Noah's Ark is A Lesson in Trust

Hebrews 11:7 — By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith

Introduction

• TRIVIA:

  • How many times is "ark" mentioned in the Bible? "ark" 199 mentions
  • How many mentions in the N.T. ? 6 times in N.T. - 4 in reference to Noah and 2 the ark of the covenant
  • In What chapter of the bible can we turn to for the original account of Noah's Ark?
  • What is the earliest textual record of a catastrophic flood survived by building a boat?

• THE ACT OF KNOWING and the desire of knowing is a two-edged sword: "I want to know!" "Tell ME!". With knowing comes responsibility.

Lu 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

• Noah's Ark, is an opportunity to study what the Bible says about God's trustworthiness and man's stewardship of the truth.
• assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something

I. Noah's Ark, Is History (GENESIS 6)

Genesis 6:5-8 — And 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. 6 ¶ And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 ¶ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

II. Noah's Ark, Is A Message the Believer

Not Just History, But a Similar Tone as the Days of the Son's Coming (Matthew 24)

a) What Shall be the Sign of thy Coming?

Mt 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (aion, an age)?

• Two events of concern here 1) His Coming and 2) The end of the World (

b) Don't be Alarmed at the Wrong Things ( "Take Heed No Man Deceive You" vs.4-31)

Christ is concerned of the danager of deception: false Christs, false prophets and even false alarms. (read v.24-26 BELIEVE IT NOT)

c) After teaching the meaning of the fig tree, by which they would KNOW SUMMER IS NEAR. And by analogy, the signs given by Christ in Matthew 24 signal NEARNESS as well.

d) BUT

What you cannot do is make the world be our canary in the Coal mine. A "canary in the coal mine" is something or someone that serves as an early warning of danger, failure, or a toxic environment

Matthew 24:37, 38 — But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

• "Eating and Drinking, Marrying and Giving in Marriage" (No widespread alarm; Business as Usual)
• UNTIL THE DAY THAT NOAH entered into the Ark.

III. Noah's Ark is a Message to the Unbeliever

History, scientitific process, ubiquity of a catastrophic world-wide flood, and how their framing is a missionary opportunity.

A. Done Poorly, How it can never work properly as an evangelistic tool

• Fast and loose with the facts. EXAGGERATION is the enemy. (everybody loves a great treasure hunt)
• All the vibes without any of the knowledge. (interview)
• Hastily drawing conclusions. -- So there is unclarity between "what we know" from "what we think, cannot necessarily demonstrate".
• Science is not the enemy to truth.
• Genesis 8:4 is plural. - 1712 & 1829 human ascent success NOT DISCOVERY of the ARk.
• Bryc 1876 expedication brought back a piece of timber from off the mountain top. <-- Excitement!
• John Nouri's 1892 expedietions ("discovered" Noah's ark).
• how exploration and publicity became mutually reinforcing
• Ed Davis (1943) , Bob Cornuke (2006)
• Navarra's 1955 and 1969 wood claims. (Radio Carbon dated as 760 BC)
• 1959 Pilot Durpinar ariel photographs. elongated boat-like structure that can be "compared" with the Ark's dimensions.
• Promoters like ron Wyatt advertised many interpretations to those images as "overwhelming evidence" of timbers, metallic features and peirced stones as anchors.
• 1977 Film "religious peole were not uniformaly credulous"
• 1982 Astronaught, James Irwin 1982 climb "found no ark"
• 1993 CBS Special presents <-- Known HOAX

B. Done Properly, How this is an opportunity

• THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY: Caught the attention of the general population.
• Don't hitch your wagon to the wrong horse (to rely on, support, or join forces with an unreliable person)

Proverbs 25:19 — Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

• So, Who can you trust? HOw do we hedge from slipping into cynism?

Ps 12:1 ¶ <<To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.>> Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. 2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. 3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? 5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. 6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. 8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

• GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY.

Genesis 9:3 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

• HIS MINISTERS

Ps 104:1 ¶ Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: 3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: 4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

1 Peter 4:10 — As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

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