GOD had said to Noah, “The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them. Make thee an ark of gopher wood... And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh... And thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy song’ wives with thee” (Gen. 6:13-1813And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 18But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. (Genesis 6:13‑18)).
God tells Noah of the character of the judgment that was coming, and points out to him the only means of escape. He will overwhelm the world with a flood, but says to Noah, “Make thee an ark.”
Noah believed God, and without a question obeyed His word. He set to work to build the ark. “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he” (Gen. 6:2222Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. (Genesis 6:22)).
The world’s cup of wickedness was full; it was ripe for judgment; but the long-suffering of God waited “while the ark was a preparing” (1 Pet. 3:2020Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (1 Peter 3:20)). Noah meanwhile, in the power of the spirit of Christ, became “a preacher of righteousness” to the ungodly (2 Pet. 2:55And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; (2 Peter 2:5)).
Year after year rolled by, and the work of building went steadily on„ The Lord had said, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years” (Gen. 6:33And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3)). No sign whatever of the judgment appeared during all that long period. “The world of the ungodly” went upon its way, wandering further still from God. Noah built the ark, and condemned the world; preached righteousness, and condemned unrighteousness. He saw no sign, but he believed the word of God. The world saw no sign, and they disbelieved His word at the lips of Noah.
Doubtless they deemed Noah a fool or a madman. Who else would build the largest ship that the world had ever seen, without any water to float it in? If he had built it on the sea shore, and divulged to them some new scheme of trade whereby he would enrich himself and others, maybe he would have been reckoned a wise man. But to indulge in such fancies as the world being drowned, and build a ship in the midst of dry land; and, worse than all, to come forcing his views and preaching his rubbish to them—whoever heard of such folly and impertinence? It is easy to picture the curled lip, the undisguised sneer, the bitter gibe of the ungodly men and women of Noah’s day.
But “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” (Heb. 11:77By 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. (Hebrews 11:7)). He had the word of God for what he said and for what he did; and that was enough for him. Faith went on amidst, all the mockery of the wicked, and the ark was prepared.
And GOD was prepared. Judgment, too, was prepared; sure, swift, unmitigated judgment. But, alas! the world of the ungodly, what of them? They had heard the preaching, but their hearts and ears were closed. Unprepared? Yes, unprepared, and willingly so. They had heard the warning of righteousness, temperance, and “judgment to come,” but their consciences were seared. Deluded, duped, deceived by Satan, they loved the world, wallowed in sin, and carelessly passed on to a common doom.
“And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou, and all thy house, into the ark: for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation” (Gen. 7:11And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. (Genesis 7:1)). And then, after further details about the beasts and fowls, He added, “For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him” (Gen. 7:4, 54For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 5And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him. (Genesis 7:4‑5)).
Having entered the ark, the seven days run on. One can fancy men saying, “We shall see what will become of the shipbuilder’s dreams now. Poor fellow! we are glad we are clear of such delusions; what fun we shall have at his expense in about a week’s time.”
The days roll slowly by. One, two, three, four, five, six are gone. The seventh is entered. Twelve hours are passed, fifteen, twenty, twenty-three—oh! what is that? What a sudden gust of wind! Another! How dark and lowering that cloud looks on the horizon! Why, it is getting darker and darker every minute. The sun has disappeared; we are going to have rain. The heavens grow blacker, and blacker still. The twenty-fourth hour of the seventh day is all but past. A few minutes more. A few seconds only now. THE TIME IS UP. The hundred and twenty years are past. The seven days are gone; the day of long-suffering is over. The hour of judgment is come.
What’s that? A drop of water falls from the clouds. Another. Many. Ah! and what is that strange noise? what that rushing sound?
“Don’t be alarmed,” says one to another; “it’s all right; it’s only a heavy passing storm.”
But the heavens grow darker yet, and as they gather blackness, pallor is depicted on every countenance. The busy hum of life ceases. A strange and unwonted stillness for the moment pervades the scene. Voices are hushed, and men’s hearts fail them for fear, and for those things that are come upon the earth. The drops become showers, the showers a downpour, the downpour a deluge. The windows of heaven are opened.
It is the judgment of God.
And that strange rushing sound that caused the strongest to tremble, the weak to blanch with fear—what is it? Nearer and nearer it comes. Louder and louder is the roaring sound. It is as the sound of mighty waters overflowing. It is the fountains of the great deep broken up. The sea is overwhelming the land; the angry billows of the wrath of God are rolling onward. Up every valley and nook they come. Waters above, waters beneath, waters around, water’s everywhere.
What! can it be true after all? Are the words of Noah indeed coming to pass? Is this the deluge that he foretold? Is this the judgment that we ridiculed? Are we the fools and madmen, and he the wise man after all?
Ah! yes, poor ungodly world! your time of grace is past; and now, where will you seek a refuge in your dire distress, in the hour of your calamity and fear?
“Well, let us not despair; while there is life there is hope.”
Recovering from the first panic, each seeks a refuge on the highest point to be found. Methinks I see the frightened mass rushing hither and thither, as sheep from a destroying wolf. One flies to his housetop; another climbs the highest tree; a thirds runs to the hill-top; a fourth clambers the mountain side. Husbands and wives; fathers, mothers, children; rich and poor; high and low; all are exposed to one common doom; though each has a lingering hope that the waters will yet assuage, and that the rain will soon cease.
But still the fountains of the great deep poured forth the dark and resistless waters. Still the heavens, clothed with thickest clouds, discharge their ever-increasing torrents. On all hands fields, vineyards, houses, trees disappear, and with them the despairing thousands of people, “the world of the ungodly.” Cries for mercy, groans of anguish, screams of terror, shrieks of fear, rend the air, but all in vain. The day of long-suffering is past. It is too late for mercy now. Yet still the waters flow; yet it still rains. See yon terror-stricken mass collected on the highest hill around. Is there no hope? Is there no escape? Where is the ark? Where is Noah? Is it too late to enter in? Ah! yes, ye rejecters, and neglecters of the preaching of righteousness, ye livers “without God” (Eph. 2:1212That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (Ephesians 2:12)). When mercy entreated, ye would not; and now ye would, no mercy can be found. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)).
Soon the mighty billows engulph the struggling mass; and still it rains. Higher arid higher yet the waters climb. Forty days and forty nights the deluge falls. Hill after hill disappears beneath the mighty deep, till all in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. Fifteen cubits and upwards did the waters prevail, and the mountains were covered.
God said it, and it came to pass.
But where is Noah? Safe in the ark with all his house. The Lord had 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 billows of judgment for the world are the billows of mercy for him. As the waters increased they bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth. Noah believed God, and, instead of perishing with the world of the ungodly, passed unscathed through the most awful judgment the world ever saw; and when the waters of the deluge assuaged, was safe in the ark on the top of the mighty mountains of Ararat, to come forth again upon the earth, through the mercy of God.
And, dear reader, have these awful scenes, and God’s signal mercy to Noah, no voice to you? Listen to the word of the Lord at a later day. Listen to the warning of Him who was “God manifest in the flesh,” concerning wrath to come; wrath that is nigh, even at our very doors; and before it.be too late, flee, flee at once for refuge to the only ark of safety from the coming woe. “As the days of Noe were,” said Jesus, the faithful and true Witness, “so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 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, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be the field; the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matt. 24:37-4237But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38For 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, 39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (Matthew 24:37‑42)).
Face the dread reality, poor Christless soul, and flee at once to the everlasting arms of a loving Saviour-God. He bids you come. He forewarned of the coming Deluge. It came. Again He forewarns of judgment’, unparalleled in the history of this poor world, ending in the sudden manifestation in glory and judgment of the Son of Man (Luke 21:2727And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Luke 21:27); 2 Thess. 1:7-97And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑9)). Are you delivered from it? The day of grace runs rapidly by. God is long-suffering to usward (as in the days of Noah), not willing that any should perish (2 Pet. 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)). But take care you do not trifle too long. Grace will cease, and judgment will flow, swift, sure, and irrevocable. There is but one means of safety from the impending doom. The world’s death-knell has long since sounded. Grace alone holds back God’s vengeance-sword. Christ, and Christ alone, is the Ark of safety now. “I, even I, am He, and beside me there is no saviour.” To Christ, to Christ, poor sinner, flee. “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,” He says. Oh! enter now (Isa. 43:1111I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. (Isaiah 43:11); 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).)
In Noah’s day men “knew not.” Think of that. “Knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away.” As it was, so it shall be. As in Noah’s day, so in the days of the Son of Man. “He that shall come, will come” (Heb. 10:2727But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:27)). “Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him” (Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)). “Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hart speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him” (Jude 14, 1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15)). One shall be taken away in judgment, as the Flood took all away in Noah’s day, and another left in mercy for His glorious reign. But where will you be? Enter now into the Ark of God’s providing, and judgment shall never overtake you. All that are Christ’s now shall be caught up to meet Him on that day (1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)). Yes, Noah was safe in the ark on Mount Ararat; but all who know Christ and are in Him now shall be safe with Him at that day in the Father’s house in the glory of God.
Again we appeal to you, dear reader, and beseech you, by the mercies of God, enter the Ark while you may. You have not to build like Noah. No, the Ark is prepared. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). And Jesus died; yes, died for the glory of God, and to deliver sinners from the wrath to come. Upon the Holy Lamb of God the stroke of divine justice fell (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)). The waves and billows of the judgment of God passed over the soul of His own Beloved One. He drank the bitter, bitter cup; He bowed His head; He died. His blood was shed. Buried in the sepulcher, God raised Him from the dead. “Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: bath low and high, rich and poor together” (Ps. 49:1, 2). God raised Him; raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory at His own right hand. There now is found the only Ark of safety from the coming storm. Flee to Him; flee to Him now. With heart of love, with look of pity, with words of mercy, with arms outstretched in grace, He bids you come. Daily, hourly, momently, the day of judgment draws nigh. Still the voice of mercy pleads with you, sinner, “Come unto Me” (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). Deep, deep indeed, is your need, whoever you may be; but He can meet it. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). Come to Jesus and your sins will be all forgiven (1 John 2:1212I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (1 John 2:12)). Come to Jesus and you will have everlasting life (John 6:4747Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47)). Come to Jesus and you will be saved. All are invited. Will you come?
Dear reader, do not think the world is one whit better today. It is far, far worse. Violence and corruption fill it now. But there is more. In Noah’s day man had not yet received the Lamb of God. He had a conscience, knowing good and evil; but he refused the one and slave to the other. Since then he has broken the law, slain the prophets, murdered the Son of God, resisted the Spirit of God, trespassed on grace; and already the cry has commenced, and daily increases, “Where is the promise of His corning?” (2 Pet. 3:44And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Peter 3:4).).
Smooth-tongued prophets who cry “Peace, peace, when there is no peace,” arrest the ears of thousands (Jer. 6:14; 8:1114They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. (Jeremiah 6:14)
11For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. (Jeremiah 8:11)). Masses heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and turn away their ears from the truth, and are turned unto fables (2 Tim. 4:44And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:4)). Scarcely a doctrine of Christianity but what is undermined in some quarter. Men boast of the advance of civilization, and the spread of education and the sciences. International congresses and exhibitions draw nations together in closer bonds. But yet the heart of man is unchanged, and every now and then the world is startled by some fearful exhibition of human wickedness, some dreadful display of violence or corruption.
The day of grace is all but past. Soon the heavens again shall gather blackness, and divine judgment will fall. But then, instead of a flood, seal upon seal shall be broken, trumpet upon trumpet sound, and bowl upon bowl of the wrath of God will be poured out upon “the world of the ungodly,” closing with the manifestation of the Son of Man Himself, to judge His foes. (Rev. 6., 19).
Despisers, rejecters, scoffers, mockers, neglecters, professors, beware! “The Flood came, and took them all away.” So shall it be in the days of the Son of Man. Not a soul of man escaped outside the ark. How shall you? CHRIST Is THE ARK. In Him alone is salvation to be found. “They shall not escape,” God says to all outside. Once more, then, poor perishing sinner, we would plead with you, will you enter now?
Oh! the blank despair, the awful remorse, the utter woe, the endless misery, of the Christless soul when once the door of mercy shall be closed! Listen to the voice of wisdom before it cease to cry, or surely that voice shall say unto you, “I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me” (Prov. 1:26-2826I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: (Proverbs 1:26‑28)). Wisdom pleads with you, “Be reconciled to God” (2 Con 5:20, 21). Oh! the wondrous love, the boundless grace, that await the repentant sinner’s return. Will you come? The justice of the living God is arrayed on your behalf. It is not against you, but for you. God is just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Come, oh! come to Him now!
Noah, being “warned of God” of things not seen as yet, prepared and entered the ark. You too are warned. There was no sign then; there is no sign now. But the Word of God tells again of coming woe; of things, terrible things, “not seen as yet.” The door of the ark is open wide. CHRIST IS THAT DOOR. All who believe are safe within. It is everlasting security, for they are shut in by the Lord Himself. All who are outside will surely reap the fruit of their folly and sin in endless woe (Rev. 21:7, 87He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:7‑8)). You may lull yourself to sleep in carnal security, but the awful hour of judgment will arouse you. Alas! alas! it will then be too late to flee. But now, by faith in Him, the salvation of God, present and eternal, full and free, may be yours.
Finally, we appeal to you, sinners all, for the Judge is at the door, and the judgment slumbereth not. Be prudent, be wise, hide yourselves in this day of abounding grace. Come now to the blessed Lord Himself, who never casts out. Be warned of God.
E. H. C.