Noah was instructed on the measurements to use in making the Ark, as in the quote below:
“And this is how you shall make it; the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.” – Gen.6:15-16.
Jesus is enough
The dimensions of the Ark of Noah (in modern units of measurements) were 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. This is arguably said to be the dimensions of the best of ships, but they are enough to contain you.
So there is length, width and heights in Jesus our Dwelling place or Ark. Please understand that the Ark of Noah was enough to bear all the punishment or judgment that was going on in the world. It was so that Noah and his family in the Ark would be free from the judgments.
This speaks of the suffering of Jesus Christ on the Cross for mankind. He singularly bore our judgments, satisfied the justice of God and finished the righteous anger of God against the sin of all mankind – Zeph. 3:14-17; Jn.12:31-32; Rev. 15:1, 16:17.
So now, the justice and anger of God is not against those who are in Christ our Ark. It is rather against all elements that try to visit suffering on those who are in Christ Jesus.
The Ark is your strength
Yes my friend, you are so blessed in Jesus your Ark of rest that even your falls are not outside Him but in Him. Think about this. Noah and his family may have fallen in the Ark, when the strong winds and floods rocked it. (Remember that the earth surface has more water than dry land).
But, all their falls and mistakes did not take them out of the Ark of rest and safety. That is your blessing in Christ Jesus your current Ark. If you sin or miss the mark as a believer, it does not take you out of the Ark into the hands of the devil.
A triple no! If a believer falls into sin, he falls into the everlasting Arms of our merciful God for correction; not into the hands of the devil for judgment and destruction – Deut. 33:27-28a,
“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He shall thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say destroy! Then Israel shall dwell in safety…”
My friend, Jesus your Ark is sufficient for your safety in a way that, even from His everlasting arms into which you have fallen, you can resist the devil and he will flee from you – Jas.4:7,
“Submit yourself therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you”.
Yes, once you submit to God, whether you feel ‘strong or weak’, you can deal with the enemies of God. This is because God Himself will “thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say you should destroy them, because He uses the weak to confound the strong – 1 Cor.1:27.
Levels in Christ
The Ark of Noah had levels in it, although it looked like one storey from the outside. It was a ‘two’ story structure – so it had a lower, middle and upper level or floors.
That teaches us that although we are all believers in Christ Jesus (the Ark of rest from our struggles), there is the prospect and opportunity for growth in Him.
Yes, there are various levels of maturity in Jesus. And the maturity is vertical i.e. it is towards the practice of the Heavenly Kingdom system – Heb. 12:28-29,
“Therefore since we are receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire”.
In other words, without grace, we are going to experience God as a consuming fire. Wow! Can you see that? Do you see the context in which the Holy Spirit inspired the fact that “God is a consuming fire”?.
It is the context of relying on your own efforts, works or righteousness instead of resting in God’s grace.
Therefore, because God is a consuming fire, you should rest in His grace and not in your works. Yes, God consumes those who rely on their own works instead of on His grace or unmerited favour; just like He did to the violent self-effort-generation of Noah.
The piercing of Jesus’ side
“You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side” – Gen. 6:16a.
As we end, note that the only door of the Ark was in its side. That was the only opening through which those in the Ark could move out into the dry world after the flood.
This door in the side of the Ark was prophetic of Jesus’ side being pierced to let water and blood flow out of Him. Water and blood both speaks of life. You know, from the side of Adam, God took out his wife.
And from the side of the last Adam (Jesus) ‘comes’ His bride i.e. believers, individually different and with different callings and functions, yet ‘flowing’ together. Hallelujah!
