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Genesis 6:11-7:5 – “As it Was, So It Shall Be” – Part 2
[Read part one by clicking HERE]
In Genesis 6:22, Moses records this very important statement: “Noah did everything just as God had commanded him.” In chapter 7, He then repeats this phrase three more times (7:5, 9, 16). This informs us that God must be obeyed in all His instructions if His people expect to enjoy the fruit of life and blessing.
Before we move into chapter 7, we must quickly put ourselves in Noah’s sandals. Though he was known in his day as a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet 2:5), he did not flinch when the criticism came. No doubt he was called a fool and worse. Just imagine how many Noah jokes people came up with over a century!
But he went on believing and working. Noah remained obedient, doing exactly what God said for 25, 50, 75, 100 years...until the ark lay like a huge coffin on the land. What a powerful reminder that God sometimes calls His servants to obey Him even when it seems nonsensical. In these situations, all that we can do is trust in the promises of God’s Word. And this is also a great reminder to some of us as we go out and preach righteousness to people for years, yet it seems to have no affect and we don’t seem to be making any difference! Remain steadfast!
This section also reminds us that it is possible to be right with God, even amidst surrounding iniquity. God is the same today as He was to Noah, and if only we are willing to fulfill the conditions we too shall walk with God and please Him.
Trust in God’s Provision - (7:1-5).
How many animals went into the ark? There is no contradiction between these 2 accounts of the animals which were placed on the ark. Just as in the creation account, Genesis 7:2-3 is just more precise than 6:19-20 on the question of the types and numbers of animals and birds that would board the ark. Noah’s first instruction was to admit pairs of all kinds of creatures on the ark to preserve their lives (6:19-20). That was the basic formula. Then he was given more specific instructions about admitting seven pairs of each of the clean animals and seven pairs of each kind of bird.
The purpose of this measure was to become clear only after the flood. Birds would be needed to scout out the earth (8:7-12), and the clean animals and birds would be offered in sacrifice to the Lord (8:20). If Noah had taken only one pair of each and then offered each of these pairs in sacrifice, these species would have become completely extinct.
Now into the meat of this message. God is still a holy God. He still hates sin. He still is slow to judge. He watches the sin of man and warns that it will not be allowed to go on and on forever. God tells that world what He will do. And our world will also come to an end (2 Pet 3:1-13 which we will cover in a minute). We have plenty of prior notice that the judgment of God is on its way. In His grace, God warns His people. He tells us in advance that sinful men do not deserve to live on God’s earth. This is the basic message of the Genesis flood.
And what I want to focus on today is the parallel which Jesus drew between His own coming and the flood in the past. And These passages also back up the historicity of the flood account.
(Matt. 24:36-37) Jesus emphasizes that His future second coming is a historic event, “but about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” The word translated “coming” used throughout the N.T. in relation to Christ’s second coming and means “presence.” It is “a being alongside of,” that is, there is coming a future time when Jesus will be present on the earth - historically - in the same way He was on earth when he spoke these words.
Jesus continues in Matt. 24:38-41 - “For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.”
Isn’t this parallel interesting in its detail!? It takes on the normality of life just before Jesus comes!
The Book of Revelation also shows that this evil world will be going on as usual; doing business, pursuing pleasure, and scoffing at the idea of coming judgment. But in One Hour judgment will fall. There are close to 50 passages in scripture which talk about the sudden coming of Jesus and the end times.
And It will be thorough and completely devastating: Rev. 18:8, 10, 17. (Babylon’s judgment) “Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.” “Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!” “In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin.”
Just as life was going along normally and suddenly the flood came, so life will be going along normally and the first step in the second coming of Jesus Christ will occur!
Many other passages in Scripture also speak on the historicity of the flood. Isa. 54:9 records God as saying: “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.”
God is saying that His promise is as sure as the events concerning the historic fact of the flood.
Likewise, 1 Peter 3:20 (pg. 1222) says: “...to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water...”
And 2 Peter 2:5 (pg. 1226) - “If He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others...”
Then again in 2 Peter 3:3-7 (pg. 1227) the flood is paralleled to the second coming of Christ. “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say: ‘Where is this “coming” he promised?’ Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the SAME word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.”
Thus, past historical events in the time of Noah are paralleled with coming historical events!
And notice the note of “universality!” The word “world.” As the WORLD was Judged then, the same thing will happen at the second coming. Just as the ark was the only means of salvation from God’s judgment for Noah and his family, so the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way that God has provided for salvation from His coming judgment on the whole world.
Everyone on board the ark was saved. Everyone not on the ark was lost.
Everyone who has trusted in Christ’s shed blood will be saved. Everyone who has trusted in anything else will be lost.
In Noah’s day, it wasn’t a matter of being an excellent swimmer! You can’t be good enough to merit salvation. The crucial question is, “By faith have you obediently responded to God’s warning by ‘getting on board’ Jesus Christ?”
God has issued a clear warning: A “Category 5” storm of judgment is heading toward everyone who dwells on earth!
The door of His ark is still open. Flee to Christ and you will be saved. Scoff at the warning and you will be lost forever. Imitate Noah’s faith and obedience. Join him as an heir of the righteousness according to faith.
Last Update: Aug 12, 2019 9:00 am CDT
