19th February 2024
One man, one boat, one Saviour
This is the third study in a series of studies about shadows in scripture
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. Hebrews 11:7 (NIV)
If we built a vessel today, equivalent to the ark built by Noah, we might describe it as a lifetime’s work. Since Noah was 600 years old when he entered the Ark, and he lived for 350 years afterwards, he had a lot of lifetime before and after the flood. Some was spent preaching ‘righteousness’, some constructing the Ark according to God’s specific directions, and some growing grapes, making wine and enjoying the product.
It is also clear in the Genesis account that God was involved in the Ark project throughout. He was there at the beginning when he decided to destroy his creation and start again with Noah and his family. He was there at the end when he shut the door of the Ark with Noah and his family inside. Scripture doesn’t actually tell us which side of the door God was, but He does say to Noah, “Come into the ark…” (Genesis 7:1 NKJV), suggesting His presence was there in the Ark. He was also there when Noah left the Ark and entered the new world.
The story flows from the ‘wickedness of man’ (Genesis 6:5), God’s crowning creation that had once been ‘good’. God looked to recreate the world – to start again – and in this respect Noah is a type of Christ. His dynasty was far from perfect; it didn’t take long for things to go horribly wrong. It is, therefore, unlike the promise we have for a perfect future world, begun now in Jesus Christ, with evil overcome.
What Noah created in the Ark was an image of Christ and his saving role. He knew every corner, every joint he laboured over, following his Creator’s instructions, and so he was intimately involved in the redemption story that ends with the human life, death and resurrection of the same Creator. The apostle Peter describes Noah as being ‘saved by water’, comparing it to baptism (1 Peter 3:20-21 NIV): the figurative death of the old person, buried with Christ, and being raised to a new, God-centred life (Romans 6:4).
God’s instructions to Noah included coating the Ark, inside and out, with ‘pitch’, something that made sure it didn’t sink. This word is translated as ‘ransom’ in other Old Testament passages (Job 36:18, Psalms 49:7). And writing to Timothy, Paul describes Jesus Christ’s saving work: ‘For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.’ (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
Both Noah and the Ark he built, point in so many ways to the anticipated future in Jesus Christ. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8), and he was saved by faith. Paul sums it up in Ephesians 2:8-9: ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.’
Prayer
Thank you, Father, that we have in Jesus Christ a saviour who has overcome evil, who has provided a ransom for us in his blood, and has brought us to a new life in his name. In his name, Amen.
Study by Maggie Mitchell
About the writer:
Maggie Mitchell attends the Market Harborough congregation of Grace Communion International
Local congregation:
GCI Market Harborough
9 The Point
Rockingham Road
Market Harborough
LE16 7QU
Meeting time:
Sunday 4.00 pm
Local congregational contact:
Sinead Henderson
Email: sinead.henderson@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church