Noah's Ark, Tragedy or Love Story?

 From an early age we are all taught about the story of Noah's Ark. It doesn't matter if you have faith in Christ or not, it is an inescapable story that children love. As a young child we had toys, books and cartoons to tell that story. I mean who doesn't like the thought of all of those animals in one place? It's the best zoo ever right?

 A friend of mine told me that she never understood why it is a story that children were taught, and loved so much. She says it's a story of God's wrath where all life is destroyed on earth except for Noah, his family and the animals. It's a story full of death and destruction, but in my eyes it's one of great beauty that parallels the Gospel story so closely, specifically the early church, the second coming and the part we play.

 Scripture tells us that Jesus came to earth in the form of a man to live perfectly, and to die the death we deserve in our place. He then resurrected three days later, conquering death so we may have a new life in Him. Jesus spent another forty days on earth with the apostles, speaking with them of the Kingdom of God. Jesus made a promise that he would come back one day to destroy evil once for all and make all things as they ought to be.

 As I read through the story of Noah I couldn't help to see the similarities between the Ark, the early church and the second coming.

 In the story of Noah, God saw that the evil of man was the intention of our hearts continually. God told Noah He was going to wipe evil off the face off the earth. But God chose to save Noah, his family and two of every kind of animal that He had created. "Build an Ark and fill it", was God's command and Noah obeyed. After flooding the earth, cleansing it with water, the water subsided and all things were new again.

 So the way I see it we are Noah, people Chosen to be saved. Not because we deserved it, but because God desired it. The animals are the lost and church. As saints we are to gather them up and bring them to the body of Christ. The Storm is the second coming when Jesus comes back to destroy evil once and for all. The Ark is the body of Christ. This to me is the most beautiful metaphor of the whole story. Noah (us) and the animals (the chosen) enter into the Ark (the body of Christ) and it safely carries them through the storm. Last but not least, the earth after the water subsides is the New Earth, cleansed with water, made as it ought to be.

 I think that if you look at The story of Noah's Ark as I do, beauty is all you can see. Jesus is the only way to the Father, so enter the Ark and live!

Jason