The Judge, the Flood, and the Ark
Learning about God’s Covenant with Noah and Loving the Cross of Christ
Aaron Lee | August 25, 2024 | FCBCW Children’s Worship | Genesis 6:1 - 9:1, John 10:9
Introduction
The start of a new school year means change and growth, and I’m excited to learn together with you today. We’re going to look back at one of the most famous stories of the Bible, and hopefully see something with fresh eyes. We’re going to look at the story of Noah’s ark. When you think of the ark, you think of a boat. I went on a cruise ship earlier this summer. Food and entertainment are good on a cruise ship – but that’s not what’s most important. We’ll come back to this later.
The ark was not like a comfortable and cozy cruise ship. The story of Noah and the flood is actually a really scary story. It’s not really a happy story – I’d say it’s more of a tragic, disaster survival story. Let’s see what the Bible says:
1. The Judge
The story begins with God judging humanity. He saw that human wickedness was widespread, with man thinking evil thoughts all the time. Noah was not perfect, but he found favor with the Lord because he did what was right, was without blame, and walked with God. The Bible says that the earth was corrupt, filled with wickedness. God gave Noah a warning to make the ark. Lower, middle, and upper decks with a roof and a door on the side.
“Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside. This is how you are to make it: The ark will be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. You are to make a roof, finishing the sides of the ark to within eighteen inches of the roof. You are to put a door in the side of the ark. Make it with lower, middle, and upper decks. “Understand that I am bringing a flood—floodwaters on the earth to destroy every creature under heaven with the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. (Genesis 6:14-18)
Application point: God is holy and we must treat our sin seriously.
2. The Flood
The Bible makes it a point to say that Noah had to enter the ark. The ship would not save him if he just let it sit there. He actually had to go inside:
Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation… And Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him. Noah was six hundred years old when the flood came and water covered the earth. So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives entered the ark because of the floodwaters. From the animals that are clean, and from the animals that are not clean, and from the birds and every creature that crawls on the ground, two of each, male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, just as God had commanded him. Seven days later the floodwaters came on the earth. (Genesis 7:1-9)
Application point: Do not wait to trust and obey God.
3. The Ark
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the sources of the vast watery depths burst open, the floodgates of the sky were opened, and the rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. On that same day Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, entered the ark, along with Noah’s wife and his three sons’ wives. They entered it… Two of every creature that has the breath of life in it came to Noah and entered the ark. Those that entered, male and female of every creature, entered just as God had commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in. (Genesis 7:11-16)
If you keep reading, you’ll see that the Bible keeps repeating that Noah and his family were in the ark. And then when God stops the flood and the waters recede, God tells Noah and his family to come out.
Application point: God does what he says and we must pay attention.
The Covenant and the Cross
After the flood, God established a covenant with Noah. A covenant is like a contract – an agreement, a promise. God gives us covenants to establish and define the relationship we have with him. It’s like when people get married, the marriage covenant is one where the man and woman promise to love and cherish each other for as long as they both shall live. The covenant we see in today’s text is called the Noahic Covenant:
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord. He took some of every kind of clean animal and every kind of clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, he said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of human beings, even though the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth onward. And I will never again strike down every living thing as I have done. (Genesis 8:20-21)
This covenant applies to us today as well:
God tells Noah he will never destroy the earth with a flood
God tells Noah that life is precious – the sanctity of life
God tells Noah to be fruitful and multiply,
God tells Noah to care for an respect the Earth and all creation
God tells Noah that the rainbow will be a sign for him to see and remember
When we fast forward in the Bible and look at the cross of Jesus, we see that he relates to so much in the story of Noah and the ark. The cross, and the tomb, and Jesus’ resurrection is also known as a sign. God will look at Jesus and remember that Jesus protects those who are in him, and God keeps his promise to save all of those who are in him.
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all future generations: I have placed my bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all the living creatures: water will never again become a flood to destroy every creature. The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look at it and remember the permanent covenant between God and all the living creatures on earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and every creature on earth.” (Genesis 9:12-17)
In the New Testament, Jesus calls himself the door for the sheep. Look at these words. See how they connect to our story of Noah and the ark:
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (John 10:9)
When Jesus died for our sins, his cross is a sign for the world to see. God will save and forgive all who go to Jesus!
Application point: Admit you are a sinner, believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross for yours, confess him as the resurrected King over your life.
Big Idea
Jesus is the way of escape from the floodwaters of sin.
Conclusion
Food and entertainment are good on a cruise ship – but that’s not what’s most important. The ark was not like a comfortable and cozy cruise ship – but what matters most is that it was safe. For those who are in Christ, you can be sure that you will be safe. And the story of Noah and the ark can be a happy story with a happy ending – as God keeps both his promises and his people.
References
Who Is Jesus? 40 Pictures to Share with Your Family by Kate Hox and Joe Hox
Questions for Personal Reflection and Group Discussion
Discuss Noah’s character and what it means to live in a way that pleases God. Where do you need to take God’s holiness more seriously in your life?
Reflect on the importance of listening to and following God’s instructions. In what areas do you know what God says, and you need to listen and obey him now?
The rainbow is God’s covenant promise and points us to Jesus. What other promises in God’s Word can help us as we go about our lives?