Pictures Of Christ: The Ark of Noah Pt. 6 Like The Ark, the Believer Is Sealed and Saved!

Genesis 6:12-18  And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13)  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14)  Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15)  And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16)  A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17)  And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 18)  But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. 

So far, we learned that the ark had one door which connects to Christ being the door for the sheep to enter in, the only name of salvation, the only way to the Father.

We learned that the physical body of the ark would endure the judgment of God just as the physical body of Christ on the cross, endured God's wrath for our sins.

Sealed by pitch pictures sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 6:14  Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

We saw that the ark was coated with "pitch" on the inside and outside. The word "pitch" is most often translated "atonement" which refers to the saving, redeeming, reconciling work of Christ on the cross. 

Both the inside and the outside of the ark was coated with pitch. This was done to seal the wood against any water leaks. 

Thus, applying "pitch" to seal the entire ship, made it secure and able to transport Noah, his family and all life forms on the ark, in perfect safety.

All necessary provisions for sustaining life were in the ark.

Genesis 6:21,22  And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. 22)  Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. 

God commanded Noah to store a supply of all food that his family and all the animals on board, would need to eat. The whole process of the flood from beginning to end would take one full year. Therefore, a lot of food was needed. 

All spiritual provisions are ours when we are in Christ. 

John 10:9-11  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10)  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11)  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.  

In the same text where Jesus proclaimed that He was the only door or point of entry to the sheepfold of Jehovah. Jesus promised abundant life to all of the sheep. 

Jesus is the good shepherd and as such, He promised to provide abundantly for each believer. 

Literally, the word "abundantly" denotes that which is not absolutely essential to life, but which is superadded to make life happy. 

The idea is that we shall not merely have life but we shall have all those abundant things from Christ which make life eminently blessed and happy. 

It would be vast mercy to keep men merely from annihilation or hell; but Jesus will give them eternal joy, peace, the society of the blessed, and all those exalted means of felicity which are prepared for them in the world of glory.

Jesus Christ gives each believer all necessary spiritual blessings. 

Ephesians 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Jesus Christ gives each believer the living waters of the Holy Spirit. 

John 7:37-39  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38)  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39)  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) 

Jesus Christ offers the bread of life to each believer.

John 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 

Jesus Christ will supply all our needs from His infinite riches. 

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 

The ark contained all food and water needed for Noah, his family and all the animals, to sustain them for the duration of the flood. 

In like manner, every spiritual blessing has been granted to each believer in Christ. He supplies for all our needs. He is the bread of eternal life. He gives us living waters. 

Jehovah's gracious invitation to enter the ark.

Genesis 7:1  And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 

This is the first time that we see the word "come" used as a word of invitation from God to Noah and his family. God invited them to enter the safety of the ark. 

Noah's faith and obedience

Genesis 7:5  And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him. 

Genesis 7:7  And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. 

Noah's obedience is noted at least five times in Genesis 6 & 7. He did all that Jehovah commanded him to do. Then, he accepted Jehovah's gracious invitation to enter the ark and "Noah went in." 

Genesis 7:13-15  In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; 14)  They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. 15)  And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. 

God described the process of how Noah and his family loaded all the animals into the ark in their proper order, by twos.

God shut the door and sealed them in.

Genesis 7:16  And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in. 

Since the word "pitch" refers to atonement, this word is connected to the ministry of God's Spirit in the heart of each believer in Christ. 

Applying pitch to all surfaces of the ark, ensured that it was fully sealed and waterproof. Jehovah shut the door of the ark, guaranteeing that not one life would be lost during the global flood that covered the earth. 

Sealed by the Spirit of God forever!

2 Corinthians 1:21-22  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22)  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

The word "seal" is connected with an act of God's Spirit the moment that a sinner turns to Jesus Christ in repentant faith. 

All surfaces of the ark were coated with "pitch" and then Jehovah closed the door. He shut them in. Literally, God “covered him round about.” 

Paul tells us that God seals each believer in Christ. The word "seal" means to set a seal upon the believer proving God's ownership of each born again Christian. 

God's seal provides our security from Satan's attempts to destroy us (John 10: 28-29).

The Holy Spirit Himself is the seal of God upon us, as He indwells each believer in Christ. Thus, the "seal" of God on our hearts proves we belong to Him, and that we are a child of God.

Ephesians 1:12-14  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13)  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14)  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

The word "sealed" certifies us as God’s children, by the action of the Holy Spirit as the seal (See Acts 19:1-6; Romans 8:16; 23; 1 John 3:24). 

A seal impressed on a document gives validation to the contract. (See John 3:33; John 6:27; compare with 2 Corinthians 3:3). 

Evidence of God's seal is “the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost” (See Romans 5:5), and our adoption into God's family through the Spirit at regeneration (See Romans 8:15-16). His holy seal assures believers of God’s grace to us.  

The “sealing” by the Holy Spirit is spoken of in past tense as an action once for all time in our heart. He is witnessing to our hearts that we are the children of God.

Thoughts to Ponder...

Jesus used several different ways for us to understand what it will be like when He returns to earth, the rule and reign. He made a clear comparison of Christ bringing in final judgment with the days of Noah.

Matthew 24:38-39  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39)  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

The act of God “shutting him in” demonstrated that Noah was the special object of divine care and protection. As God sealed the door shut, it signaled to all people outside the ark that the season of grace was over.

Jesus told His disciples that the very day that God shut Noah in the ark, the people continued to live wicked lives not knowing that judgment was rapidly approaching. 

Such are the times that you and I live in. It seems that all those in power can only imagine evil plans and malicious schemes. It seems that the saving light from the gospel of Christ has been extinguished in many churches. It seems that conditions just grow worse each day.

This world is overly ripe for judgment from God. This judgment will come in due time. As long as God is still willing that none should perish in their sins, the gospel will still be preached as the world waxes worse and worse. 

The moment that the very last soul hears the gospel and is saved, God will send His Son. Heavy, final and complete judgment will be measured out upon all unrepentant sinners and upon all the Devil's domain.

Thus, we must take courage and live by faith each day, being faithful to whatever it is that God has called us to do. 

May the Holy Spirit convict us of the nearness of Christ's return in judgment and may we do our best to share the gospel with lost people, so that they may be born into the family of God. 

Bob