DIVINE PRESERVATION

Primary Bible Passages: Genesis 7:1-16

Key Verse: Genesis 7:15

Memory Verses: Genesis 7:16

Lesson Aim: to provide additional insight into the ark and the life sustained in it during the great flood.

Preparatory Daily Bible Readings:

Monday: Genesis 6:20-22, Genesis 7:1-16
Tuesday: Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:5-6, Matthew 28:18, Matthew 8:23-27
Wednesday: John 6:39-40, John 3:15-18,39, John 4:14, John 5:24
Thursday: John 10:1,7-9, John 14:6, Acts 4:12
Friday: II Peter 3:7, Romans 5:9, Revelation 1:5, John 8:24,42
Saturday: Colossians 3:3, Ephesians 1:13, I Peter 1:5
Sunday: Romans 8:31-39, Ephesians 2:8-9.

LESSON OUTLINE

I. GOD'S MIRACULOUS ASSEMBLING OF THE ANIMALS INTO THE ARK AND THEIR PRESERVATION.

A. God told Noah that "two of every sort shall come unto thee." (Genesis 6:20)

1. Noah and his family did not capture these animals and bring them into the Ark. The doing of that would have been an impossible task from a human standpoint, even if only local animals had been considered, which was not the case here. One pair of each specie world-wide came into the Ark. As only God could produce a world-wide Flood, only He could assemble the animals. (Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:5-6) He has power over all things (Matthew 28:18), even natural elements. (Matthew 8:23-27)

2. Migration, a phenomenon common in nature, brought animals to the Ark.¹ Prior to the Flood, there were no deserts, polar regions or barrier mountain ranges. The climate and temperature world-wide were very uniform. Furthermore there was only one land mass. The land was not divided into masses separated by water until the Flood. It was not necessary for animals to swim great bodies of water to reach the Ark. Since the climatic conditions of the earth, and thus habitat, were uniform world-wide, there was no advantage to any animal to seek a particular region. It is very reasonable to believe that individuals from each specie on earth lived near the Ark. The animals would have had no problem simply walking or flying to the Ark at the direction of God.

B. Once in the Ark, the animals were preserved for more than a year.

1. At times many animals go into "hibernation," a condition where the body suspends or dramatically slows most functions for an extended period of time. It is believed that most animals have the capacity to hibernate though many never exercise that capacity. The causes which prompt hibernation are not always uniform.²

2. It is quite likely that many of the animals on the Ark entered a period of hibernation at the beginning of the Flood and continued therein until the Flood ended. Noah and his family had gathered and stored food for themselves and the animals prior to the Flood. (Genesis 6:21-22) Even with food for all animals, it would have been a nearly impossible task for Noah and his family to feed thousands of animals in a floating barge for months.³ It appears that the food on the Ark was stored in such a configuration that the animals could eat at will. The lowest deck seems to have been for refuse which could periodically be shoveled in through portholes from the second deck.

The feeding and care of the animals would have been at a minimum for Noah and his family. God arranged the place and means of preservation for every being on board.

3. The preservation of all those on board the Ark is a great prophetic picture of all who are "in Christ." (Colossians 3:3) As Jesus said in John 6:39, "And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." The Bible clearly affirms that each person who passes through the door (John 10:9) into salvation receives "eternal," not temporary, life. (John 3:15-18,36, John 4:14, John 5:24, John 6:40) God guarantees the eternal preservation of all who trust Him as their personal Savior. He acts as their defense attorney (Romans 8:31-33) and pleads their case upon the strength of what He did for them by His own personal sacrifice on the cross. (Romans 8:34) The result of His work on behalf of all who are in Him by faith is divine preservation from any and every potential hazard. (Romans 8:36-39)

II. GOD’S SHUTTING OF NOAH AND HIS FAMILY INTO THE ARK JUST PRIOR TO THE FLOOD. (Genesis 7:4-16)

A. The Ark is a great Old Testament type of Christ.

1. As the Ark was the only place of safety from destruction by the Flood, which was God’s judgment on a sinful world, Christ is the only place of safety from the judgment of God by fire which is to come on this current sinful world. (II Peter 3:7) Only those in the Ark survived the Flood. Only those in Christ will survive the wrath of God that is to come. (Romans 5:9) As the Ark was the only ship on the sea when the Flood came, Jesus Christ will be the only place of safety when the fire comes.

2. As the "pitch" covered all who were in the Ark, even so the blood of Christ covers all who are in Him. (Revelation 1:5)

1. The Ark had only one door. (Genesis 6:16)

1. There was only one way into the Ark. Everyone who entered came in the same way. Here is a clear Old Testament picture of the fact that there is only one way to be saved. Salvation is extremely exclusive. All who would come must come the one and same way. To try to obtain salvation by any other way is to completely fail. (John 10:1,7-9)

2. The one door of the Ark typifies Jesus Christ as the one and only way of salvation. (John 14:6) He and He alone can save sinners from the wrath that is to come. (Acts 4:12) A common position of proponents of false religions is their claim that they are serving the same God that Christians serve, but that they call him by a different name and have a different set of procedures by which they serve him. Jesus personally condemned and totally rejected that false reasoning when He declared Himself to be the exclusive means of salvation and He accused all who reject Him of also rejecting God. (John 8:24,42)

C. God called to Noah from inside the Ark. (Genesis 7:1)

1. God was in the Ark. Inside the Ark, Noah could commune with Him.

2. Likewise, those in Christ are joined unto Him and in a position to commune with Him. (John 15:4)

D. Noah and his family were "in" the Ark, not "on" it. (Genesis 7:16)

1. Noah and his family were not outside the Ark, holding on to pegs. Such an effort would have been totally impossible in view of the violence and duration of the Flood. They were inside and their preservation did not depend upon their own abilities; it depended upon the ability of the Ark to survive the Flood. As long as the Ark survived, its passengers survived.

2. Noah and his family in the Ark are prophetic of the preservation and security of all who are "in Christ" by faith. (Colossians 3:3) Each of these is "sealed" with the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13) The eternal preservation or security of believers does not depend upon their own abilities to "hold on" or preserve themselves. Their preservation is solely and totally dependent upon the power of God on their behalf. (I Peter 1:5) Even as "Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Genesis 6:8), likewise every believer is eternally secure; not by any effort on his part, but solely and wholly by the grace of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

 

FOOTNOTES

1. Morris, Henry, The Genesis Record, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1976, page 186.

2. Whitcomb, John C., Jr. and Morris, Henry, The Genesis Flood, Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1992, page 71.

3. Whitcomb, John C., Jr., The World That Perished, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978, page 32.

SUMMARY

The supernatural power of God is evident in the story of the Flood. The same God who created all things was still in charge of all things when the time to destroy the earth with water came. As the time drew near for the Flood to begin, God supernaturally drew one pair of each animal to the Ark. Since the earth was still one land mass at that time, animals did not have to cross oceans and mountain barriers to reach the Ark. Furthermore, the water canopy still covered the earth at that time causing a universally even climate. Habitat world-wide was uniform. Thus, there was no advantage to any animal to congregate in any given area. It is quite likely that all species of animals were located near where the Ark was built making migration from long distances unnecessary. The animals came at God’s direction and entered the Ark. Noah and his family had no hand in this great round-up except to build the Ark.

It is quite likely that once on board the Ark, many of the animals went into hibernation. In hibernation, all body functions slow down to a bare minimum.

Food consumption and elimination of body waste is reduced dramatically. Many animals hibernate routinely and other animals are known to hibernate only under extenuating provocation. It is believed by many that almost all animals have the capacity to hibernate. The hibernation of many of the animals on the Ark would have greatly reduced any responsibility Noah and his family had in their care. Furthermore, it is quite possible that the food supplies on the Ark were arranged in such a way that the animals could eat at will without input from the humans.

The preservation of all who were on board the Ark is a great prophetic preview of the eternal security of every person who is by faith "in Christ." Jesus personally stated that of all who come to Him in faith, He would "lose nothing." According to Him, not one person who is saved will ever be lost. His claim is that at the point of salvation every person receives eternal, not temporary, life. He personally guarantees their salvation. He acts as their defense attorney in the court of heaven. He defends believers, not upon the strength of their worthiness or their guilt or innocence, but upon the strength of His own personal sacrifice on the Cross in their behalf. The result of that defense is divine preservation from every potential hazard. No condemnation can negate His sacrifice of Himself in their behalf.

In many ways the Ark is a type of Christ. When the judgment of God came in the form of a Flood, the Ark was the only place of safety. All who were not on board the Ark perished. As such, the Ark prophetically represents Christ who will be the only place of safety when God destroys the earth by fire at some date in the future. All who are not spiritually "in" Him will perish in the lake of fire.

The means to eternal salvation is very exclusive. Jesus unequivocally claims that He is the only way to be saved. He refuses to relegate Himself to be only one of several options. He says that all who attempt to be saved by any means other than Himself fail. Most false religions claim that they, too, are worshipping and serving the same God which Christians worship and serve. They say they just call Him by a different name and have different means of worshipping and serving Him. In several places in the Bible, particularly in John 8, Jesus personally refuted and condemned such a stance. He claimed that it is impossible for one to worship the true God while at the same time rejecting Him, Jesus Christ, as the exclusive Savior.

As the Ark was covered entirely with "pitch," every person "in Christ" is covered with the blood of Christ. The Ark has only one door, which is also a picture of Christ as the one and only way to salvation. It is striking toread that God called to Noah from within the Ark to "come" inside. This fact prophetically teaches that all who come to Christ dwell with God. Communion with Him is only possible to those who come in to Him by faith.

It is beautiful and comforting to realize that Noah and his family were "in," not "on" the Ark. Their preservation was not dependent upon their ability to "hang on." Clearly the violence and duration of the Flood would have prohibited such a thing. The clear teaching of God in the true story of the Ark and the Flood is that salvation is not dependent upon the abilities of the survivors. Salvation depends upon the grace of God who alone can preserve believers. Noah and all who were on board were safe as long as the Ark was safe. They were safe because it was safe, not because of how good they were or because of what they were doing. Likewise, all true believes are eternally secure in Christ; not because of their goodness or because of anything they are doing for themselves, but because of His ability and will to preserve them.

QUESTIONS

1. What role did Noah play in the gathering of the animals into the Ark?

2. Explain how the animals were gathered into the Ark.

3. Explain why it is possible that all species of animals were living relatively close to the Ark.

4. Explain why travel barriers such as high mountain ranges, polar regions, and dividing seas and oceans did not hinder the travel of the animals to the Ark.

5. Discuss hibernation and its connection to the animals on board the Ark.

6. Discuss how Noah and his family were able to feed all the animals on the Ark for one full year.

7. How did Noah and his family deal with the problem of waste products?

8. What is Jesus’ personal statement about the preservation of all who come to Him in faith?

9. Discuss "eternal" versus "temporary" salvation.

10. Who guarantees the salvation of all believers?

11 What is the basis of the security of all believers?

12. What hazards threaten the eternal preservation of those who are "in Christ"?

13. What happened to every person who was not on board the Ark when the Flood came?

14. How do those who perished in the Flood preview all who never trust Christ?

15. How is the Ark a type of Christ?

16. Discuss the role of the blood of Christ in the salvation of believers as foreshadowed by the "pitch" on the Ark.

17. Explain the exclusive means of entry into the Ark.

18. Discuss Jesus Christ as the exclusive means of salvation.

19. From what vantage-point did God invite Noah to enter the Ark and what does that teach regarding communion with God?