Final Flood Warning, Genesis 7:1-5

The sky looked fine, some clouds, nothing to worry about, no threats of rain.

Grabbed weed whip and walked outside.

When doing yard work, I listen to something on the Bible—but the phone battery was low.

Leaned weed whip against lawn chair, and walked inside.

Sunday’s Sermon would be in Genesis 7; so, after placing phone on charger, I started to read about Noah’s Flood.

When reading the part that says, “the windows of heaven were opened, and rain was on the earth forty days…” (Genesis 7:11-12), the sunlight through the living room windows dimmed, the room filled with the sound of a thousand drummers on the metal roof, God’s message poured from the downspouts in a torrent.

After rescuing the weed whip from the water, and taking a video of the rain, I couldn’t help but smile, and say right out loud, “God, I’m listening.”

Ah Doug, you have a vivid imagination; that’s just coincidence.

Call it what you want.

The Truth is, when The Eternal intersects the temporal, it’s Providence.

God is speaking. The listening, hear; those paying attention, see.

Those who don’t, are left outside the ark, at the flood, and left behind, at the trump.

Lord, help us listen, and pay attention.

 

⁷ Then the Lord said to Noah…

Finally, the decades long boat building project is done.

It started when God saw that the earth was corrupt, full of violence, every intent in the heart of man was wicked. Genesis 6:5-6, 11-14.

Yet, in the midst of all that filth, He noticed a flicker of faith in a man named Noah.

So, He spoke to Noah, and fanned that little flicker into a world saving, ark building inferno.

What exactly did God see in Noah?  

The exact same thing He can see in you.

The answer is in the last verse of chapter six (Genesis 6:22). Noah did all the Lord commanded.

The world is drowning in a sea of sin—God’s looking Noahs—will you be one? Will you build God an ark?  

Your ark won’t be a big boat, 450’ long, 75’ wide, and 45’ high; but it will be a place of refuge just the same.

 

Come into the ark…

Come is an invitation.

Some translations use the word “Go” into the ark. Which may imply, God is barking orders from the Pearly Gates.

However, the original text reflects a more personal, intimate usage. The first time this word, (“bo” in Hebrew), is used is Gen. 2:19. God formed the animals and then brought them to Adam to name. “Hey Adam, what do you want to call this one?”

Next, is Genesis 2:22; God brings Eve to Adam.

God is personally present and involved in this invitation; not barking orders from heaven.

It’s as if He says to Noah:

Hey Noah, come on in, bring the wife and kids, let’s check out your righteous handiwork.

God loves invitations.

Come let us reason together… Isaiah 1:18

Come unto me all you who are weary… Matt. 11:28

Come up hither… Revelation 4:1. God invites John to come, through an open door—not in the ark, but in heaven—a foreshadow of the rapture.

Come… Revelation 22:17, 20. The last page of our Bible concludes with a grand invitation.

Whatever your ark, it should have an open door and a welcome mat.

 

You and all your household…

Noah’s walk with God influenced the destiny of his household. He couldn’t force them be saved, but his influence, caused them to be.

Family is God’s idea. Not necessarily blood. Mark 3:33-35, Jesus said, those who do God’s will, are My family.

God gives every Christian a list. Those He’s called you to reach, to bring into the ark, the family of God. Typically, this includes your blood related family (but not always), and others within your sphere of influence.  

When Jesus walked this earth, He also had a list. He prayed about not losing any of those that His Father had given Him; (accept Judas). John 17:12; 18:9.

Not everyone on our list, will become family.

Noah’s list was short; even though he had an enormous world saving, ark building, mission. Our job, doesn’t necessarily reflect our list.  

He was a preacher of righteousness, 2 Peter 2:5; yet, after 600 years of living and 75-100 years of ark building, and judgement warning, the only folks getting on the ark was his wife, three sons, and their wives.

No brothers and sisters, which were many. Noah’s dad, Lamech lived after he beget Noah, 595 years and had sons and daughters (Genesis 5:30). No aunts and uncles which were many. After grandpa Methuselah had Lamech, he lived 782 years and had sons and daughters (Genesis 5:26).

Noah could’ve given up after his preaching went unheeded decade after decade. He might’ve been tempted to throw in the towel, after smashing his thumb for the ninety millionth time.

But Noah, moved with Godly fear, stayed the course, kept swinging and building and prepared an ark for the saving of his household. Hebrews 11:7.

God gives us grace (and strength, and wisdom, and provision), for the “family” He wants to reach through us.

It is too soon to quit.

Weary not in well doing, for in due season you shall reap, if you faint not.

Galatians 6:9.

because I have seen that you are righteous in this generation

Righteousness can be seen.

God invites Noah into the ark, because He has seen, his righteousness. Noah is called, just (righteous), perfect (blameless), in Genesis 6:9. Now here again God calls him, righteous.

Why?

What did God see?

What exactly did God see in Noah?  

The exact same thing He can see in you.

The answer is in Genesis 6:22, 7:5; Noah did all the Lord commanded. By faith.

These accolades are achieved by faith’s sweat equity. Faith must have feet, or it’s not faith at all, just a crippled dream.

Faith without works, is dead. James 2:14, 17, 20, 26.

 

To keep the species (animals) alive on the earth, Genesis 7:2-3

Noah’s Divine Eternal Purpose, was primarily to build an ark for the saving of his household.

However, that wasn’t all. He also had practical responsibilities.

In our case, it might be our secular job, walking the dog, taking out the trash, mowing the lawn. We are to be responsible and good stewards of God’s planet.

In Noah’s case, he was responsible for the continuation of animal life on the earth.

There are plenty of resources from theologians and scientists (a couple are: Henry M. Morris, John C. Whitcomb) who’ve calculated that there was plenty of room for all the animals God selected to be on the ark.  

They say the average size of an animal is that of a sheep. The total number of animals, clean and unclean, male and female, according to God’s directive, is said to total between 50-70,000.

The ark could hold from 125,000 – 136,000 animals with plenty of room to spare for food, storage and Noah and his family.   

What’s clean and unclean?

Leviticus 11 explains clean and unclean animals. Basically, clean animals are those considered healthy to eat. However, outside the law of Moses, we are not bound by this, and thus, we eat bacon, catfish, shrimp, lobster, etc. things that otherwise would be considered unclean.  

 

4 For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.”

The Final Flood Warning.

Noah, in seven days, the sunlight will dim, the door to the ark will shut, the windows of heaven will open, God’s judgement will pour from the downspouts of heaven in a torrent. 

After the Church is called Home, the Son Light will dim, for seven years, warnings will pour in a torrent, through seals, and trumpets and bowls (the seven-year tribulation). It will end in a flood, not of water, but blood. Revelation 19:11-18, 14:20.

Notice, God tells Noah, exactly when judgement will begin.

In Daniel 9:25-26, an angel told Daniel exactly, to the day, when Messiah would come. From the command to rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah, it would be 483 years (173,880 days). Nehemiah 2 records how Artaxerxes issued the command.

On that very day, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem; the day we call Palm Sunday.

Then, the very next verse, (Daniel 9:27) talks about a seven year covenant the antichrist will sign with Israel. This refers to the seven-year tribulation period.

Friends, God is not silent about His intentions. He makes His ways known, before they happen.

We are living on the threshold of the tribulation.

As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man…Matthew 24:37.

For a long time, Noah’s preaching went unheeded.

For a long time, the Church’s preaching has gone unheeded.

But one day, God called to Noah and family, “Come…”

One day soon, God will call to His family, “Come…”

 

5 And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him

We must ask ourselves, “Can that be said of me?”

 

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, help us to be like Noah, to listen, to pay attention, to do all that You command us; to build an ark, a place of refuge, so that none are lost, of all that You give us.

Thank You,

We love You, forever.

Amen.   

 

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