Word. In Matthew 4:4, we witness Jesus’ response to Satan’s temptations with the following words: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” This statement by Jesus reveals His deep understanding of the power and authority of God’s Word. While Adam succumbed to the tempter’s deceit in the Garden, Jesus, as the second Adam, stood firm in His dependence on Scripture and its application to His life. Even in the midst of physical hunger and vulnerability, Jesus refused to prioritize His immediate physical needs over the eternal truths contained within God’s Word.
By quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, Jesus demonstrated that true sustenance and life are found in aligning ourselves with God’s Word and relying on His wisdom. In this moment, Jesus exemplified the perfect obedience that Adam failed to uphold. Through His unwavering commitment to God’s Word, Jesus paved the way for redemption and restoration, offering us a path to eternal life.
This episode not only highlights the wisdom and reliance of the second Adam, Jesus Christ, but also underscores the significance of Scripture as a guide for our lives. Just as Jesus leaned on the authority of God’s Word during His time of temptation, we too can draw strength and wisdom from the Scriptures as we navigate the challenges and temptations of our own lives.
In the contrast between Adam’s disobedience and Jesus’ obedience, we see the redemptive work of Christ and the restoration of humanity’s relationship with God. This reliance on God’s Word in the face of temptation solidifies His role as the second Adam, who not only conquers the temptations of the desert but also secures salvation for all who trust in Him. Through His perfect obedience and the wisdom displayed in quoting Scripture, Jesus reveals the way to true life and demonstrates the importance of aligning our lives with God’s Word.
In John 4:31-34, Jesus finds Himself surrounded by independent-minded people who are focused on physical sustenance. However, Jesus demonstrates His wisdom by declaring that His nourishment comes from doing the will of the Father. His dependence on the Word of God is evident, even in the midst of a self-sufficient culture.
Noah’s wisdom and dependence on God’s Word foreshadow the ultimate wisdom and reliance demonstrated by Christ. As the second Adam, Christ relied on God’s Word completely and obediently fulfilled His Father’s will. Through His perfect obedience and sacrificial death, Christ offers salvation and eternal life to all who believe in Him.
The contrast between the self-sufficiency of Adam and the dependency of Christ underscores the transformative power of embracing God’s wisdom. By surrendering our independent desires and submitting to the wisdom found in God’s Word, we align ourselves with the greater Noah, Jesus Christ, who relied on the Father’s Word in every aspect of His life and ministry. In a world that often encourages self-sufficiency and independence, Noah’s example, along with that of Christ, stands as a powerful reminder of the need for humility and dependence on God’s Word. Just as Noah’s wisdom led to the preservation of life on the ark, Christ’s wisdom and obedience bring about our salvation and spiritual renewal.
As Noah’s wisdom led to the welfare of those aboard the ark, the wisdom of Christ is our source of well-being and flourishing. While we navigate the challenges and uncertainties of life, we can find assurance in the fact that His wisdom leads to our welfare. Just as Noah and his family eventually emerged from the ark into a renewed world, we too can step into a life filled with purpose and fruitfulness when we embrace the wisdom that comes from Christ.
His altar is our assurance
Genesis 8:20-22
Noah’s altar stands as a testament to his gratitude and reverence towards God. Taking some of every clean animal and clean bird, he presented burnt offerings on the altar. This act of worship pleased the LORD, who acknowledged it with the words, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done” (Gen 8:21).
In this passage, we witness the power of the altar and the sacrifice offered upon it. It foreshadows the ultimate altar and sacrifice in Christ. Hebrews 9:11-14 illuminates the significance of this connection, stating that Christ, as the High Priest, entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, but with His own blood. Through His sacrificial death, He secured eternal redemption for all who believe in Him. Thus, His altar and His blood provide us with the ultimate assurance of salvation and reconciliation with God.
The altar Noah built serves as a powerful reminder of the assurance we have in Christ’s sacrifice. Just as Noah’s offering on the altar pleased the LORD, the pleasing aroma of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross brings forgiveness and reconciliation between God and humanity. By placing our faith in Him, we find assurance and relief from the consequences of our sin.
This section of Genesis may be about Noah but it certainly points to Christ for it is His righteousness that brings relief (Gen 6:9-12), His service that offers sanctuary (Gen 6:13-7:16), His relationship that becomes our refuge (Gen 7:17-8:5), His wisdom that leads to our welfare (Gen 8:6-19), and His altar that becomes our assurance (Gen 8:20-22).
This is not mere conjecture, for both Paul (Rom 6:1-11) and Peter (1 Pet 3:18-22) relate the story of Noah to New Testament baptism relating Noah’s journey through the floodwaters and our journey through death in Christ, who is the Ark of our salvation. In baptism, we are united with Christ in His death and resurrection, as we arise as new creations in Him.
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