And open up your Bibles again to Genesis chapter 6 and 7.
For those old enough to remember, I'm sure the date, December 26, 2004, is scarred into
your memory.
It was the date of the Boxing Day tsunami in the Indian Ocean, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake
sent a tsunami hurtling to the coast of Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and it killed
hundreds of thousands of people.
And I came across a story about the tsunami recently.
I stumbled across it even before I was thinking about Noah and the Flood.
I came across the story of Tilly Smith.
Have you heard of Tilly Smith?
Tilly Smith, a 10-year-old British girl, was on holiday with her family in Thailand.
And on that Boxing Day, she was on the beach.
And she started to notice something strange.
The water was bubbling on the beach.
And the tide was retreating away.
And she, in that moment, she remembered a geography lesson from a few weeks earlier.
And she remembered, that's the sign a tsunami's coming.
And so she ran and she warned her family, who then told the hotel.
And then the hotel got everyone off the beach and out of the pool and back to safety.
And because they listened to Tilly Smith, she saved probably hundreds of people that day.
She even won the Pride of Britain Award in 2005.
It goes to show you can be a national hero if you listen in geography.
But I want us to see, the story of Tilly Smith and the story of Noah are very similar at heart.
And not simply because they involve water and a flood, but because the heart of both these stories
is that they both involve a warning.
What is key to the story of Tilly Smith is that she gave a warning and people listened and lives were saved.
And that is key to the story of Noah.
God gave a warning, Noah listened, and lives were saved.
And so there are lots of important things in this passage.
There is a flood and an ark and animals going in two by two.
Lots of things we might be familiar with.
But what I want us to take away from this is, I want us to be like we're on the beach next to Tilly Smith.
And I want us to hear the warning.
We need to hear God's warning in this passage.
We need to listen to it.
And when we do, lives will be saved.
So as we dive into this, yes, there is warning for Noah.
But there is also a warning for us sounding through this passage.
And the first thing we need to hear in this is the first thing that Noah hears.
We need to hear God has planned to judge this world.
It's my first point today if you want to follow along.
God has planned to judge this world.
The passage starts well, doesn't it?
Verse 9.
These are the generations of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation.
Noah walked with God.
And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth.
There's Noah, a son who we know is going to bring rest.
And he's a righteous man.
He walks with God.
And he has sons.
This is promising for the promise.
We have sons.
We have righteousness.
We have the immortal bloodline still going.
It's still here on earth.
God is still bringing salvation.
But something else is on earth.
Verse 11.
Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight.
And the earth was filled with violence.
And God saw the earth.
And behold, it was corrupt.
For all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
Yes, there is righteousness in Noah and his family.
There is color in this world.
But God looks down and sees everything else.
And the whole world is just filled with violence.
It's corrupt.
It's like rotten meat.
You know when you get chicken and you put it in the fridge?
It's good at first.
But you leave it too long.
What happens?
It rots.
It becomes corrupt.
And you smell it.
You peel back the film.
And it's rancid.
And you can't use it.
It's useless.
It's no good anymore.
And it's only going to start to infect more things in the fridge if you leave it there.
Well, God smells the world.
And it's rancid.
And this says something important about God.
God isn't blind to what's going on in this world.
God isn't this detached force that has created the world.
But he isn't really involved in it.
He isn't this grandfather in the sky that's just happy that people are enjoying themselves.
No, God is a moral judge over this world.
He knows the ins and the outs.
And he morally assesses each and every moment.
It all plays out before his eyes.
Did you notice that language?
That the earth was corrupt in God's sight.
And God saw the earth was corrupt.
Our heart, our intentions, our thoughts, what we do in secret behind closed doors,
we might be able to hide it from people.
But we cannot hide it from God.
Our lives are playing out before God.
And he morally judges it.
There is no such thing as, well, I think it's right.
It's right for me, so therefore it's right.
No.
God is the judge.
And he looks at the world, and what does he see?
Violence.
Corruption.
And how bad is it that the earth is filled with it?
All flesh.
Every creature.
And in many ways, it's like the creation has become the opposite of what it's designed to be.
It was meant to be good.
God saw that it was very good.
But now God sees it as corrupt.
It was meant to be filled with life and peace and harmony.
A united humanity serving God.
But now it's filled with violence.
Man against man.
The stabbings.
The muggings.
And even down to the animals.
Every creature.
The mosquito spreads the malaria.
The XL bully dog attacks the child.
Creation was good, but Adam took that fruit, and now it's rancid.
And how does God respond to this?
How does God feel about his creation becoming this?
Well, God is planning something, verse 13.
And God said to Noah,
I have determined to make an end of all flesh.
For the earth is filled with violence through them.
Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
God's response to this violence, this corruption playing out before him,
is to wipe it out.
Destroy it.
God has planned to judge this world.
And before we go any further, we need to realise this is right.
This is just.
That this is the appropriate response from God.
Before we are tempted to think God has no right to do this.
And before we start flinching at these words, just realise where we are.
That this is God's world.
God's God intended for his praise, for him to dwell here with us,
and for the world to be glowing with his glory.
And he is a good, generous, holy, morally perfect God.
Yet we have taken what he has given us,
we've not said thank you,
instead we've taken it and we've just made it rancid.
The lives and the hearts that he's given us,
all the gifts that he's given us,
we've spat in his face and we've gone our own way.
And so there is this glaring stench in the world.
And it's us.
And so it is right that this evil be wiped out.
It's like when you get dog poo on your shoe.
It happens daily around here.
You've basically got to do hopscotch and eating
just to get around the dog poo, don't you?
And what happens when you get dog poo on your shoe?
You don't just say, oh, that's fine.
Let's keep going about my day.
Let's get a bit more dog poo on it.
That's fine.
No, no, you go straight to wipe it off.
You go to the outside tap,
you wash it off, you disinfect it.
You need to wipe it away.
It's not right to leave it there.
Well, it's not right for God
to leave the smear of sin in this world.
In fact, it would be unfair
if God didn't respond this way.
How do we feel when someone breaks into our home
and just gets away with it?
It's not okay, is it?
How do we feel when the abuser
only gets a couple of years in prison
for what they've done?
It's outrageous, isn't it?
We know, we know evil needs to be dealt with.
Well, it would be outrageous
for God to do nothing right now.
This is the right response to a fallen humanity.
And so God warns Noah,
this is what's coming.
I'm going to blot out this world.
I'm going to turn the tap on
and wash it away.
And this,
this is the very same reason
why a final judgment is coming to us.
God has set a day in his calendar
when all the evil in this world
will be blotted out.
Christ will return
to disinfect
and destroy
every drop of sin.
and every single creature
is going to be brought
before the judgment seat of God
and every life
that is not forgiven
in the Lord Jesus,
that life will be destroyed.
And it will be
a never-ending destruction.
And as Paul preached
a couple of weeks ago,
it means hell.
And so this flood
is a foretaste,
it's a preview
of what's to come
for this world.
This flood,
it's like the trailer
to the actual film
that's about to come.
God still has planned
to judge this world.
And like this flood,
it's going to be global
and it's going to be catastrophic.
And so like Noah,
we need to hear
the warning.
This chapter
is like watching
the water bubble
and the tide retreat.
It's like hearing
Tilly Smith.
And so let me ask you,
do you know
this day is coming?
Is this day
in your calendar?
because it is
in God's calendar.
And so this means
listening to a warning
about something
you cannot yet see.
We are currently
on the beach
but we can't see
what's beyond the horizon.
The judgment,
it's something
that we can't see yet
and it may seem
ridiculous to you.
It may seem fantastical
but on that boxing day,
the idea of a tsunami
might have seemed ridiculous.
But just because
you can't see it,
it doesn't mean
it's not coming.
And so by faith,
we need to hear
what God is warning now
and we need to put
that date in our calendar.
Do you,
do you know
this day is coming?
But God,
God isn't just
giving this warning
to gloat.
No,
he's telling Noah
because God is planning
something else
in history.
Yes,
God has planned
to judge this world
but
God has planned
to save this world.
That's my second point today.
God has planned
to save this world.
So as God looks down
on this world,
yes,
all flesh is corrupt
but God sees something else,
Noah.
And what is Noah like?
Righteous,
blameless.
Now,
this doesn't mean
sinless
but it does mean
he's right with God.
He's not like
the corruption out there.
This man is different.
He's walking with God.
And what does God
say to Noah?
Yes,
he warns him
judgment is coming
but he tells Noah
that there's something
to do about it.
There's a way
to prepare
for what's coming.
Verse 14,
make for yourself
an ark.
Make a boat
130 metres long,
longer than a football pitch,
20 metres wide,
13 metres high.
Noah's ark,
it's basically
a huge barge.
It's like a giant
wooden floating coffin.
A company in America,
you might have seen it,
a company in America
has actually reconstructed
the ark
of what it might have been like
and you can go inside
and walk around
and see what it might have
looked like.
And the thing
is massive.
And it's got
three decks,
a roof
and Noah makes it
watertight.
And why an ark?
Well,
verse 17,
because the destruction
is going to be a flood
and a flood
needs a boat.
And God says to Noah,
yes,
here is the warning
about what's coming
but here is what
you're going to do
about it.
You're going to make
this ark
and this ark
is going to take you
through what is coming.
And so God makes
a covenant.
He makes a binding
promise with Noah.
God promises
he's going to do
something.
Verse 18,
but I will establish
my covenant with you
and your wife
and your sons
and their wives
are going to be included
in this covenant
and you're all
going to enter this ark
and I'm not
going to let
this flood touch you.
all my love
and protection
and all my promises
it's all going to be
for you Noah.
We're used to pictures
of the ark
in children's stories
aren't we?
You can get those
wooden toys as well
filled with animals.
I think we might have
one in the crash.
We've got one at home.
And the ark
we can be tempted
to think
it's just a bit
of a novelty
right?
It's just a bit
of fun for children.
It's one of the good
picture stories
for kids.
But we need to realise
next time you open up
a children's Bible
realise what that boat is.
That ark
is God's gift
of salvation
to the world.
God has planned
to save this world
and that salvation
it's in that ark.
But why?
Why is God saying this?
If justice demands
the whole earth
be wiped out
why tell Noah
to build the ark?
Well it's because
the God who sees
the corruption
of this world
who sees
all the dirt
of our lives
that God
who sees us
he is also
a wonderfully
gracious God.
We must never think
God announcing
judgment
is cruel
or mean.
God's warning
here
is so
so gracious
because if God
stayed silent
right now
what would happen
to Noah?
He would just join
everyone else
in the flood
but
God
has spoken
and he's spoken
to us.
The warning
of that day
in the future
this warning
now that you're
hearing
this is
God's grace
to you.
He hasn't
stayed silent
he's telling
you to prepare.
We're on the
beach
the tide's
gone out
and he's
calling to us
and he doesn't
want you to be
wiped out
he wants you
to be saved.
So as you put
this date
in your calendar
realize
that you can
even write
this date in
because God
is good.
And there's
another reason
why God
is doing
this for
Noah.
Don't forget
about the
immortal
bloodline.
How is
salvation
coming to
the world?
It's through
a family
and a
promised son
coming from
that family.
And so just
think if God
blots out
everyone in
the world
right now
what will
happen to
that bloodline?
It will
disappear.
If God
wiped out
everyone in
Noah's day
including Noah
Christ never
arrives.
But what God
is doing here
he's putting
his hands
around the
bloodline
and bringing
them through
the flood.
It's like when
you do some
painting.
Maybe you're
painting a
living room
painting a
picture and
what do you
put on when
you paint?
put on
overalls or
an apron.
And when you
paint everything
and you get
paint everywhere
it all gets
messy but then
you take off
your apron or
your overalls
and everything's
protected and
clean underneath
isn't it?
Well in this
ark God is
getting an
apron and
covering the
bloodline and
bringing them
through the
mess while he
blots out
everything else.
this is God's
wonderful care
for his
people.
For everyone
who belongs
to his family
for God's
people he
wraps his
hands around
you and
says I
promise my
judgment will
never ever
fall on you.
I promise I
will take you
through the
judgment and
bring you out
the other
side because
I want to
start something
new with you.
I want to
begin a new
creation with
you.
And that's
why it's
not just
Noah and
his family but
animals get
included in
this covenant
as well.
Verse 19.
And have
you ever
wondered why?
We love
seeing the
giraffe pop
its head out
of the ark
in the pictures
but have you
ever wondered
why the
giraffe is
there at
all?
Well notice
God is
bringing a
male and
a female of
every kind.
God wants
to repopulate
the earth.
In this
ark it's
like a
little capsule
of the
whole world
so that
after judgment
the capsule
can be
opened and
the whole
world can
burst forth
again.
There's a
place in
Norway called
the Svalbard
Global Seed
Vault.
You might
have heard
of it.
It's this
huge concrete
underground
bunker and
in it they're
collecting every
seed known
to man.
Every plant,
everything,
every seed.
And they're
doing that so
that if there's
ever a global
disaster like a
nuclear attack or
something like
that, if there's
ever something
like that it
means that they
have the ability
to regrow the
planet from
this bunker.
They call it
the Doomsday
Vault.
Well that's
like the
Ark.
It's the
Doomsday
Vault.
With the
seed of
every creature
and at the
centre of
that is the
seed of
God's
people.
And from
that God
is going to
regrow the
world and
begin a new
people.
And that is
why God is
saving his
people.
He wants
to start a
new world
with us.
which is
why when we
fast forward
to the end
of the age
after the
final judgment
we see
the goal of
salvation is
not deletion.
God does
not want to
abandon his
world.
No, the
goal is
new creation.
The final
judgment is
coming in
order to
clear the
way for
the new
creation.
God is
going to
disinfect the
world, wipe
away sin,
wipe away
tears, so
that he
will bring
his new
family safe
through it
and raise
us up on
that last
day and
start something
new.
And that's
what's going
on in
miniature with
the flood.
God is
protecting his
chosen family
to bring them
out the other
side to new
life.
God has
planned to
save the
world, but
judgment must
come first
for that to
happen.
And so
just as God
warned, the
rain clouds
come over.
The rain
begins to
fall and
God calls
them in the
ark.
Noah and
his family
get in and
the animals
two by
two.
And verse
16, the
Lord shuts
them in.
Do you
see that?
Doors
closed.
It's like
the Almighty
is pressing
his hand up
against the
door of the
ark, holding
them in.
And the
rains fall
harder and
harder.
And something
else happens,
verse 11 of
chapter 7.
All the
fountains of
the great
deep burst
forth.
This is
talking about
subterranean
water that
God brings up
from the
ground.
And the
ground cracks
and opens
and water
starts rising
up as the
rain starts
to fall.
It's like
God is
de-creating
the earth.
So remember,
in creation,
he splits the
waters above
and below,
and now in
judgment, he's
smashing them
back together.
the flood,
you mustn't
picture the
flood like
it's filling
up your
paddling
pool.
No, the
flood is a
supernatural
doomsday
event.
And as the
waters rise,
the ark
starts to
rise with
it.
And they
rise more
and more in
verse 20,
the waters
rise above
the mountains.
The flood
is miles
deep.
And what
happens to
the people
and the
animals outside?
Every lung
with the
breath of
life in it,
every lung
now fills
with water.
Everything
dies.
And so the
cute picture
we get in
all these
storybooks,
it doesn't
do the flood
justice.
This isn't
one big
swimming pool
with crystal
clear water,
lovely to
swim in.
No, the
flood is a
horror show.
If you
were in
that ark,
as you
float above
the mountains,
it's not
gentle waves
and splashing
that you hear
against the
side of the
boat.
No, you
hear corpses
knocking against
the wood.
And if you
were to
zoom out
and look
down from
space at
the world,
it's not
your usual
bit of
green land,
lots of
sea.
No, no,
it's only
blue,
except one
little speck
on that
water.
Verse 23,
only Noah
was left
and those
who were
with him
in the
ark.
That's it.
Carnage
everywhere,
but the
Lord shutting
in this one
man and
his family.
Nothing can
touch God's
people in
this world.
He's
provided one
perfect,
untouchable,
safe place
for them
to bring
them through
the judgment.
And this
is the
same when
the final
judgment
comes here.
There is
only one,
one safe
place for
you.
It's in
the Lord
Jesus.
This is
the gracious
warning we
need to hear
today.
Judgment
day is
coming.
that needs
to be in
your calendar,
but there
is a way
to prepare
for it.
There is
a way to
be protected
and safe
through that
coming flood.
The Lord
Jesus is
the righteous
man who's
not only
blameless,
who is
sinless.
And it's
with him,
that is
where all
of God's
love and
protection and
security and
promises lie.
It's all
and only,
only in
him.
he's the
only way
anyone on
this planet
can ever
be safe
through the
coming
judgment.
Jesus is
the ark
that will
carry us
through the
storm.
And how
can you
enter?
It's the
same way as
Noah.
You hear
the Lord's
warning now,
you take it
seriously,
and you
trust in the
Lord Jesus
to save you.
faith in
the Lord
Jesus,
it's like
stepping onto
that ark.
In Christ,
the Lord
has his
hand over
your life,
he shut you
into the
Lord Jesus,
and nothing
can touch
you.
On that
final day,
you will be
utterly and
entirely safe.
God will
remember you.
because the
Lord Jesus
has already
passed through
the judgment
of God.
In the
flood,
God unleashed
water,
but on the
cross,
God unleashed
his wrath,
and it all
fell upon
his son,
and Jesus
swallowed it
up.
All the
wrath,
because of
our violence,
because of
our corruption,
and so for
everyone safely
hiding in
Christ,
there is no
more judgment
to face.
That final
day in the
future is
nothing for
you to fear,
because Christ
is not coming
to judge you,
he's coming
to save you,
and you will
be brought to
the other
side, to
awaken to
a new world,
cleansed and
righteous and
prepared for
you.
But we
aren't there
yet.
we're still
on the
beach,
the tide
is retreating,
and something
is coming that
we cannot see
yet, and so
we need to
act now.
We need to
listen to the
warning, and
by faith,
believe what
God promises,
he promises
this day is
coming.
And we
don't know
when it
will be,
and neither
did Noah's
neighbours,
or the people
at the time,
that they
were all
eating and
drinking,
and life
was normal,
but then
the waves
hit.
And life
seems normal
now, but
please do
not be
fooled, God
is telling
us something
is coming.
And so
what do you
need to do
now?
Get in the
ark.
Get in the
ark and
stay safe.
And don't
delay this,
Tilly Smith
didn't think,
oh I can wait
until tomorrow
to do something
about this,
no.
get in the
ark now,
run to
Jesus,
and you
will be
safe
forever.
Are you
listening to
the warning?
Are you
safe in
the ark
now?
There is
only one
place,
one place
that this
world can
go,
join the
ark,
join the
Lord Jesus
Christ,
and the
doors are
open,
wide open,
and everyone
is welcome.
Let's pray.
Amen.