We are familiar with Noah’s ark that brought about salvation to all who were in it. This ark was commissioned by God and was built amidst an evil and wicked generation until God’s impending judgment by flood destroyed all of mankind (including all land and air organisms). While it is easy to merely focus on the the judgment of God and Noah’s faith, close scrutiny of this account reveals to us, the very Son of God – Jesus Christ. As we dissect this account using the characteristics of Noah’s ark, it doesn’t take much to realize that it is a pre-type of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, as The One and Only Ark to save mankind. This article is part of the series, Jesus Christ – The Ark.
First and foremost, God tells Noah that he must build the ark with gopher wood. In fact, the word “gopher” is unique as it appears only once in the entire King James Version of the Bible. Though some other (newer) translations have attempt to identify this wood as that of Cypress, there is no conclusive evidence of such speculation. All we know is that gopher wood was a type of wood before the flood that God brought about during the time of Noah. Today, it remains a mystery and is unique of its true identity.
Points to ponder:
The Apostle Paul writes that the mystery that has been hidden from ages and from generations, but is now made manifest to God’s saints, is Christ Jesus in us, the hope of glory. Jesus Christ remains a mystery to some, and some even worship him ignorantly as an unknown God (Acts 17:23) which God overlooked in the past but now commands to repent (Acts 17:30) but the fact remains that he is unique. Just as the ark was the only (unique) means of salvation from the flood of God’s judgment, there is none like Jesus Christ, for their is no other name, given under heaven or earth, by which man can be saved (Acts 4:12), from God’s righteous judgment, when he returns to reign. Is Jesus Christ, still a mystery to you? If he is, ask God the Father to reveal his Son Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, now, before the flood of his judgment comes.
Genesis 6:14 (KJV)
14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
Colossians 1:26-27 (KJV)
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Ephesians 3:2-11 (KJV)
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
