THROUGHOUT Scripture we cannot find a more beautiful and striking type of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners, than we have in the ark. In the days of Noah sin so abounded that God could suffer it no longer, and was, so to speak, forced to sweep from off the face of the earth all who would not take warning, but who went heedlessly on in their own ways, fearing not God. But God in His love, willing to save, prepared an ark by the hands of Noah, and when we consider the length of time taken to build the ark, the longsuffering of God is magnificently set forth. One word from God and the ark could have been in readiness; but not so, one man is put to work, and plenty of time is given for all to hear of the coming flood and this place of refuge. Every nail driven was not only a warning voice, but a gracious invitation to believe and live. But, oh! solemn thought, thorough indifference reigned; the voice of Noah fell upon their ears as rain upon the flinty rock, opinions passing, most likely, from one to another upon the weakness of mind and folly of Noah. They would not believe the message from God; God can justly say, "I would, but ye would not." But after one hundred and twenty years, or thereabouts, of warning, the time was up—God's longsuffering came to an end; the ark was finished, all the animals God wished saved were gathered into the ark, then Noah, his wife and family, "and the Lord shut him in" (Gen. 7:1616And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in. (Genesis 7:16)). The door was shut.
Dear unsaved one; what a voice of warning is this to you! Forget not that God’s word is as true to-day as it was in the days of Noah. Christ is now the Ark of God, prepared by God upon Calvary’s Cross, while He was nailed to that accursed tree. Oh, what a voice to the sons of men! nails driven through those precious blessed hands and feet of the adorable Lamb of God, and all, all to prepare an ark for sinners. And yet innumerable are the souls who treat all this work of God with indifference, who think of none of these things. But God is not mocked; the day is fast approaching when He will again shut to the door, and those who have not entered into the Ark must be left outside for judgment, for there is no other way of escape. In the days of Noah some might have climbed to the top of the highest mountain, but all was of no use; the ark was the only place of safety. And so it is now, dear reader; no safety out of Christ. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:11There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)); but all who have heard the Gospel and who are not in Him must perish. "But how am I to get into Christ?" you may ask. Well, I will tell you the way. Christ is the way; Christ is the door; Christ is the ark, Come to Him. "Him that cometh to Me (says the Lord Jesus Christ) I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)). He will take you in if you will only come to Him; the only hindrance is with yourself; ye will not come to Him. How often has the blessed Lord to say, "Ye will not come to Me that ye might have life" (John 5:4040And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:40)). Other vessels may be afloat very like an ark. Beware of anything short of Christ, the Ark of God. Religion is not the ark, neither are prayers—nothing short of Christ. "By Me (says the blessed Lord) if any man enter in he shall be saved" (John 10:99I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)).
This is a very simple warning and invitation; but, dear unsaved one, it is another message to you, and adds to your responsibility if you go on without Christ.
In these days men are treating God's message of love very much like the people in the days of Noah. Look, for instance, at one of God’s beloved servants standing in the street, crying with a loud voice, "Judgment is approaching; believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." One and another will venture forward for a minute, and then turn away as if from an idle tale; others with scornful indifference pass by as if they would not deign to look upon one so foolish, and haughtily refuse to accept a tract containing the glad tidings of God; but, dear reader, "it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe" (1 Cor. 1:2121For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. (1 Corinthians 1:21)). Again God must say, "I would, but ye would not Many tell you they are doing the best they can. What would doing of any kind, good or bad, have availed for those in the days of Noah outside the ark? Nothing, dear reader, nothing; neither will doing of any kind serve those who are not in Christ. You may say, "But I am working to get in." Did God ask the people in the days of Noah to work to get into the ark? Distinctly not. What God asked them was simply to believe the message that they were lost and ruined, and ere long judgment would overtake them, and directed them to the ark as the only place of safety; and God's message is the same to-day. Sinner, you an lost and ruined; get into the Ark, else you will perish. Oh, believe the message; go at once to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, and He will take you in just as you are and land you safe in glory. He loves you, and in love beseeches you to take refuge in Him, the Ark of God.
O'er mountain, hill, and vale,
Glides safely on
The ark.
How high the billows rise,
But higher is
The ark.
The wind blows strong and keen,
But stronger is
The ark.
How safe, how very safe,
Are all within
The ark!”
L. S.