oah, and his family and the living creatures, enter the ark,
and the flood begins. (1-12) Noah shut in the ark. (13-16) The
increase of the flood for forty days. (17-20) All flesh is
destroyed by the flood. (21-24)
Verses 1-12: The call to Noah is very kind, like that of a tender
father to his children to come in-doors when he sees night or a
storm coming. Noah did not go into the ark till God bade him,
though he knew it was to be his place of refuge. It is very
comfortable to see God going before us in every step we take.
Noah had taken a great deal of pains to build the ark, and now
he was himself kept alive in it. What we do in obedience to the
command of God, and in faith, we ourselves shall certainly have
the comfort of, first or last. This call to Noah reminds us of
the call the gospel gives to poor sinners. Christ is an ark, in
whom alone we can be safe, when death and judgment approach. The
word says, "Come;" ministers say, "Come;" the Spirit says,
"Come, come into the Ark." Noah was accounted righteous, not for
his own righteousness, but as an heir of the righteousness which
is by faith, (Heb 11:7). He believed the revelation of a
saviour, and sought and expected salvation through Him alone.
Thus was he justified by faith, and received that Spirit whose
fruit is in all goodness; but if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his. After the hundred and twenty years,
God granted seven days' longer space for repentance. But these
seven days were trifled away, like all the rest. It shall be but
seven days. They had only one week more, one sabbath more to
improve, and to consider the things that belonged to their
peace. But it is common for those who have been careless of
their souls during the years of their health, when they have
looked upon death at a distance, to be as careless during the
days, the few days of their sickness, when they see death
approaching; their hearts being hardened by the deceitfulness of
sin. As Noah prepared the ark by faith in the warning given that
the flood would come, so he went into it, by faith in this
warning that it would come quickly. And on the day Noah was
securely fixed in the ark, the fountains of the great deep were
broken up. The earth had within it those waters, which, at God's
command, sprang up and flooded it; and thus our bodies have in
themselves those humours, which, when God pleases, become the
seeds and springs of mortal diseases. The windows of heaven were
opened, and the waters which were above the firmament, that is,
in the air, were poured out upon the earth. The rain comes down
in drops; but such rains fell then, as were never known before
or since. It rained without stop or abatement, forty days and
forty nights, upon the whole earth at once. As there was a
peculiar exercise of the almighty power of God in causing the
flood, it is vain and presumptuous to attempt explaining the
method of it, by human wisdom.
Verses 13-16: The ravenous creatures were made mild and manageable;
yet, when this occasion was over, they were of the same kind as
before; for the ark did not alter their natures. Hypocrites in
the church, who outwardly conform to the laws of that ark, are
yet unchanged; and it will appear, one time or other, what kind
they are after. God continued his care of Noah. God shut the
door, to secure him and keep him safe in the ark; also to keep
all others for ever out. In what manner this was done, God has
not been pleased to make known. There is much of our gospel duty
and privilege to be seen in Noah's safety in the ark. The
apostle makes it a type of christian baptism, (1Pe 3:20,21).
Observe then, it is our great duty, in obedience to the gospel
call, by a lively faith in Christ, to come into that way of
salvation which God has provided for poor sinners. Those that
come into the ark, should bring as many as they can with them,
by good instructions, by persuasions, and by good examples.
There is room enough in Christ for all comers. God put Adam into
paradise, but did not shut him in, so he threw himself out; but
when God put Noah into the ark, and so when he brings a soul to
Christ, the salvation is sure: it is not in our own keeping, but
in the Mediator's hand. But the door of mercy will shortly be
shut against those that now make light of it. Knock now, and it
shall be opened, (Lu 13:25).
Verses 17-20: The flood was increasing forty days. The waters rose so
high, that the tops of the highest mountains were overflowed
more than twenty feet. There is no place on earth so high as to
set men out of the reach of God's judgments. God's hand will
find out all his enemies, (Ps 21:8). When the flood thus
increased, Noah's ark was lifted up, and the waters which broke
down every thing else, bore up the ark. That which to
unbelievers betokens death unto death, to the faithful betokens
life unto life.
Verses 21-24: All the men, women, and children, that were in the world,
excepting those in the ark, died. We may easily imagine what
terror seized them. Our Saviour tells us, that till the very day
that the flood came, they were eating and drinking, (Lu
17:26,27); they were deaf and blind to all Divine warnings. In
this posture death surprised them. They were convinced of their
folly when it was too late. We may suppose they tried all ways
and means possible to save themselves, but all in vain. And
those that are not found in Christ, the Ark, are certainly
undone, undone for ever. Let us pause, and consider this
tremendous judgment! Who can stand before the Lord when he is
angry? The sin of sinners will be their ruin, first or last, if
not repented of. The righteous God knows how to bring ruin upon
the world of the ungodly, (2Pe 2:5). How tremendous will be the
day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men! Happy they who are
part of Christ's family, and safe with him as such; they may
look forward without dismay, and rejoice that they shall
triumph, when fire shall burn up the earth, and all that therein
is. We are apt to suppose some favourable distinctions in our
own case or character; but if we neglect, refuse, or abuse the
salvation of Christ, we shall, notwithstanding such fancied
advantages, be destroyed in the common ruin of an unbelieving
world.
oah, and his family and the living creatures, enter the ark,
and the flood begins. (1-12) Noah shut in the ark. (13-16) The
increase of the flood for forty days. (17-20) All flesh is
destroyed by the flood. (21-24)