All aboard! The first and last voyage of the ark was about to begin. Life had been good for Noah, his wife, and three sons. No one could have asked for more. But Noah was grieved by the wickedness of the people who lived around him. He pleaded with them to abandon their sins and turn to God. However, they mocked him and ignored the warning he sounded. They had no intention of turning away from the sinful lives they so enjoyed.
Noah’s generation was the same as ours today. People love their sin. The Bible teaches that everyone in every generation has sinned and fallen short of God’s moral standard (Rom 3:23). Even Noah, who was just and righteous, could not meet God’s perfect standard, for Noah had indeed sinned. Noah however, also walked with God, so he was certainly not surprised when God declared that He would destroy the whole world with a flood on account of mankind’s great wickedness. Noah found grace in God’s sight, so God instructed him to build an ark (a large ship) to save him and his family from the impending doom.
Noah spent many long years building the ark. He endured the heat of the sun, the aching of his muscles, the sting of blisters, and the wickedness of all who doubted and disobeyed God. Earth was different in Noah’s day. There had never been a flood before nor had it even rained. People likely thought, “What foolishness to believe God would flood the whole earth with water!” But God said it would happen, and Noah believed God.
The day finally arrived when the ark was complete and God invited Noah to come aboard with his family. The wrath of God was imminent and would come crashing down upon the world. Noah had an important decision to make. Would he accept God’s invitation to enter the ark? Would he put his life into God’s hands? Did he actually believe God that judgment was coming? Was there a better way to escape death? Despite Noah’s perfect character and righteous walk with God, there was only one way for him to escape judgment. He needed to be in the ark before judgment fell.
We have the same choice before us today. God warns that death and judgment will come because of our sin. We cannot save ourselves. Nor can our works or self-righteousness save us. We need God. Will we accept God’s invitation? Will we believe His word? Will we trust in the Savior, Jesus Christ, to save us? His sacrifice, death, and resurrection have opened the door of salvation for us.
Noah and his family entered the ark and God shut the door behind them. Soon the skies opened and torrents of rain crashed down upon the earth. God was right – it did rain. The rain continued, and the great deeps were broken up and the water rose higher. It did flood! The water rose and lifted the ark. It rose above the highest mountain. God was right. The whole earth was destroyed, and only those in the ark survived. God was right then and He is right now. The only way we can escape eternal punishment and have everlasting life is to believe His Word and trust Jesus Christ as Savior.
