Old Testament Parallels of New Testament Salvation — Part 1
Noah’s Ark—A Glimpse of the Coming Savior
Scripture Ref: Genesis 6:5-8, 13-14, 16,19; 7:16, 23-24 Luke 1:26-35
Galatians 5:19-21 Romans 9:22-25
2 Peter 3:3-15 Leviticus 17:11
John 5:24; 14:6; 10:7, 9 Matthew 25:10-12
Hebrews 9:12-14; 11:7
Other Ref: All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible, Lockyer
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
1. Introduction
a. As Christians, we believe the OT to be just as credible and applicable as those of the Jewish faith did prior to the coming of Christ.
b. As Christians, we also believe the OT, in its entirety, points to Christ; but what is belief or faith without foundation? If asked, could you give specific examples with Biblical proof?
(1) There are the obvious Messianic prophecies, such as Micah, Daniel, Jeremiah, etc.
(2) There are some, however, that are not so obvious. They give, what Herbert Lockyer, in his book entitled All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible, “prophetic gleams from historical events.”
c. This is the first message in a series of messages that will examine some of those OT events that give us a glimpse of the Messiah and His redemptive work.
d. Today we will focus on Noah’s Ark.
e. Read:
Residents along the Mississippi River are no strangers to overflows and flooding during the spring thaw and rains. Since the early 18th century, settlers have built levees and floodwalls along the 2,000-mile-long waterway to try and control it. However, in years with record-breaking rainfall, like 1927 and 1993, trying to tame the river becomes impossible.
The Mississippi and its swollen tributaries reached peak levels in April of 1927 and overflowed their banks. One by one, levees built to contain the river broke, and a wall of water pushed its way across midwestern farmlands. The flood covered 27,000 square miles, an area about the size of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont combined. For two long months the water would remain above flood stage, leaving hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes.
The flood of 1993 was one of the most devastating floods in United States history. More than double the normal amount of rainfall fell in the Midwest during the first half of the year, flooding over 16,000 square miles in nine states. Major flooding was confined to the Upper Mississippi due to the less than average level of inflow from Lower Mississippi tributaries.
f. Despite the severity of those floods, they pale in comparison to the flood Noah and his family experienced.
g. Genesis tells us this about the great flood. Counting 30 days to a month, the Flood lasted 371 days.
h. Although today’s message is neither specifically about the flood, nor about Noah, it is about the prophetic implications of both the flood and the ark Noah built.
i. There are many parallels in Noah’s story to that of Christ. Today we will examine them.
2. The Need for Salvation
a. OT—Evil and wickedness were running rampant.
(1) Read Genesis 6:5-8
(2) From man’s fall from grace in the Garden of Evil to the time of the great flood, he continued to grow in wickedness and evil.
(3) Because of this, God decided to “wipe mankind from the face of the earth.”
b. NT—Evil and wickedness still runs rampant.
(1) Read Galatians 5:19-21
(a) Why would Paul write this to the church at Galatia if such sins did not abound?
(b) Is it any different today?
(2) Read 2 Peter 3:3-11 —Just as Noah needed salvation from the flood, we need salvation from destruction by fire.
3. God’s Plan, God’s Specification
a. OT—God used the obvious choice for his vessel of salvation.
(1) Read Genesis 6:13-14
(a) God specified that Noah make the ark of cypress (gopher wood), the perfect choice of wood for making a boat.
(b) Cypress is strong, durable and resistant to exposure to the elements.
b. NT—Again God used the obvious choice for his vessel of salvation.
(1) Read Roman 3:22-25—Christ was the perfect choice as the author of our salvation.
(a) He was the Son of God.
(b) He was blameless and without sin.
(c) He had the power to forgive sin.
4. The Purpose of the Vessel
a. OT—A physical salvation.
(1) Read Genesis 6:19
(2) The express purpose of the ark was preservation of life.
(3) It was a place of safety and refuge.
(4) This was a physical salvation, not a spiritual one.
b. NT—A spiritual salvation.
(1) Christ, just like the ark, provides deliverance from sin and deliverance from judgment.
(2) Read John 5:24—I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
c. The ark was a “type of Christ,” a refuge from present sin and coming judgment.
5. Deliverance from Destruction
a. OT—deliverance from a physical destruction
(1) Read Genesis 7:23-24
(2) The ark represented not only deliverance for Noah and his family, but also destruction for the rest of the world since it was a vessel of salvation from the coming flood.
b. NT—deliverance from a spiritual destruction
(1) Read John 3:16-17
(2) Read Hebrews 2:2-3
6. Divine Conception, Human Construction
a. OT
(1) Read Genesis 6:14
(2) God commanded and Noah obeyed, he built the ark.
(3) Read Hebrews 11:7—By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
b. NT
(1) Conception and execution were combined—a divine nature was united to a human nature with the Son of God becoming the son of Mary.
(2) Read Luke 1:26-35
7. Its Size
a. OT—Read Genesis 6:15
(1) The dimensions equal 33,750 square feet, which is roughly the same size as the TRAC Expo Hall. There were three floors of this size.
(2) The physical size is not important, but what is important is that it was big enough to contain all that God had commanded Noah to bring into the ark.
b. NT
(1) Christ, the chosen vessel of God’s salvation, has room for all—the Jew and the Gentile.
(2) Read Romans 9:22-25
8. The Covering
a. OT
(1) Read Genesis 6:14
(2) The ark had to be covered with pitch both inside and out, thus ensuring the condemning waters were not able to reach the interior of the ark.
b. NT
(1) The Hebrew word for pitch used in the OT is also translated as atonement in the OT.
(2) Read Leviticus 17:11—For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.
(3) The key feature of Christ’s atoning work is the covering of His blood.
(4) Read Hebrews 9:12-14
9. One-Way Entry
a. OT
(1) Read Genesis 6:16, 7:16
(2) God provided not only a means of salvation, but also a way into it.
(3) There was only one way into the ark, a door built into the side.
(4) After Noah and all the creatures were inside, it was shut and sealed by God.
(5) After the door was closed, there was no further chance of salvation for those outside the ark.
b. NT
(1) God provided another means of salvation and, as before, a way into it.
(2) Read John 14:6; 10:7, 9
(3) Jesus doesn’t say he is a gate, He says he is “the gate.”
(4) Just as entry to the safety of the ark was through the side of the ark, our peace through Jesus comes partly through his pierced side.
(5) Read Matthew 25:10-12—there will come a time when it will no longer be able to obtain salvation.
10. Window of Hope
a. OT
(1) Read again Genesis 6:16
(2) Although it probably served as a means for light and air to enter the dark, this window probably served a dual purpose.
(3) Its other purpose was probably to keep Noah from looking out on the angry waters of the flood. Rather he would be forced to look up to the skies, symbolic of looking to God for his comfort and hope.
b. NT
(1) We should look to God through Christ. Our focus should always be on Him, His saving grace, and the day of His coming that makes our salvation complete.
(2) Read 2 Peter 3:11-15
11. Summary
a. Just as the OT people had a need for salvation, so do we.
b. God has provided us with a divine plan for salvation and the instructions for how to obtain it.
c. Just as Christ, we were made by human action and, just as Christ, we are afforded the opportunity to be divinely united with God through Christ.
d. His atoning blood covers us much as the ark was covered with pitch.
e. We have only one way into this salvation, through Jesus Christ.
f. Our focus should always be on Him.
g. The ark, indeed, gives us a prophetic glimpse of Salvation through Christ—a salvation that is large enough for all and sealed by God’s own hand.
12. Invitation
