The Judgement of God…

• 1^st – The command to Noah… vs. 1 / 4-6 (3 points)
  • 1^st – God commanded Noah to COME into the ARK… vs. 1 / 5
    • Noah was allowed to come in – be safe from the coming judgement… vs. 1
      • Because he was RIGHTEOUS before God in his generation…
      • To be RIGHTEOUS means to be – right with God / accepted / good…
      • Noah was RIGHTEOUS – but not because of anything he would do…
      • Noah was ALREADY RIGHTEOUS (Qal / Perfect) in the eyes of God!
      • He was RIGHTEOUS because he believed what God said – by FAITH!
      • Hebrews 11:7 – “By FAITH Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the RIGHTEOUSNESS which is according to FAITH.”
    • And Noah did ALL the Lord had COMMANDED him… vs. 5
      • This is only the second time God gives a COMMAND in the Bible – Genesis 2:17
      • We know Noah had FAITH because he obeyed the COMMAND (good works) …
      • For 120 years he built a boat in FAITH – because God said the judgment was coming…
      • Then on one unassuming day – God told Noah get into the boat – and he obeyed by FAITH!
      • James 2:17 – “FAITH by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
      • You know a mango branch is alive because it bears fruit…
      • The fruit is not what makes it alive – it is alive because it is part of the tree…
      • But the fruit is the evidence that the branch is connected to the tree!
      • We can say have faith in Jesus – connected to the tree but if there is no fruit (good works) …
      • Are we really abiding in the vine – if we are there will be fruit – John 15:4-5
  • 2^nd – Seven more days… vs. 4-6
    • Noah was 600 years old when the Flood came upon the earth…
      • When God commanded Noah to come into the Ark – the flood was one week away…
      • And He told Noah – after that week he would cause it to rain for 40 days / nights…
      • This is the first time it would ever rain – only mist to this point – Genesis 2:5
      • But that rain would destroy (wipe away) all of the living things (3x in OT) on earth!
    • Nothing is in the Bible by accident – even numbers have a purpose….
      • We always see the number 40 relating to TRIALS or testing
      • Noah / Moses in Midian / Children of Israel wandering – to name a few…
      • Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for 40 day TRIAL…
      • And we can be assured that just like Jesus / Noah / Moses / Israel – TRIALS are coming!
      • Jesus gave the promise – In this life we will have TRIBULATION – John 16:33
      • The Gospel is not a message of an easy life – it is about eternal life!
      • But God uses our TRIALS to teach us to focus on the Him in this life!
      • II Corinthians 1:8-10 – God give us the sentence of death so we do NOT trust in ourselves!
      • II Corinthians 12:9-10 – His GRACE is sufficient – when I am weak He is strong!
      • Romans 5:3-5 – GLORY in Tribulation which produces perseverance / character / hope!
  • 3^rd – Come into the Ark… vs. 1
    • Notice that God did not say – GO into the ARK…
      • If I told you GO to the BACLOD – that would suggest that I was not there…
      • If I told you COME to the BACOLOD – that would suggest I was already there!
      • God told Noah to COME into the ark – God was already there!
      • Noah was safe from the flood – not because he was in the ARK – because he was with God!
    • We do not go through our trials alone – Jesus is with us!
      • Everyone goes through trials and difficulties in life –the storms of life 
      • People without Jesus have no where to go when trials come – BUT we run to Jesus!
      • Matthew 7:24-25 – “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”
      • There is no safer place to be in the storm than with Jesus…
      • It is when we run to the rock – when we run into the ARK…
      • That we find we are safe and sound – no matter how bad the storm gets!

• 2^nd – Who went into the Ark… vs. 2-3 / 7-9 / 13-16 (4 points)
  • 1^st – CLEAN animals…. vs. 2-3
    • Noah was to take SEVEN male / female of each CLEAN animal / birds…
    • CLEAN – 94x in OT a Levitical term used commonly in the Law of Moses…
    • It had to do with animals God said were good to eat and which were not – Leviticus 11
    • Here God commanded Noah to bring 14 of each kind of clean animal (male / female)!
    • First so that there would be animals to sacrifice after the flood – Genesis 8:20
    • If you offered an animal that only had TWO – no more of that species!
    • Second it allowed the clean animals to reproduce faster than unclean…
    • That way there would always be an abundance of clean animals!
  • 2^nd – Unclean animals… vs. 8-9 / 14-15
    • God brought on board TWO of every kind of UNCLEAN animal on earth…
      • Every beast / cattle / creeping thing / flying things / and bird – after their KIND…
      • ALL flesh in which was the breath of life – ALL animals that breath air!
      • God intended to preserve a sample of ALL life in the Ark…
      • That way after the flood they could go out and repopulate the world!
    • Noah did not have to go out and collect all the animals…
      • Notice they went into the Ark FIRST – verse 7 – THEN the animals followed AFTER!
      • Collecting TWO of every kind of animal would have been impossible…
      • How would you even know if you missed one – the extinction of that kind of animal…
      • Buy Noah did not have to do anything – God did all the work!
      • As we step out to follow the Lord – He is the one who does the work…
      • When we begin to depend on ourselves – that is when life gets hard…
      • Serving God should not be a burden – Matthew 11:30 – no sweat – Ezekiel 44:18
  • 3^rd – EIGHT people… vs. 7 / 13
    • Of the possible billions of people on earth – 8 were saved…
      • Noah / Shem / Ham / Japheth and their wives…
      • It was not that they were the only ones allowed to go in…
      • Anyone could have gone in – it was just that no one else wanted to…
    • No one believed that in only a few days – a flood would end all life on earth!
      • I was watching a documentary on Pompei – wiped out by the eruption of Vesuvius…
      • They were talking about the rings found on people caught in the catastrophe…
      • Some were gold / some were silver / other were common iron…
      • But they noted – NONE of them mattered on the day of the volcano exploded!
      • So many of us go about our lives worrying about what we will eat / drink / wear…
      • Who we will marry – or what job we will take – where we will live…
      • Yet NONE of those things will matter on the day of JUDGEMENT…
      • We know Jesus is coming soon – but are we READY – Matthew 24:37-39
  • 4^th – The Lord shut the door… vs. 16
    • Noah did not close the door – I am not sure he could have…
      • Closing that door meant that everyone on the outside was lost…
      • When the time was up – God was the one who closed the door!
    • Anyone can be saved – God has given the gift of Jesus to all who believe…
      • But there will come a time when there is no longer that choice…
      • The Day of the Lord – the final JUDGEMENT – will come like a thief in the night
      • I Thessalonians 5:2 – “The day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”
      • We KNOW Jesus is coming – we KNOW the JUDGEMENT is not far away…
      • Will we be ready when God give the COMMAND to COME – I Thessalonians 4:16
      • Because we need to make sure we are READY – Matthew 25:1-13
      • Because once the DOOR is closed – ONLY the JUDGEMENT from the Lord remains! 
• 3^rd – The Flood… vs. 10-12, 17-24 (4 points)
  • 1^st – The 600^th year of Noah … vs. 11
    • It was the 600^th year of Noah – in the second MONTH (first use) – on the 17^th day…
    • Which is 1656 years after the creation – or 2358 B.C (4359 years ago) …
    • We are given a VERY specific day of when the FLOOD began…
    • I think the simple point is this is not a STORY – this is HISTORY!
  • 2^nd – After seven days … vs. 10-12
    • THE waters of THE flood came on THE earth…
      • It would take an enormous amount of water to have enough to cover the whole earth
      • Using the greatest rainfall ever recorded – 30 centimeters an hour…
      • Raining for – 40 days nonstop around the whole world – would only give 300 meters!
    • Far from enough water to cover mountains – so where did all the water come from…
      • When God created the world there were huge water aquifers created underground…
      • These FOUNTAINS of the DEEP were all released at the moment of the flood!
      • When God created the world there was a layer of water above the clouds – Genesis 1:7
      • These WINDOWS of HEAVEN would have collapsed pouring down onto the earth!
      • AND it RAINED on the earth for 40 DAYS and 40 NIGHTS (just to make sure)!
      • The point is do not think of this as a really bad rainstorm – not even a bagio…
      • This was the whole world erupting in a torrent of water and violent upheaval…
      • It would have seemed the end of the world – it would have been impossible to survive!
  • 3^rd – The ARK was lifted up… vs. 17-20
    • It rose up HIGH above the earth – moving about on the surface of the waters…
      • The water prevailed GREALY – verse 18 – prevailed EXCEEDINGLY – verse 19
      • EXCEEDINGLY – 299x in OT – is repeated twice in the Hebrews – a LOT LOT!
      • So much that it covered ALL of the mountains by 30 cubits – about 15 meters!
    • How high did the water get – the highest mountain today is Everest – 8848 meters
      • Now – it is very possible that the mountains were not as high before the flood…
      • Much of the world we know today was created by the catastrophe of the flood…
      • But the point being made here though is that there was no place safe…
      • There was no place to hide – no high mountain left to stand on…
      • Just water over the whole earth – for over a year!
  • 4^th – All who had the breath of life died… vs. 21-23
    • The result was no one and nothing that had the breath of the SPIRIT of life (on land) lived…
      • All birds / cattle / beasts / everything the creeps on the earth / and EVERY MAN – died!
      • ONLY Noah and those who were with him in the ARK remained ALIVE!
    • If millions perhaps billions of people and animals had died – where is the evidence…
      • Fossils do not form under normal conditions – it takes water / pressure / and mud…
      • The evidence of the flood – the judgment of God is all around – fossils / oceans…
      • We have fossils of whales on top of mountains – how do you suppose that happened!
      • Our world is a one giant testimony to the judgment of God!
      • Yet ironically men have tried to use that same evidence to disprove God…
      • Say that fossils are proof of EVOLUTION – rather than the JUDGEMETN of our creator!
      • There are only two possibilities for the origin of life – design or accident…
      • Because they choose to deny the creator – they instead believe life is all an accident…
      • They choose to use the evidence of JUDGEMENT – as an excuse to FORGET about God!
      • II Peter 3:5-6 – “For this they willfully forget… the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.”

• 4^th – God remembered Noah… vs. 24-5 (3 points)
  • 1^st – The waters of the flood prevailed for 150 days (5 months) … vs. 24-1
    • Then God remembered (Qal / Imperfect) – first time used in OT – Noah…
      • Do not think God FORGOT about Noah – and after 5 months suddenly remembered…
      • God was REMEBERING constantly – Noah and all who were with him!
      • We might ask – with all the billions of people in the world – does God know my name…
      • God not only knows us – He never stops thinking about us – He calls us by name!
      • Psalms 139:17-18 – “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!”
  • 2^nd – God made a wind to pass over the earth and the waters went down… vs. 1-2
    • This was the first great wind the world would ever have known – cold air hits warm air…
      • Up until the flood there was a global climate – the earth had one temperature – no WIND…
      • The wind began the weather patterns we know today – rain / storms!
    • The waters subsided (went down) …
      • The fountains of the deep were stopped – and the rain subsided (no additional water) …
      • Some of the water was frozen in the polar ice caps (North pole / Antarctica) …
      • These areas had once been tropical – now they became frozen reservoirs…
      • Antarctica alone is covered with an average of 2160 meters of ice!
      • It holds 70% of all the fresh water in the whole world!
      • If all the water in the ice caps melted – oceans would rise about 70 meters!
      • Most of the water from the flood became oceans (there were none pre-flood) …
      • The flood reshaped the whole earth – tore up continents – raised mountains…
      • In the end it left ¾ of our planet still covered in water!
  • 3^rd – The Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat… vs. 3-5
    • The receding waters did not move quickly – it took 150 days for the Ark to hit land…
      • On the 7^th month – on the 17^th day (150 days after the flood started)
      • The 7^th month Jewish calendar becomes 1^st month – Passover – Exodus 12:2
      • Jesus died on Passover – 14^th day of the 1^st month of the Jewish calendar…
      • He was resurrected 3 days later on the 17^th of that month…
      • Jesus was resurrected on the same day the Ark came to rest from the flood!
      • Just like Noah we are given a new beginning in our life in Jesus – II Corinthians 5:17
    • It took 73 more days and – 10^th month – 1^st day – tops of the mountains to be seen…
      • Though we do NOT know for sure were the Ark landed…
      • Mount Ararat in Turkey attracts the most attention because of permanent ice….
      • Many expeditions have searched for the Ark with no conclusive evidence…
      • Not surprising considering it landed on the mountains 4500 years ago!
      • Still – some believe that the Ark will be found one day…
      • A reminder to a sinful lost world God judges and will again judge sin!

• 5^th – Learning Patience… vs. 6-14 (2 points)
  • 1^st – At the end of 40 days… vs. 6 / 13-14
    • Here again we see the number 40 – the number of trial and testing
      • It must have been very difficult for Noah to continue to wait…
      • It had been 264 days in the Ark – they could see land – but he still had to wait!
      • One of the greatest tests we will ever face in our Christian walk is patience…
      • More often we try to get things done our way in our time…
      • We rarely take the time to consider that God has a much better plan!
      • Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God.”
    • Noah waited for over a year before He left the Ark… vs. 13-14
      • In the 601 year of Noah – on the 1^st day of the 1^st month the earth was dry…
      • But Noah waited another 57 days – till the 2^nd month 27^th day to leave – 370 days in all!
      • Why did he wait so long – he waited till he heard God say it was time to leave!
      • When do we know when to stop waiting – when the Lord says so!
      • It is unwise to make big decision without first hearing from the Lord…
      • When we wait to hear from the Lord we can move forward with confidence…
      • Until then we wait – and take the time to listen – so that we can hear!
      • James 4:14-15 – “How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like a mist —it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’”
  • 2^nd – The RAVEN and the DOVE… vs. 6-12
    • The first bird Noah sent out was a RAVEN…
      • The idea was to test and see if it could find dry ground – a safe place to land…
      • The RAVEN did not come back to the Ark – but went around till the waters dried…
      • The RAVEN had no problem finding food and a place to land – they are scavengers…
      • The RAVEN was unclean – it could have landed on and survived on dead animals!
    • The second bird Noah sent out was a DOVE…
      • The DOVE is a clean animal – not a scavenger – so will not land on dead animals…
      • It found no place to land – so returned to the Ark…
      • Finding no place to land told Noah that the water was still covering most land…
      • 7 days later Noah tried again – this time the DOVE returned with and Olive branch – hope!
      • He wanted ANOTHER 7 days and sent the DOVE – and it did not return again!
    • The raven and the dove are pictures of the flesh and the Spirit…
      • Noah sent out the unclean raven (trusting in self) first – with no success
      • It was not until he sent the clean dove (trusting in the Spirit) – he found hope…
      • When we trust in ourselves that is when we end up disappointed…
      • It is only when we put out trust in the Lord – depend on the Holy Spirit…
      • That is when we find comfort and hope!
      • Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
    • Noah knew that the olive branch from the DOVE meant the waters had gone down…
      • That branch was a sign that the judgment of God was past…
      • It was a sign that God had made PEACE with Noah and His family!
      • 2500 years later there was another olive branch given…
      • In the Garden of Gethsemane on the mount of Olives God gave His peace offering…
      • Gethsemane means – Olive press – where they crushed the olives for oil…
      • Jesus paid a debt He did not owe – because we owed a debt we could not pay!
      • Jesus is the Olive branch the Holy Spirit / DOVE brings to us…
      • He is the way that we can have peace with God – II Corinthians 5:21

• 6^th – The COVENANT with Creation… vs. 15-22 (2 points)
  • 1^st – God told Noah to leave the ARK… vs. 15-20
    • Noah – and the 7 others with him – along with ALL the animals LEFT the ARK…
      • God had judged the World through the Flood – but Noah had been kept safe in the Ark!
      • In gratefulness – Noah built an ALTAR – offered a BURNT offering!
    • ALTAR – 402x in OT first used here / BURNT offering – 289x in OT first used here!
      • Offered one of each of the clean animals (7 of each kind) – they had a few to spare…
      • The offering of submission – surrendering yourself totally to God – Leviticus 1:3-9
      • Too often we cling onto our life – thinking we cannot afford to give it away to God…
      • But when we give our life away – when we live for Jesus – we find true life!
      • A seed is not good by itself – if you take a seed and hold onto it – nothing happens…
      • If you let it go – if you bury it – if it dies – then it becomes what God intended!
      • Only when we are willing to let our life go – do we truly find life in Jesus!
      • John 12:24-25 – “I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.  He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
  • 2^nd – The promise – while the earth remains… vs.  21-22
    • The Lord smelled the aroma – I will never again destroy every living thing as I have done…
    • So long as the earth REMAINS – there will be seasons and days…
    • But the earth will not always remain – II Peter 3:4-7
    • Just as God destroyed all life on earth with the Flood – He will destroy it by FIRE!
    • Like Noah are we waiting on the Lord – trusting in Him and not in ourselves!
    • Knowing Jesus is coming – VERY soon – so we need to be prepared / ready!

I John 3:3 – “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself…”