This morning as I read 1Peter I had one of those “WOW!” moments that the Lord blesses us with as we read His Word. In 1Peter, Peter talks about the days of Noah, “God’s patience while the ark was being built.”

I started thinking of all the parallels between the days of Noah and the Gospel.

Men then, and men now are the same; men are wicked, not just kind of bad, but “the wickedness of man is great”:

Genesis 6:5-6 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

Noah fond favor in God’s sight and He makes it clear to Noah that He was going to destroy the entire earth – EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE!

He told Noah to build a big boat, big enough to house 8 people and 2 of each kind of animal, bird, or creeping thing.

Before we breeze past that, as a “yea, I remember that story from when I was a kid” moment – stop and consider yourself for a moment:

You are going about your business. For the sake of our example, and to illustrate the point a little heavier – let’s say you live in the Arizona desert – not much rain there. You are told to start building this massive boat right there on dry ground in the dessert. Before you think, “not a big deal, all boats are built on dry ground” – this boat is so huge that there is absolutely no means to transport it to water. Imagine the mockery – “what are you doing!?”

“I’m building a big boat.”

“Where are you going to sail this boat, it is impossible to move!?”

“God is going to flood the world, but those in this boat will be saved from the flood.”

That’s not all.

After you finally finish, you start leading animals, birds, and creepy things of every kind into the boat.

“Now what are you doing?!”

“I am supposed to take 2 of each kind, male and female, that they would be saved also.”

That’s not all.

The entire earth will be flooded – the whole deal – even the mountains will be under water for over 5 months. You start stocking the boat with enough food for you and your “guests” for 5 months!

“Now what are you doing?!”

“We’ll be at ‘sea’ for over 5 months, I need to bring enough food.”

The boat is done, the “guests” are in, the shelves are stocked, now you enter the boat and God seals it up.

By this time the crowd has gathered to point and laugh.

This is “the foolishness of the Gospel” in the world’s eyes.

The flood of God’s Wrath is coming. As Christians, we, like Noah, are heeding God’s warning. We are being obedient to His command to repent and believe the Gospel. We are convinced the flood waters of His Wrath are coming on account of our sin. We are trusting in Jesus to save us as the world points and laughs at our “belief in fairy tales and silliness”.

God is patient, “as when the ark was being built” – not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

Our message to the world….

“PLEASE, GET IN THE BOAT BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!”

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

1Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

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