During the days of creation, there was darkness and chaos and God’s Spirit was hovering over the deep. And we can see a work of separation/sanctification. Creation work was done in a structure of three. It took three days to create the space and another three days to fill it. Mankind was told to multiply. Adam was blessed in the creation of heaven and earth, then there was rest.
During Noah’s time, there was also wickedness and chaos. Noah’s ark was hovering over the deep and they were baptized through the waters of judgment (1 Peter 3:20-21). We see the work of separation of the different kinds in three levels too. The Ark had three levels filled. The third floor was filled with mankind, the second floor was clean with animals and the first floor was unclean animals. After the Flood, Noah’s family were blessed in the new heaven and earth, they were to multiply and fill the earth, and there was rest (Genesis 8:21).
During Jesus’ time, there was also a period of darkness. When Jesus was baptized, a dove was hovering over the waters. Jesus did the work of separation or salvation through the cross. He opened up the new world of faith and covenant, and peace was granted.
In the end time, there will be a time of sin and darkness. But this will also be a time of the Spirit. And there will be a work of separation. The New heaven and earth will appear and the Eternal Sabbath will be granted to those who are saved (1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13; 1 Peter 1:7).

1. The ark

I. The ark is our hiding place.
Just as Noah’s family had the Ark as a place to hide from tribulation, we will also have a hiding place during the Great Tribulation (Genesis 7:7, Ezekiel 3:24). But we need to come out of the world to enter in. (Jeremiah 50:8, Revelation 18:4)

II. We must come out of the world and avoid drowning to death.
Outside of the ark is the world of disobedience and ignorance of God’s Word. But the inside of the ark is the world of obedience, the world in the bosom of Christ that is full of the Word.
In Revelation 12:15–16, we can see the serpent trying to drown us but God will use the earth (Church) to help us by making the earth swallow the river when we are obedient to the Word.
This water is atheism, materialism, idolatry, disobedience and rebellion, and secular temptations (Revelation 17:15).

2. The people and beasts that entered the ark (Genesis 7:8-9)

I. There are two kinds of people who entered the ark: Noah and his other 7 family members.
What is the difference? Noah was a righteous man. He was acknowledged to be blameless (Genesis 6:9, 7:1). Noah directly received the Word from God. The others did not get that acknowledgement and they received the Word through Noah.

II. There were also 2 kinds of beasts that entered the ark: the clean and the unclean animals.
Through this, we can see that the ark of salvation does not only welcome the clean ones. God welcomes to His church even the unclean ones and cleanses them. Bringing in both the clean and unclean animals into the ark foreshadows His plans to save both the righteous and the unrighteous through His church. (Isaiah 11:6–8, Hosea 2:18)
Jesus died on the cross not only to save the thief on the right but also for the people like the thief on the left side. He has left the door open for both kinds of people.

3. The door of the ark

Noah did not close the door. The Bible says that God shuts the door of the ark, it is not for Noah to freely open or close. God has control over the door.
I. This signifies that God is in full control of the ark and will protect the lives in the ark.
There was God’s sovereign providence in us coming to church and believing in Jesus. Once we have begun our life of faith in Jesus, God will be responsible for our lives and He will protect us.

II. They were sealed in the ark and became captives of God.
Coming into God’s sealed protection means that we have attained freedom of life. The outside world seems big and free, but it has become a captive under the authority of death. If God shuts the door of the ark, no one can open it. We cannot go out even for a moment to look around. But if we give up the world outside, we will be able to find a bigger world inside the ark.

III. We must not lose the opportunity.
Once God shuts the door, it cannot be opened again. That’s why we must not miss the opportunity. (Luke 13:25)
There is a time to receive grace. Those who grab hold of that opportunity and receive grace will be prosperous. The problem is that many people think just the opposite. They want to earn money, raise kids and then receive grace. Who will be on the inside of the door at the end?
2 Corinthians 6:2 (NASB95)
for He says, “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”

4. The water prevailed and increased greatly (Genesis 7:17–21)

The ark floated on the water. But the water was not only on the outside of the ark but also inside. The factor that caused the ark to float is love. We will not sink into the waters of the world if we have Christ’s love. The abundance of the water of love and the water of the Word can cover the waters of sin in the world.

The high mountains were covered with water. These mountains represent the nations and people who are high the spiritual status (Revelation 17:9–10). Mountain represents a nation that a king reigns (Isaiah 40:3–5; 41:15). When the hidden Word of the end time pours forth, even the spiritual mountains high and low will be levelled and sink under the surface of the waters.

5. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained.

Likewise, there will be remnants even from the destruction of the world. (Micah 5:7–8, Jeremiah 31:7, Romans 11:5, 9:27 ; Matthew 24:13; Daniel 12:12)
These verses show that the remnants are few, similar to Noah’s days when only Noah and 7 other people remained alive (Isaiah 24:13; 17:5-6). In the end, our family members, spouse, children, our business, and health may come and shake us. More than anything, God Himself will test our faith, will we be able to endure and remain?
Genesis 7:24 tells us that the water prevailed upon the earth for 150 days. The remnants are those who remain even after the flood. The word “prevail” means that it kept overflowing. Thus, only those who find the spiritual sanctuary (hiding place) will be able to remain to the end. Although the water prevails, it cannot come into the ark. It will be like how Goshen had light when all of Egypt was in darkness for three days. The land of Goshen was spiritually like the ark (Exodus 8:22, 9:26, 10:23). In the wilderness journey, the ark of the covenant was like Noah’s ark (Psalm 68:7-8, Joshua 4:7). We can be safe as long as we follow the ark; even the Jordan River parted. The ark foreshadows Jesus Christ. So, we have to find sanctuary in Jesus.

Conclusion: What kinds of floods are we facing today?

The key ingredient that enabled the ark to rise above the water was the pitch. In Genesis 6:14, the ark was covered with pitch inside and out. Pitch in Hebrew is koper, derived from the root word kapar which means “to cover, to make atonement.” Thus, this pitch foreshadows the blood of Jesus Christ that will atone for all our sins. May our hearts also be covered with the blood of Christ, so that the waters of sin may not seep into our ark of faith!

AMEN.