The Jesus-Noah Connection

I love the connections that can be seen in the Old Testament and the New Testament. I love how the events in the Old Testament point us to Jesus. It’s kind of like watching a painter as they paint a picture. The first strokes of paint often don’t make any sense to the common eye. However, the eye of the artist knows that those beginning strokes are the most important in laying a foundation down and developing a deep and detailed masterpiece.

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5

By the time Noah came along, the sinful heart of men had taken over to the point that the Bible says that EVERY thought and imagination of men was evil. That’s hard to comprehend. It doesn’t say most thoughts or some imaginations. It says ALL. So, basically you never saw anyone help their neighbor. Nobody visited the sick. No good deeds were done. That’s depressing. It had grown so bad that God said:

“I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” Genesis 6:7

God had enough. Man had crossed the line. God was ready to clean house. Was He really going to destroy everything and everyone? Was everyone really evil? According to the Bible, the answer is yes, except for one man. Noah.

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8

You know we, as people, often want to think that our lives belong to us. It is nobody’s business what we do, what we think, or how we act. We should be able to live our lives how we choose to live and everyone else should just leave us alone. Some even have this same attitude with God. People try to believe that decisions we make do not affect anyone but ourselves. This is simply not true. Look at Noah. What if he had lived a life like everyone else? What if Noah had not found grace in the eyes of God because he had lived as evil as the rest of the world? We would not be here. God would have destroyed the entire world and it’s population. Thank goodness that Noah was different. Noah’s decisions to live for God directly affected every person who was born into this world after the flood. That is a huge influence!! It wasn’t immediate but it was incredibly important. Don’t allow Satan to deceive you into thinking your life doesn’t matter. Your life and decisions directly and indirectly affect the people God has placed in your life. These decisions will affect others in a positive or a negative way. Rest assured your life matters.

As the story goes on, God gives Noah instructions on how to build an ark to save himself, his family, and some of all animals on earth. As you read through Genesis 6, notice that you never read of Noah questioning God. Noah has complete faith in God and what God is asking of him. Noah’s faith drives him to complete the task that God laid before him. And it was no small task. Noah had no power tools, no electricity, no lifts, and no cranes. Yet he built a three story monster of a boat capable of carrying his family, all the animals, and supplies for survival. Noah is the very definition of faith.

So where’s the connection to Jesus? You have to look at the situation as a whole. In Noah’s day the world was evil. In the last days, the Bible says that the earth will be as in the days of Noah. In Noah’s day, God was bringing judgement on the earth and mankind. In the last days, God will be bringing his final judgement on this earth and mankind. In Noah’s day, God provided a gracious and merciful way to escape the judgement. He provided the ark. You know that during the construction of the ark, Noah got a lot of questions like: What are you doing? Why are you doing it? Why so big? Are you crazy? Noah, I feel sure answered all these questions over and over again. In the process of answering the questions, Noah was essentially witnessing to the other people to get their hearts right with God so they could get on the ark also. Obviously Noah did not see one convert from his witnessing efforts as there were no other individuals allowed by God on the ark. That had to be very disheartening. Fast forward to the last days. Judgement is coming, but God has once again provided a gracious and merciful way of escape. That way of escape is Jesus. If you simply give your life and heart to Jesus, you can escape the coming judgement. Through Noah and the ark, God provided a way of escape. Through Jesus, God gives us the ultimate and perfect way of escape. But just like in the days of Noah, people have a decision to make. What will it be? Sink or float? The decision is yours.