Genesis Ch 7

The Ark

vs 1-5
Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.

I love the story of Noah because I believe that all throughout Scripture we see applications that we can apply that fit in this story. The Bible is about Jesus Christ. He is the Lord that we read about in the Old Testament. From Genesis to Revelation Jesus is the hero, Jesus is the main character and the big E on the eye chart. It is about humanity, and how utterly depraved that we are. We read about this in the previous chapter, that God saw nothing but wickedness in the heart of every man on earth. The story of the Bible is Jesus, loving mankind, and desiring to save us from our sinful, helpless selves. Those who come to faith in Jesus Christ enter the proverbial "Ark"of Christ. There is a greater judgment coming to this world than a flood of water. The flood of the great wrath of almighty God is coming. Here we see some serious foreshadowing that those who are righteous before God(those who are in Christ) are protected and saved from God's wrath.Again we are all wicked and sinful, it is the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes us "the Righteousness of God"! Noah was not righteous because he was any less sinful or depraved, but he chose to walk with God, and to trust him in faith.

vs 6-10
6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, 9 two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

As a child I would read this story, or listen to it being read and just get chills. I think it is important to understand how much God hates sin, and that he is a loving God, but he also fully intends to issue out serious judgment on those who reject His Son Jesus. I still as an adult sometimes wonder if God will show us these awesome stories unfold when we are living with Him in eternity. Maybe on a grand highlight reel, or a big DVD compilation set that we can watch as we worship God for all eternity! In addition as we have been studying through Genesis, I am almost positive that I am going to put together a preaching series on the "Great Bible Stories" of The Old and New Testament! We have many people at our church that are recent converts and I just think that it is awesome to show new Christians these amazing acts of God!

vs 11-16
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, 14 they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.

The Bible says that the Lord, Christ shut Noah and his family into the ark. What a personal God that we serve and love. The God of the universe wanted to ensure the safety of those who have placed their faith in Him. And we see why. If we were to watch what is about to happen on the Earth, we would be shaken to our core. The Bible says that the fountains of the great deep burst forth onto the land. And that the windows of heaven were opened. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights straight. Water coming from the ocean, engulfing the dry land. And an absolute terrifying amount of rain coming from the sky. Nobody on Earth could have survived for very long. Again we need to have in the forefront of our minds that our God is an awesome God that does not turn a blind eye to sin! He does not think that it is cute or a game. God is angry with sin and sinners. Thank God for His great love, in sending Jesus Christ to reconcile us to His Father!

vs 17-24
17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.

Pretty self explanatory,Water filled the Earth. The highest mountains on Earth were completely covered with water. Noah and company, and only the animals that were on the Ark survived. God makes it completely clear that nobody survived this catastrophe.