READ : Genesis 7:11-16
They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.
God’s instructions to Noah also called for sealing the ark with pitch. The Hebrew word for pitch is translated “atonement” in Leviticus 17:11. That covering of pitch made the ark watertight and provided those inside with perfect shelter. Without it as a covering, the ark would never have carried Noah’s family through the waters of judgment.
Our salvation depends solely upon the atonement of blood which is a covering for our sins. The pitch in Noah’s day can be compared to “the fountain filled with blood” available for us.
After years of hard work, the eight members of Noah’s family began putting supplies of food into the ark, and gathering the animals two by two. Then we read, “The Lord shut [them] in.” God closed the door! Nobody could enter and no one could leave. Once really saved, you are saved forever. When God shut them in, He insured their safety through the judgment scenes which would follow. That is one reason why Christians need not be afraid of defeat by the terrible darkness in the world today—for God still insures our safety. Noah’s ark shows the final triumph of Christ and His saints and the eternal defeat of Satan and the unsaved sinners. Our ark of safety is Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Father, I’m so thankful for pastors, whose messages point us to who YOU are and what YOUR SON has done for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
About the Author
Victoria Elliot was an elementary school teacher and a church organist. She wrote a booklet LWA (Living With Alzheimers). She was blessed with children and grandchildren, and was a charter member of Fellowship Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan.
