Home   e-Library       中文 
e-Library Home |  Browse By Category |  Study the Bible    
 (Living Waters 1986 Spring)
The Authenticity of Noah's Ark and Its Spiritual Implications (Part 2)

THE AUTHENTICITY OF NOAH'S ARK AND ITS SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS (PART II)

Plain

In the previous issue of Living Water we discussed the authenticity of Noah's Ark.  Through the study of seven major scientific discoveries, we have proven that the Ark and the global flood recorded in the Bible are veritable and true.

All important events written in the Bible contain precious spiritual teachings for future generations to learn and take warning.  The Lord Jesus said, "As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man.  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man." (Mt 24:37-39). Obviously, before the day of Jesus' second coming to consume the world with fire, God will choose His church and entrust them with the similar mission given to Noah, to build the spiritual Ark - the "Ship of Salvation" for all who wish to enter to obtain salvation.  Therefore, Noah's Ark prefigures the TrueChurch in the last days.

GOD'S DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS

"Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.  "- Gen 6:22 -

God created the universe according to His almighty power and wisdom.  There are specific patterns for all creation.  All structures that God commanded man to build has His exact dimensions such as the Tabernacle erected by Moses (Ex 39:32,42,43) or the Holy Temple built by Solomon (I Chr 28:11-19).  All were constructed completely according to God's blueprint which, consequently obtained God's favor and blessings.  It is because of Noah's complete submission to God that he and his family could clench salvation.  He built the Ark precisely according to God's design and measurements, never realizing the Ark became the most stable ship of the world and preserved the life of his entire family.  Therefore, the TrueChurch in the last days must conform perfectly to God's Word, the Holy Bible (Eph 2:20), especially regarding the essential doctrine of salvation which is irrevocable.  God will measure us by His rod and standard (Rev 11:1) and judge us by His Word (Jn 12:47,48).

If any Church or individual does not comply with the will of God, condemnation and loss of eternal life will be inevitable (Mt 7:21-23; Gal 1:6-10).

ONLY ONE ARK

Although there were many people in Noah's generation, God commanded Noah to build only one Ark (Gen 6:14).  It became the unique ship of salvation.  Hence, the True Church of God in the last days will also be unique, just as the pre-figuration is pointed out in the scriptures -- only one body (Eph 4:4); the only mountain of the Lord's house which shall be exalted above all hills (Is 2:2-3); the only bride, dove and the undefiled one of the Lord (Rev 19:7-8; Song 6:8-9); and one family, one nation (Eph 2:19).  Therefore, we must seek with all our hearts the True Church where we will find the original faith of the Apostolic times - The Perfect Gospel, the Holy Spirit, and miracles and wonders (Rom 15:18).  We should bravely enter into this Ark of the last days to receive the salvation provided by God, to be born again of water and the Holy Spirit (jn 3:5), and eventually be delivered to the HeavenlyKingdom when Jesus comes again.

GOD IS IN THE ARK

            "And Jehovah said to Noah, you and all your house come into the Ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.  "-Gen 7:1 KJV-

When the construction of the Ark was finished, God commanded Noah and his family to "come", not "go,, into the Ark.  Evidently, God is already in the Ark and abides there.  For this very reason, the Ark was sustained peacefully about 371 days and all the living creatures in it healthily survived.

If a church will perfectly obey God and construct according to His measurements, God will surely abide with her.  Everyone who believes will experience God's abundant grace such as the mighty power of healing, casting out of demons (Mk 16:17,18,20; Acts 5:12-16), and the manifestation of the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).  If a church does not have the abidance of God and the believer has no experience of the spiritual power, she will be no different from worldly organizations.  The worship is but a formality and social activity. There is no benefit towards the growth of spirituality or eternal life.

THE UPPER WINDOW

            "A window shalt thou make to the Ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the Arkshalt thou set in the side thereo.1',- with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.  " -Gen 6:16 KJV-

The upper window was the only passage through which light and air entered the Ark, and also was the sole direction of hope for Noah's family in the holocaust of the global flood.

Though Daniel lived in the sinful society of Babylon, his spirit coined with God intimately through the window of prayer three times a day (Daniel 6:10,11) in order to build up an incomparable, excellent spirit and virtue (Dan 5:11,12).  Through his daily spiritual fellowship with God, he obtained knowledge and wisdom from above and became a powerful witness for  God in the Babylonian and Persian Empires.  The fact that his window opened toward Jerusalem indicates his self-awareness of' status, never to forget that he was a saint of the holy city and a son of' God.  Hence, he must maintain the spiritual quality of God's son in the sinful world.  It also revealed that his hope was to return to the holy city to worship and serve God, behold His beauty, and enjoy abundant blessings in the temple of God.

All those who enter the Ark of the last days separate themselves totally from the sins of' the world, without fellowship or any desire for it.  They desire to commune closely with God in their daily lives through the spiritual window, by which comes holiness, wisdom, and power (Col 3:1,3; Jas 5:16; Lk 24:49).  To them, the world has lost all its attraction of' wealth, pleasure, and glory.  The heavenly inheritance becomes their only hope and consolation (Gal 6:14; Heb 11:13-16).

THE "ONE FAMILY" IN THE ARK

According to the estimate of the scientists, in the available capacity of 1.4 million cubic feet of the Ark, there dwelt approximately 75,000 animals and birds.  Various kinds of birds and creatures lived together with humans for about a year's time.  Amazingly, an atmosphere of total harmony filled the whole Ark, reminiscent of that in the Garden of Eden.  The beastiality of all kinds of animals and birds seemed to be entirely subdued.  Ferocious, devouring and poisonous natures all vanished.  Each of them obeyed the guidance of God and came to Noah willingly (Gen 7:8,9), just as the animals and the birds in the Garden of Eden were brought before the Son of God, Adam, to be named and managed (Gen 2:19).

Today, all who have truly entered the Ark of the last day and received the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit have already submitted themselves to the words of God (I Pet 1:22,23).  They have taken off their old nature, and put on a new one.  Their mind and character have been thoroughly transformed.  They have nailed to the cross all fornication, impurities, passion, evil desires and covetousness, anger, malice, slander, and foul talk (Col 3:5-10).  Hence, the entire spiritual TrueChurch becomes a peaceful, cooperative, holy, and loving family.  The paradise-like setting fulfills the prophesies of Isaiah, "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and lion and the fatting together, and a little child shall lead them.  The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.  They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Is 11:6-9).

NOAH - THE RIGHTEOUS MAN

Noah was one of the three remarkable righteous persons in the Old Testament (Ezek 14:14).  Though he lived in a morally decadent and wicked generation, he was able to stand strong in the tide and sustain his immovable and unchangeable faith, maintaining his simplicity and purity toward God.  Not only did he share an intimate relationship with God and obey His will, but even more he had an extraordinary faith in God (Heb 11:7).

At about 500 years of age God commanded Noah to build an Ark.  The Bible does not record any further revelation from God until he was 600 years old when he had accomplished the great task of building the Ark.  Within this hundred years of time, he did not receive any encouragement or approval from God.  Noah lived through the years of hardship merely by his strong faith.  He endured the severe mocking (it and gradually finished the huge Ark.  He also stored up all kinds of provision, sufficient to maintain a year's needs for all the living creatures in the Ark (Gen 6:21).  Aside from these heavy works, Noah went everywhere to preach the words of righteousness and warn the people of' the world to repent and enter the Ark (11 Pet 2:5).  These works of' faith was produced by his full conviction that every word of God will be fulfilled. try this kind of strong faith, he was able to overcome all obstacles and difficulties of the world, to fulfill God's will, and carry out Successfully God's commission (I Pet 5:8,9: 1 Jn 5:4).  Today, everyone who desires to build the Ark of the last day and to preach the perfect Gospel must equip himself with Noah's spirit and his excellent faith in order to accomplish the noble task entrusted by God.

THE LAST SEVEN DAYS

In God's forbearance of 120 years, Noah unceasingly preached the word of righteousness until the Ark was finally completed.  Unfortunately, besides Noah's family, there were none willing to repent and enter the Ark. Yet, God still showed His mercy to the world and gave them seven days as a final grace period (Gen 7:4), hoping they would awaken and return to Him at the last moment.  But the people of the world hardened their hearts and rejected God's love and sought self-destruction.  Hence, we must pay special attention to the final grace period of God.  Paul said, "Or do you presume upon the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience?  Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" (Rom 2:4,5).

In Matthew Chapter 24, the Lord Jesus has clearly indicated that in the last generation before His second coming, there will appear ten major signs in the world.  Up to 1948, nine of the signs had already been fulfilled.  Isn't the present world barely surviving "The Last Seven Days" of God and waiting for the final sign - the Great Tribulation (an all-out nuclear war)?  Regarding this devastating catastrophe Jesus says, "And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved (in the physical sense); but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened." (Mt 24:22) Immediately after the great tribulation, the grace period of God will be over.  The power of heaven will be shaken, the Son of Man will come with the clouds, and the elect ones will resurrect and be transformed.  They shall be taken up to meet the Lord in the air.  Then, God will destroy the world with fire (Mt 24:29-31; 11 Pet 3:10-12) and judge all mankind (Rev 20:11-15).  Therefore, we must prepare ourselves positively to meet God (Jas 4:12), to do His will, to lead a holy and godly life, to be zealous, to love God and our fellowman, to preach the Gospel and save lost souls

GOD SHUT THE DOOR OF THE ARK

The door of the Ark was shut by God Himself (Gen 7:16).  In reality, only by God's mighty power can the door of the Ark be perfectly sealed, so that no water might enter the Ark during the flood (Gen 7:24; 8:3).  Jesus says, "I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." (Jn 10:9) The way to eternal life was paved by the blood and the life of the Lord Jesus, and He appointed the Ark of the last day - the TrueChurch - as an institution of salvation for all mankind where the elected ones may fulfill the requirements to enter the HeavenlyKingdom.  Therefore, we should enter the Ark without delay while the door of salvation is still wide open (Is 55:6; 2 Cor 6:1,2) and preserve ourselves always in this Ark (Jn 15:4-6; Ps 122:2).  No one is able to open the door which has been shut by God (Rev 3:7).  On that day, there will be many people like those in Noah's generation who witnessed the global catastrophe.  Even though they repented bitterly, they could find no chance to be saved.

May we learn from these spiritual implications of Noah's Ark and obtain edification and growth in spirituality.  Amen.

Print
Email
Feedback