Genesis 7:1-3 – 100 years earlier God gave instructions concerning the building of the ark. As far as we know there was no other word from God until now. Yet Noah persisted in his faith, and his proclamation to his unbelieving neighbors concerning the impending judgment of God. Methuselah was on his deathbed ready to enter the presence of God, and that would be the harbinger of the coming flood.

It was probably not easy to leave the world behind and enter the Ark but all who were called went in. They had been chosen in Genesis 6:18 but their predestination involved a choice that they freely made. This instruction to take seven pairs of clean animals was preparatory for sacrifice (Genesis 8:20) and for food (Genesis 9:3). God spoke to Noah and told him to “come—enter into the ark.” These words must have been both comforting and terrifying to Noah.  Comforting because Noah knew that he was now to be vindicated and delivered from all the trials of this evil world and from the abuse of the ungodly; it likely was terrifying because he knew that the earth and every living thing upon it would be destroyed. The emotions and thoughts that Noah was experiencing must have been overwhelming, but Noah had God and His comforting presence, and God knows how to calm and carry His followers through frightening and terrifying experiences, even the experience of death itself. Note how God comforted and assured Noah.

Genesis 7:4-9 – This verse tells us categorically that the flood was not local in nature but universal. The length of the rain is given as 40 days and nights. We are also told in this verse that it would still be 7 more days before the flood begins. Some have speculated that this was a period of mourning for the death of Methusaleh. Shiva in Jewish tradition is a seven day period of mourning for the death of loved ones. This was the amount of time that the sons of Jacob mourned for their father (Genesis 50:10). Noah was six hundred years old when he entered the ark, and thus begins a new era in God’s dealing with mankind. The recounting of those entering demonstrated the solemnity of these events.

Genesis 7:10-12 – The waters now come the date is fixed by the exact age of Noah. The “fountains of the great deep” refers to “springs,” while “deep” is the same word as the vast and almost infinite “deep” at creation (Genesis 1:2). The word for “broken up” could also be translated “split,” “ripped open.” The sources for the floodwaters were apparently two: a great downpour from above, and subterranean waters from below (cf. Isaiah 24:18; Amos 7:4; Malachi 3:10). Some have interpreted the “windows of heaven” as a vapor canopy over the earth (Genesis 7:6) which collapsed, joined by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, bringing about enormous topographical upheaval.

These are the geological observations of something more terrifying, God’s judgment. Just as judgment came to the world of Noah it will surely be coming to our world. The day for our judgment is already predetermined. No person knows when that day will be: one hundred years from now? Five years? One year? Tomorrow? Later today? Only God knows. Jesus clearly said that the timing is in the hands of the Father (Matthew 24:42; 25:13; Mark 13:32-33). 

Genesis 7:13-24 – Again here in this passage there is a recapping of those who entered the ark but the most significant thing I believe, is that the Lord shut them in. God is the one who closed the door of the ark and sealed them from the judgment of the waters of the flood. The author implies that the highest waters covered the Ararat mountain range, the height of which is approximately 16,000 ft. (Genesis 8:4).

Surely a flood more than 3 miles in depth could not be confined to just a portion of the earth. The Hebrew word kol, used twice in the verse (translated “all” and “the whole”) adds to the impression that the Flood was a universal phenomenon. No one could have escaped the catastrophe except those in the ark. There are more than 270 flood stories from all parts of the world. There is strong geological evidence for a universal flood. 

In the flood account we see God’s great salvation during judgment and mercy in the ark. God was merciful to save a remnant of the world. Noah believed and followed God and taught his family to seek after God, and by entering the ark of God’s provision they were saved. The ark was Noah’s place of refuge appointed by God to save Noah and his family from the terrifying judgment that was to fall upon the earth. The ark is a type or picture of Jesus. Jesus is our refuge from the terrifying judgment of hell and eternal separation from God. Note how clearly the ark symbolizes what Yeshua has does for us.

The Ark as a type and foredshadow of Yeshua. 

God Himself purposed and planned the ark, even to the most minute details (Genesis 6:14-16). In much the same way God Himself purposed and planned the coming of Messiah to save man, even before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 1:9-10; Titus 1:2; 1 Peter 1:2).

There was only one door to the ark (Genesis 6:16). Yeshua is the only door—the only way—to enter the presence of God (John 10:7, 9; 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 2:1).

God gave the provision for light within the ark. One window—an opening, a skylight—ran all the way around the ark. It ran within eighteen inches of the top (Genesis 6:16).

God has given the provision of light to the world: Jesus Christ is the light of the world (Isaiah 9:2; John 1:4; John 8:12; John 12:35; Ephesians 5:14; Revelation 21:23).

Some kind of sealant, probably some form of tar or asphalt, covered and sealed the ark. The Hebrew word for pitch (kapher) is the same word for atonement, which means to cover (Genesis 6:14).

The blood of Yeshua covers the sins of the believer, and cleanses and seals the believer before God (Romans 5:9, 11; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:7b; Revelation 1:5b). God Himself gave the great invitation to come and enter the ark (Genesis 7:1). God Himself invites man to come and enter the ark—the safety and security—of His Son, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah  (Isaiah 1:18; John 3:16-17; Matthew 11:28; 22:2-4; Revelation 22:17).

The ark was a vessel of refuge, the place of safety and security from the torrential judgment about to fall upon the earth (Genesis 6:17-18; 7:10-24).

Yeshua is the believer’s refuge, safety and security from the coming judgment of hell and eternal separation from God (John 3:16; John 5:24; Romans 5:9-10; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 7:25; 2 Peter 2:9).

The ark saved Noah and his family through the waters of judgment (Genesis 7:10-24).
Yeshua saves the believer through the waters of judgment. The waters of baptism symbolize the saving work of Messiah for the true believer. Peter used the ark and the waters of the flood to illustrate this point (1 Peter 3:20-21).

God called Noah to separate from the world—from its wickedness, evil and doom—by entering the ark (Genesis 7:1). God now calls people to live a life of separation from evil through abiding, obeying and walking with Yeshua (John 15:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, 2 Corinthians 17-18; 2 Thessalonians 3:6).

The ark was the salvation of both Noah and his family (Genesis 6:18;7:1,7,13,23).

Yeshua is the hope of salvation for all families (Acts 16:15, 30-31).  The ark was secured—the door was closed—by God Himself (Genesis 7:16b). God Himself secures the believer through His Son, Yeshua the Messiah. The believer has perfect security—God sees to it—through His Son Yeshua  (John 10:28-29; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 1:12b; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Jude 24-25).

God kept the door of mercy—the door of the ark—opened right up until the end. But when it was time for judgment the door was shut. There had been a time for grace, but there was also a time for judgment (Genesis 7:16b, 2 Peter 2:5).

God has his ministers and followers all over the world proclaiming the way of deliverance and salvation. God has the door of mercy opened today, but the end is soon coming when the door will be shut and judgment will fall on the world (Luke 13:24-27; Matthew 25:1-13).