This chapter really speaks of the Lord’s role as protector and provider, and our role of obedience.
“On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.” (v13-16)
Noah and his family had a large role to play in the salvation of mankind – they had to not only obey God, but they had to do so at great personal risk. Can you imagine building a 450-500ft ship (it was huge) that was 3-4 stories tall, in the middle of a dry field? They didn’t have modern cranes or helicopters to help build or even move this monstrosity once it was built, they had to have faith that God knew what He was doing and the flood waters were coming. The Bible doesn’t specify how long it took Noah to build the ark, though I’m estimating it took 20-40 years (don’t get me started on the “120 years” that some people seem to think it took).
However long it took to build, can you imaging the scoffers walking by and poking fun at Noah and his family? “That crazy man thinks he’ll fit that thing in the river?” “Hey Noah, where’s the flood?” and my favorite: “Water you doing? You’ve gone off the deep end!” Bad puns aside, there would have been some persecution, seeing how “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” (Gen 6:5) Yet despite common sense and mocking being against him, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” (Gen 6:22)
Once Noah’s obedience for building the ark was completed, God took care of the rest. “Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark.” (v15) Noah didn’t have to go catch all of the animals, God simply sent them to Noah.
The most important part however, is “the Lord shut him in.” (v16b) God Himself closed the door to the ark once everyone/everything was on board. This is a wonderful demonstration of the double-truth that it is mankind’s responsibility to obey, and God’s responsibility to be sovereign/protector/provider (all those things mentioned yesterday, and more). Just to be clear, despite building the ark with their own hands, Noah’s family did not save themselves – they wouldn’t have known to build, or how to build the ark, without God’s instruction.
There was only one door in the ark (only one way through which someone could receive salvation – ie. foreshadowing of Jesus), God alone knew the timing and had the ability to close that door (the end of time), then the flood would come (a time of judgement), before the restoration and a new earth could begin (a new heaven and a new earth, the New Jerusalem).
My prayer for today is that I continue to solely rely on God/Jesus as my one way to live. Without Him there is no life, and through Him there is eternal life. The greatest fulfillment in life comes from obeying Him, and all of His promises are trustworthy. “The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life;” (Psa 121:5-7)
May you experience God’s peaceful assurance, knowing that through submission and obedience to Him, there is abundant life.
~ Conqueror in Training