Disembark the Ark

Disembark the Ark

‘Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark … Then the ark rested  … in the mountains of Ararat.’ Genesis 8:1&4. The inside of the ark was a microcosm of the once dry land and its inhabitants – a floating menagerie. The released ‘dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the whole face of the earth.’ Genesis 8:9. It had rained forty days and forty nights, but the once drowned earth soon bobbed into view to greet those in the ark. Door wide open, Noah disembarked the ark with his family and brought out all the wild beasts with him, ‘so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.’ Genesis 8:17b.

              Noah and the ark typify Jesus. The ark was baptized when it was rained upon (1 Peter 3:20&21). Jesus was rained upon at His baptism. After it had ceased raining on the ark Noah sent out a dove that returned and alighted upon the ark. ‘And immediately, coming up from the water, [Jesus] saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.’ Mark 1:10. The ark with wild beasts aboard was in the Flood ‘wilderness’ for forty days. ‘Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty-days, tempted by Satan, and was with wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.’ Mark 1:10-13. After the Flood Noah offered up to God of every clean animal and bird. Christ offered up Himself. Noah planted a vineyard, drank wine, fell asleep and lay uncovered inside his tent. On the cross Jesus was given wine and then He died. (John 19:29&30). Two men, Shem and Japheth, covered Noah’s nakedness (Genesis 9:20-23). Two men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, covered Jesus’ naked body and laid Him in His tomb. (John 19:38-42)

              The Flood was God’s wrath poured out upon the ungodly. But God saved Noah and seven others. (2 Peter 2:5) God poured out a baptism of fire upon Christ on the cross. But God saved a people innumerable. (Rev. 7:9&10) After the Flood Noah removed the covering of the ark and he, his family, and all the animals exited the ark. (Gen. 8:13-19) An angel of the Lord came and rolled away the stone and the resurrected Christ exited the tomb with all His redeemed and the redeemed creation following after Him. (1 Corinthians 15:20; Romans 4:13; Revelation 21:1). As everything in Noah’s ark was protected from the judgment of God, so is everything that is in Christ. Once saved from the judgment they disembarked the ark. Then the LORD God reissued the ‘Cultural Mandate’ in which man is to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and have dominion etc. (Genesis 9:1-7, see also 1:28). Then men, birds and animals began to spread throughout all the earth. Thus the microcosmic ark was transformed into a macrocosm.

The death of Jesus on the cross was the judgment of God on all that God is saving, for the dead Jesus in the tomb was the microcosmic creation. By being bodily resurrected and exiting the tomb He became the macrocosm. His name and fame continue to spread throughout all the earth, while – like the mustard seed becoming a tree – His kingdom keeps on growing on the whole face of the earth. To ensure that His kingdom would continue to grow, Jesus issued the ‘Great Commission’ where He says, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Matthew 28:18-20.

Jesus said to Mary after He had exited the tomb, ‘Do not cling to Me…’ not because He was radioactive, but because He was ascending to His Father. Likewise, Noah and his sons did not cling to the ark when they exited it. Thus Jesus does not want Christians to exit the world but to cultivate it! He prayed to the Father, ‘I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.’ John 17:15. Therefore Christians today need to understand that our Lord would have us continue to obey the Cultural Mandate and cultivate all things in His creation – such as art, architecture, education, politics, music, science, animal husbandry, agriculture, horticulture etc. etc. – to the glory of God. Isn’t it time then for all Christians everywhere to disembark the stuffy ark?

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