(Mat 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,”

In the previous two devotions in this series, we looked at the Days of Noah in comparison to the days in which we now live, to see what has changed, or has not changed, over the centuries or millennial years. It has been concluded that the wickedness of man is still great in the earth; and that every imagination of the thoughts of the unregenerated’s heart is only evil continually (Gen. 6:5). Also, that the heart of unregenerated men is desperately wicked (Jer.17:9).

It is also revealed in (Gen. 6:12, 13, and 17) that God had declared judgment upon the earth by way of a flood, yet was gracious and longsuffering towards mankind: “but is longsuffering to usward, not willing should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b-c). God gave mankind an hundred and twenty years to repent while the ark was being built. Noah, a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5), preached the coming judgment of God upon mankind, but his message was rejected. Sounds familiar, does it not?

How often do we hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached, and a day of coming judgment preached – and people reject the message, or do not believe that Christ, as a man (yet without sin), Who is also God manifested in the flesh, died for their sins? (1Co 1:18)  “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Now let us look at God’s Plan of Salvation and Restoration. (Gen 6:14)  “Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.”

God gave Noah specific instruction on how to build the ark. In Gen 6:18-21, God makes a covenant with Noah; and Noah and his family, along with every living thing of all flesh; two of every sort, male and female, of fowl, cattle, creeping things, were to come into the ark to be kept alive.

Now the ark was God’s instrument of salvation and deliverance for all who would escape His judgment upon the earth. The ark is also a type of Christ; and it is in Christ that we who have received His finished work on the Cross escape the coming judgment of God. (Acts 4:12) “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

The Word of God tells us that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. It also tells us that Noah was a just man (a righteous man), perfect in his generation; and that he walked with God. The Bible makes a clear distinction between Noah and the rest of the world of that day.

This is not a self-righteousness that Noah had, but the righteousness of God, declared by God; because Noah, having walked with God, was the manifestation that Noah had been made righteous in the Righteousness of Christ.

(Tit 2:11-14) “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation (for it is God’s grace that bringeth, not any merits of men) hath appeared to all men,  (12)  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  (13)  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  (14)  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

We have a God who is gracious and longsuffering. Just as He brought a means of salvation for those of Noah’s day by way of the ark; we have our hope of salvation in Jesus Christ, Who is The Ark Himself. There not one thing we can do to merit this salvation; (Eph. 2:8-9) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; (literally through The Faith; that is, Christ is The Faith) and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (That is, Christ was the sinless Sacrifice for sin. Christ was our Substitute; and it was His Atonement on the Cross that satisfied the sin debt on our behalf. This transaction was between God and God Himself; and not between God and man.)

Also see 2 Co 5:21, “For he (God) hath made him (Christ, God in the flesh) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we (“His People,” see Matt 1:21) might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Salvation is a Gift of God.

Thank God for His Gift (Christ Jesus, God manifested in the flesh, yet without sin), by Whom we were Reconciled and Redeemed from the slave market of sin; and on that basis, and on Him alone, do we Receive Regeneration and are brought, by the Holy Spirit of God, to Conversion, whereby we cry, “Abba Father” (Rom. 8:14-16).