Genesis 6:8, John 6:44, Ephesians 2:1-10, Romans 5:20, Ephesians 4:30, John 10:9

Summary: The idea for the design and building of the Ark did not originate in the mind of Noah. The Ark was God’s idea and preconceived plan of rescue for anyone who would enter to escape the wrath to come. God has everything under control and will bring everything to a conclusion on His terms.

The Bible says that Noah built the Ark but did not come up with the idea. The Ark was from the mind and heart of God. If God had not spoken to Noah, he would have died in the flood along with his pagan neighbors. Genesis 6:8 says that Noah “found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

This one word, “grace,” made all the difference in Noah’s life. While he maintained a godly path in the midst of blatant wickedness, he was still a sinner like you and I. When the Bible says that Noah “was perfect in all his generations,” it meant that his bloodline had not been polluted nor changed by the forces of evil and demonic practices. He kept his eyes on the LORD, but he still deserved nothing from God except judgment and damnation. God reached into the darkness of Noah’s soul and extended grace to him. He told Noah about the way of salvation and then invited him and his family to enter the Ark to be saved.

The story of Noah and the Ark is not about the size of the Ark or number of animals that went on board, the events of the antediluvian (pre-flood) world, or other issues. The story of Noah and the Ark is of undeserved grace. Were it not for the grace of God, Noah would not have known about the approaching flood that would have killed him or the Ark that would save him and his family. Both of these insights were the product of the amazing grace of God.

If you are in the Ark of Salvation provided through Jesus Christ, you are there because God extended His grace to you. You did not come to God in your own wretched manner. You came to Jesus because God, in His grace, His mercy and His love, drew you to Himself (John 6:44). You are redeemed by Him because He looked beyond your dead, dark, deceived, and doomed condition and extended His hand out to you in grace (Ephesians 1:1-10).

We will never know about the wrath of God or the hell that awaits the unrepentant sinner unless God, in His grace, shows us. We will never see the truth of our own sinful condition unless God, in His grace, shows us. We will never know that Jesus can save us and deliver us from hell unless God, in His grace, shows us. He is with us, and He is not silent when it comes to warning us of our condition and offering us undeserved mercy, love, and redemption.

In the act of salvation, it is God who comes to the lost sinner. God opens his blinded eyes, shows him his lost condition, and convicts his heart of his sins. He draws that lost sinner to Jesus. He causes him to understand that Jesus died for him and rose from the dead. He gives the lost sinner the faith he needs to be saved. From start to finish, salvation is the work of the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Man has no part in the process beyond simple faith, and even the very faith he uses to receive Jesus is the gift of God’s grace. If it had not been for the grace of God, Noah would have died in his sins and gone to hell. It was the grace of God that moved him to both faith and action. The same is true today. Salvation is still of grace and all of God.

When God called, Noah heeded the LORD’S voice. He and his family entered the Ark and both safety and security. When the floods came, it was God who closed the door of the Ark. His act signified that the time for repentance was done. The wicked world had its chance and threw it away. For them, their chance to be saved had ended and now would end up as unnecessary fatalities, with only themselves to blame for not heeding what Noah had said to them all those years.

The waters from the deep exploded into the air, the rains came, and soon all life outside the Ark ended. While the rains came and lasted forty days, I am of the opinion that the sudden onslaught of the waters coming out of the deep caused massive waves to hit the land, instantly killing everything in its path, which in and of itself was merciful, even though the people had ignored God’s call to safety. Both the rain and waves did as God commanded. The waves and the rain tossed the Ark around, and it is certain that Noah, his family, and the animals on board felt queasy at times, but the point is that they were all safe and in the protective hands of God.

The faith Noah had in God saved him and the generations who would come after him. Because of Noah’s faith and obedience, the prophesied Messianic bloodline that would originate with Noah’s son Shem would be fulfilled centuries later in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is one final thought regarding the story of Noah and the Ark. When God shut the door of the Ark, Noah was on the inside looking out, and the world was on the outside looking in. There was only ONE Ark, and there was only ONE door. So, there is only ONE way to be rescued from your sins, and that is God’s way, the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, “I am the Door” (John 10:9). According to Bible prophecy, God’s judgment is going to be poured out one more time on this wicked earth. The only thing that will matter then is this: Which side of the door are YOU on?

One door, and only one. And yet its sides are two. I am on the inside. On which side are you? Take care of that today, please. The Ark’s door will not remain open much longer.

donaldwhitchard@outlook.com

www.realitycityreverend.com

There is a classic song with the verse, “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.” Though this may be a fine description of our earthly home, the Home I am most inspired by is not here on this planet. Looking at John 14:1-3, “Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also.” (ESV – all emphasis is mine)

Jesus knew exactly what His mission on this earth was, and He followed the Father’s will to complete that mission. In John 10:16, He made it plain that He was not only here for God’s chosen people, the Jews. He was actually here on behalf of every living soul of His time and also for all who would have been here from that time all the way through to the end of His Millennial Reign.

There is a stipulation that must be complied with for anyone to receive the free gift He gave us at Calvary. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast.”

To believe that we can do works or purchase our Salvation by any efforts on our own is totally wrong. Jesus came willingly (John 10:18) to be our perfect once-for-all sinless blood sacrifice. All the way up to the crucifixion, God allowed the blood of animals and doves as a temporary sin offering. However, for the Father to fully accept one sacrifice that reached back to the beginning of this earth and covered us all the way to the end of this creation, it would have to be blood that came from a perfect sinless “human” (Hebrews 10:4).

The issue with this is all humans, from the Genesis 3-sin in the Garden of Eden, have that sin nature inbred in us. The only perfect, sinless “human” was the Son of God that was placed in Mary’s womb, and His blood never mixed with hers. Also, Jesus was subjected to temptations just as we all are, and still, He never sinned even once. Satan gave it his best, but Jesus stood firm against the ploys that a weaker soul would have fallen for.

When we acknowledge that we are all sinners and that we cannot save ourselves; when we acknowledge that Jesus died for all our sins, and we accept Him as the Son of God and believe that He was raised from the dead to conquer sin and death for us all; and finally, when we truly call out for Him to be our Savior for all eternity, we will be saved (Romans 10:9-13).

All who become a part of His precious flock receive not only forgiveness for all of our past sins but have a pathway to forgiveness when we sin afterward. That’s 1 John 1:8-10, and we will use this as long as we are in these mortal human bodies.

Not only that, in John 14:15-17 we’re told that we will have a “Helper” within us. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever; even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

There are a number of verses in different New Testament books that tell us about the Holy Spirit being with all who have received and accepted Jesus the Christ as our Savior. We are the ones that can look forward to our “Home, Sweet Home.” This is a Classic Christian Hymn, which is the only information found about it. The unknown author composed a very inspirational message in just two short verses.

1.) Home sweet Home, my heart is yearning for thy splendors which I’ll see. How I long for all the beauty of that Home prepared for me. All my treasure, all my longing, is for my Heavenly Home. There to rest from earthly sorrow, never more from thee to roam.

2.) While I sing of all the Glory of my wondrous Home above, earthly sorrows vanish quickly through Thy glorious rays of love. In my sorrow, Thou art comfort, Balsam to my weary soul. May I ever for Christ labor, so to reach that glorious goal.

This is the Home that my Savior will prepare for me and all true believers when we get to be with Him forever. Nothing on this earth could ever compare to this invaluable gift from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Everyone that will be our neighbors will all be of the same mindset of “Loving God, Loving Each Other,” which just happens to be the two greatest commandments given to us by Jesus (Luke 10:27).

There is a negative side that we must be aware of. For all who accept this earth and what it offers yet will not receive and accept the Son of God, their forever will be total darkness. Revelation 19:20, Revelation 20:10, and Revelation 20:11-15 respectively, give us the fate of the ultimate antichrist and his false prophet, Satan himself and his demons, and finally, the fate of all from the beginning of time to the end of this earth whose names were not entered into the Book of Life. They will all share the lake of fire, also known as hell.

There are people who try to make humorous remarks about being where their friends are so they can “party forever.” Jesus didn’t call it “Outer Darkness” for no reason. Hell will be completely without light, and each and every soul there will suffer for eternity on their own. The Light will be in Heaven provided for everyone by the Son of God, and no sun or moon or other source of light will be needed.

Everyone is given the opportunity to choose which eternity they will be in. It’s a free-will decision that is to be made by each and every individual. No one else can decide for another.

The signs all over this earth are pointing to the end of this age taking place soon. All believers at that point will be removed to keep us from the tribulation. We will be with our Savior during that time. Therefore, now would not be too soon to decide where you want to be: darkness or light.

Jesus is waiting for all who will receive and accept the free gift that He made available on that cruel cross. God wants no one to fail and be separated from Him forever (2 Peter 3:9). He has been very patient with all of us, but He won’t wait much longer. Call now and make your reservation for the best “Home, Sweet Home” ever.

Maranatha – Come, Lord Jesus

huebshman46@gmail.com