That the ark built by Noah for the salvation of those who entered is a beautiful figure or type of Christ becomes very evident as one makes a careful study of it and of its purpose.

The world had lapsed into fearful sin, and "God looked upon the earth and, behold, it was corrupt" (Gen. 6: 12). The development of evil in this age of conscience culminated in universal corruption and violence. The Lord's long suffering had come to an end, and He at length pronounced the doom of the world. He made known to Noah the secret of His counsels, and gave complete instructions for the making of the ark, which should pass through the flood.

It was to be made of gopher wood and to be pitched "within and without with pitch." The word used for "pitch" (kaphar) is the same as that used elsewhere for atonement. The idea is "a covering." The ark, fashioned according to the direction of God, was a covering for all that were within it from the flood of divine wrath that destroyed the wicked world. "The blood of Jesus Christ" that made atonement is a covering to the guilty from the punishment of their sin and is as perfect safety for those who are "in Christ" as for those who were in the ark. The word of God is pledged, "They shall never perish."

Noah's ark is seen as a type of Christ: FIRST, setting forth God's gracious provision to save from death; SECOND, setting forth the perfection of God's provision; THIRD, the world outside the ark setting forth the result of unbelief.

NOAH'S ARK SETTING FORTH GOD'S GRACIOUS PROVISION TO SAVE FROM DEATH

When the ark was provided, death threatened all. God saw the wickedness and corruption of man and decided to destroy him. "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. . .. And the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth" (Gen. 6:5, 7). When Christ came to save, death rested upon all. Christ came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19: 10), "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3: 23). "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12). "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not" (Eccles. 7:20). And "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23).

The ark was a God-provided refuge. It was not a plan conceived of and worked out by man. For God said unto Noah, who had found grace in His eyes, "The end of all flesh is come before me: for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood. . .. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of" (Gen. 6:13-14). God planned it and gave specific directions for its construction. Christ is a God-provided Saviour. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (I John 4:10). For "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

The ark was the only refuge. "Behold, I," saith the Lord, "even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth. . . . and everything that is in the earth shall die. But with thee (Noah) will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. . . to keep them alive" (Gen. 6:17 20). Christ is the only Saviour. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Jesus saith, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man Cometh unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 3:11).

The ark passed through the tempest of waters — a picture of judgment. But those who were within it had a covering from the flood of divine wrath that destroyed the world of the ungodly. "The fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened" (Gen. 7:11). "And the flood was forty days upon the earth. . . And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters" (Gen. 7:17-18). The waves and the billows might beat upon the ark, but it was made strong to bear them; the windows of heathen were opened and judgment poured down on the doomed world, but neither from above nor from beneath did a drop penetrate to injure the weakest of the living: things within. And is it mere fancy that sees in the terrible prevailings of the flood, a figure of the baptism of wrath through which the Lord Jesus passed as our substitute? As in the deluge, so in the death of Christ, all the billows and waves of divine judgment passed over Him Who was "without sin but became sin in our behalf." Oh, the weight of wrath that fell on our blessed Substitute, when He cried. "Thou has laid Me in the lowest pit, in the darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon Me, and Thou hast afflicted Me with all thy waves" (Ps. 88:6-7). And again, "All Thy billows and Thy waves have gone over Me" ("Ps. 42:7). Judgment was passed on Him; Christ drank the cup, and "all God's billows and waves" passed over the spotless person of the Lord Jesus, when He hung on the cross, and as a blessed consequence not one of them remains to pass over the person of the believer.

The ark was held in the power of judgment for a period of three fifties. "The waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. And the ark rested" (Gen. 8:3). The ark was held in the power of judgment for one hundred and fifty days, or, as stated above, a period of three fifties. Christ was held in the power of death for a period of three days. He died for our sins, "was buried, and rose again the third day" (I Cor. 15:4). "Him God raised up the third day" (Acts 10:40); so Christ was held in the power of death for a period of three days.

The ark finally rested, and eight persons were rescued by God — a picture of resurrection. "And the ark rested. . . upon the mountains of Ararat" (Gen. 8:4). "And God spake unto Noah, saying. Go forth out of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee" (Gen. 8:15-16). The eight persons came forth from the ark at God's bidding, as it were, a risen people in a new creation. Christ is finally raised from the dead on the eighth day (counting from the old week) and all in Him are made alive. Mark 16:8 tells us that Christ was risen from the dead early on the first day of the week; or, counting from the old week in which He was crucified. He was raised from the dead on the eighth day. His resurrection is the pledge of the resurrection of all who are in Him. To each and all He says, "Because I live, ye shall live also." "As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Cor. 15:22).

So striking is the analogy in this study, that the ark is not only a beautiful type, but it is also one of the definite proofs of the inspiration of the Word of God. For so accurate are the details that the ark becomes a prophecy of the coming Christ, His death and resurrection.

NOAH'S ARK SETTING FORTH THE PERFECTION OF GOD'S PROVISION

The ark was the only thing in which Noah and his people could securely trust. They were to enter the ark "to keep them alive." "They and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind. . . went in unto Noah into the ark. . . as God commanded him. And the Lord shut him in" (Gen. 7:14-16). Christ is the One in Whom we can securely trust. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. He that believeth on Him is not condemned" (John 3:14, 15, 18). "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). "I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who hath given them unto Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one" (John 10:28-30). "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. . . . If any man's work shall be burned; he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire" (I Cor. 3:11-15).

All who entered the ark lived. "And God spoke unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee. . . . And Noah went forth. . . and builded an altar unto the Lord" (Gen. 8:15-20). All who receive Christ live. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and cometh not into judgment; but hath passed out of death into life" (John 5:24, R.V.). "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Cor. 15:22). "For this is the will of My Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on Him, should have eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. I am the living bread, . . . if any man eat this bread, he shall live forever" (John 6:40, 51).

THE WORLD OUTSIDE THE ARK SETTING FORTH THE RESULT OF UNBELIEF

All who remained outside the ark perished. "And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle. . . and every man: all in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. . . . And Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark" (Gen. 7:21-23). All who reject Christ perish. "He that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36). "Ye will not come to Me, that ye may have life" (John 5:40). "He that hath not the Son hath not the life" (I John 5:12); but "he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life."

Where do you stand, reader, outside or inside? Do you trust Christ as your personal Saviour or not? Are you within the ark or without? • Remember there is no middle class., One is either within the ark or without, either saved or lost. What will you do with Christ?

"To be almost saved is to be altogether lost."

"So near the door and the door stood wide;
Close to the port, but not inside;
Near to the Ark, yet not within;
Almost persuaded to give up sin;
Almost persuaded to count the cost;
Almost persuaded and yet lost."

"Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."