“And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” (Genesis 7:1}
Come for Salvation:
There are a number of occasions both in the Old and New Testaments when God has given the invitation to “Come” some of which were personal and some more general, but all of them carried a message of warning or offer of blessing.
The account of Noah, the building of the Ark and the flood are well known to people, but sadly so relatively few believe the story, thinking it to be Old Testament myth. We reject that entirely and would remind the reader that the story of Noah is confirmed by the Lord Jesus as a historical fact, while the Apostle Peter refers to him in both his epistles. He is mentioned also in the prophecies of Isaiah and Ezekiel and by the writer to the Hebrews.
Most important is his mention by Christ in the Gospels by Matthew and Luke where he is used as an example of those who fail to heed the warning of impending judgement which overtook the people when they least expected it. To use the words of scripture: “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away…” (Matt 24:38, ESV)
Here they were carrying on what they would have been considered to be but a normal life but a life that was totally oblivious to the sin around them and living their lives without one thought for God their Creator. They also ignored the building of the ark, as well as the preaching of Noah (a preacher of righteousnes), the warning from God of the end of all flesh, and that his days would be one hundred and twenty years. That time span was drawing to a close
The apostle Peter tells us that “the longsuffering of God wasted in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing” 1 Pet.3;20), but sadly only eight souls were saved. Even at the end end of the hundred and twenty years the longsuffering patience of God was seen in that the LORD told Noah that seven days remained while the door was open; and when these seven days expired were are told that “the LORD shut him in.” (Gen. 7:16). After that the opportunity for salvation was lost and lost forever. No power on earth could then open the door.
The truth of the Scripture is that God “has no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live… “ (Ezekiel 33:11) and for nearly 2000 years the Lord has been patient during which the Gospel of his love and grace has been proclaimed. Nevertheless, the patience of God will one day be exhausted and while the “times of this ignorance God has overlooked; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hat raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30,31)
The “Come” in Genesis Six was an invitation to salvation and of deliverance from sin, but today is offered not an ark of wood, the the Son of God himself in whom is to be found salvation and deliverance. It is the “Gospel of God concerning His Son…. declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead…” (Romans 1:1-4). He alone is worthy of our response, love and faith.