The Ark of Our Salvation

By Danny Saavedra

“Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household . . .’”   – Genesis 7:1 (NKJV)

Something significant tends to get overlooked when it comes to Noah’s narrative. Usually, the focus is on the great flood that engulfed the entire planet or on the wickedness of humanity that led to it. But the thing that should stick out above those is the thing that kept Noah and his family safe from the waters: obedience. 

In Genesis 6:9 (NIV), it says, “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” Amongst a wicked generation, Noah was righteous. But what was it that made him righteous? His works? His behavior? To borrow from the apostle Paul, certainly not! Hebrews 11:7 (NIV) tells us that Noah was a man of faith! In fact, we’re told that Noah “became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.” His faith in God was his righteousness and it was also what allowed him to be a man of obedience.

Today’s verse tells us: “Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.’” Just a few verses later (verses 4-5) it says, “'For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.' And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him.”

When God spoke, Noah listened. He didn’t waver. He didn’t question God. He didn’t doubt. He believed, trusted, and obeyed God. Noah built the ark as he was commanded. He filled it with the animals and got in before it even started to rain. Mind you, the ark had no wheel or rudder to steer it, only one overhead “window” to provide light, and only one door, which was sealed by God Himself. What does that tell you? It says that God was in complete control and that Noah and his family had no control over their destinies. That’s faith, folks!

Now, let’s talk about that door for a minute. Noah and his family walked in through the door of the ark and they were saved from God’s righteous judgment and wrath. In John 10:9 (NASB), Jesus said, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved . . .” Just like the door of the ark, Jesus Christ is the only door to salvation, the only path to peace, and the only road to heaven.

Believe it or not, the story of Christmas is a lot like the story of Noah and the ark. When God sent Jesus—the Ark of our salvation—into the world, He opened the door to eternal life. And as we enter the Ark (Matthew 11:28), we are spared from His righteous judgment (Romans 5:9). 

In one of the most amazing sermons ever preached about Jesus, the apostle Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 NIV). Have you heard His call and entered into the Ark of salvation? If not, it’s never too late! The door is open. All you need to do is walk through it. And when you do, you’ll see that a whole new world is waiting for you on the other side.