The story of Noah’s ark in Genesis, chapter 6, is perhaps one of the best-known Bible stories after the creation story. It seems no sooner had God created the earth than He instructed the ark to be built in preparation for a flood to totally destroy the then thoroughly iniquitous world. Mankind had become so terribly contaminated over a period of approximately 1650 years since Adam that God said he regretted making us! (Genesis 6:6) But grace was available for the remnant that sincerely loved, believed, and served God, and it was to them that He gave His rescue plan.
He told the family patriarch, Noah, to build an ark based on a blueprint He provided (Genesis 6:6). It was to contain three levels. When Noah was done, in marched the animals and birds: two by two they entered – one male, one female. Some were one pair; others were seven pairs, as God instructed.
Eight human beings boarded as well: four males who were married to four females.
It was clear that God had in mind the structure of what the world should look like afterthe flood. This was His ideal, and when the flood ended, He placed in the sky a rainbow, which was a sign of His promise that He would never destroy the earth again by water. Instead, He caused it to miraculously regenerate again.
Let’s examine some takeaways the Holy Spirit revealed about the Noah story.
The ark is a strong statement about:
- order: those who entered did so two by two and were assigned to their respective places since the ark had three levels.
- human sexuality God’s way: for every male, there was a female on board so they could reproduce under the banner of a marital union. They were all married couples.
- peace: carnivorous animals seemed to have signed onto the peace treaty quite well; the venomous sting of the snake was rendered innocuous; cats and dogs did not fight aboard the ark.
- future life: the dove that Noah released from the ark to’spy out the land’ represented life and the future. When it went out, it eventually brought back the olive leaf, indicating growth (and peace—from which we get the term, ‘extending the olive branch’), while the raven represented death, as decayed flesh is part of their diet.
We learn from this, as well, that life and death are part of the natural cycle that God created.
GOD SENT NOT ONE BUT TWO ARKS
So, order, human sexuality God’s way, peace, future life—all these were God’s templates for the post-flood world, but of course, we’ve messed up again.
However, God always has His remnant that He will keep safe until He returns to judge the earth one last time. With the remnant, He has shared another Rescue Plan, another Ark, as outlined in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Many have come to accept God’s Ultimate Rescue Plan, Who not only assures peace in the midst of life’s storms but also eternal peace with Him when He comes again.
Have you accepted Jesus Christ of Nazareth, The Ark that can never decay? He is God’s Ultimate Rescue Plan from the second flood that will destroy the earth again and cause mankind’s eternal separation from our Creator, God. (Please read Matthew 25.)
