The Great Flood — The Salvation Story of Noah and the Ark
In this episode, we’ll give a look toward Noah’s ark with a little different emphasis than you or I might have considered it in our childhood. I wanted to emphasize the events that led up to the flood to show God as merciful rather than cruel and show God’s mercy in his provision for Noah and his family. The greatest reality of the flood is that those in the ark were saved but the harsh side of this reality meant death for everyone and everything outside of the ark. This is important because this shapes our understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must be in the ark of God’s salvation through His son if we want to be preserved from the ultimate judgment of God.
The Big Takeaways
We are called to faithfulness, regardless of cultural climate and outside support
Noah was alone in his obedience to God and he might have felt alone but God was faithful to provide for him. We might feel alone in following God sometimes but God will always show himself faithful. We aren’t called to do what is right when just when everyone else is, or when it is easy or when we feel like it. We are called to trust and obey, no matter what. In what ways do we need to invest and make sure we are found faithful just like Noah in his day?
There was only one way into the ark and there is only one way to salvation
There was only one door to the Ark. And only God could seal them into that salvation. In the same way, for us, Jesus is the only way to salvation and God himself seals us into that salvation. There was no other way for anyone else to be saved and God ultimately was the only one who could make it all happen. Are there ways in which we rely upon our own righteousness to earn our salvation or good standing with God?
For Noah, salvation came in the shape of an Ark. For us, salvation comes in the shape of the cross
The bow was now pointing to heaven. The next time God sent his judgment, it would be on his own Son. In our story today, salvation came in the shape of a cross. For you and me, we are saved by hiding in the cross—God’s completed work of salvation through His sinless son’s death, burial, and resurrection. This is a great way to reiterate the importance of salvation and point to the alternative.
Resources Used In Preparing For This Podcast
The Ark Encounter