Christians are generally ignorant of the meaning of God's Word. Although most understand the world, they have little understanding of Holy Scripture. It astounds me that many fail to understand the basic tenets of the Doctrine of Christ. They fail to understand that all the Bible is for instruction in being born again! The Old Testament is more than biblical stories or events; they were real things which happened which point toward regeneration. Ignorant Christians may not even know that "born again" means regeneration!
The Hebrew people were a nation of ignorance. Although having the highest intelligence quotient (IQ) of all nationalities (an average of 116), they lived in ignorance. Why so? They fail to understand that their Messiah is none other than Jesus Christ. Not to be outdone in ignorance, many Christians fail on that point as well! Perhaps only John the Beloved of all the apostles fully understood Christ's full identity although all the apostles did somewhat. Let's read of all the gospels what only John said:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1-3, 14-17)For those who are still spiritually ignorant, let me explain those passages: Jesus is God, was there in the beginning, and is God revealed to mankind in the flesh. If Jesus was always there, where was He? He was the Word who spoke to the prophets and Old Testament Patriarchs. They were not ignorant of that but Jews in general were. Christians are as ignorant as the Jews, failing to understand that Scripture (the Old Testament as written in the New Testament) is all about Jesus! Paul called that the mystery of Christ and the mystery of God for they are the same. Many people are as ignorant of Jesus's identity as the Jews are. Jesus is God! He referred to Himself as God numerous times when he said ego eimai (I AM). God is Jesus and Jesus is Existence for He is God in the flesh!
The entire Old Testament is about Jesus. For instance, when God spoke to Noah about building the ark, it was the Word - Jesus - speaking to Noah. Why did He instruct Noah? To save the world. Why did He do that? "For God so loved the world" (John 3:16). Those who fail to understand that the cleansing of sin from the world and the ark is all about salvation. What was the flood and the ark really about?
… the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: (1 Pet 20-21)"The like figure" mentioned by Peter is the symbolism in the actual flooding of the world and the salvation of the world's righteous people (only eight of the entire population - a narrow path indeed) by an ark provided by God because of His grace for mankind. Peter likened that actual event to salvation, baptism, and the resurrection. That's what students of scripture should obtain from the ark story. Although it was a real physical event, it had a spiritual purpose as well. Can you not understand the mystery of Christ?
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. (Rom 16:25-27)Paul understood the mystery. Both he and John did clearly. All the patriarchs in the Bible understood Jesus. However, neither the Jews nor early Christians understood fully that the Old Testament is all about Jesus. Most Christians, it seems, fail to understand that! They rely on their denominations writings for learning when it is all there in Holy Scripture. Why do Christians not understand God's Word? They are spiritually ignorant due to lack of discernment! Just as Noah's ark and the flood are all about being born again (the "must be"), the condition of mankind before the flood is indicative of the way the world will be in the end.
Do people not understand? The New Testament was revealed in the Old! Out of ignorance, Christians don't understand that. Few fail to realize that the Old Testament was not about the Law but all about the grace of Jesus. The Law was written on stone for perpetuity. It was not a coerce for those who are weak in the flesh but a lifestyle for those who love Jesus.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Tim 3:16)Out of ignorance is to understand that! Godliness in the Old Testament was the same as in the New. The mystery of godliness is realizing that Jesus is God in the flesh, that Jesus's spirit was one of grace, that Jesus is real, that salvation was always for everyone, and is for anyone in the world who believes. Lastly, the reward for trusting God is glorification - living in the presence of God. Knowing, believing, and trusting that is the "born again" experience described by Christ. There is only one way to Heaven and that is by God's Name - Jesus:
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31)The prophets and the patriarchs were saved the same way Christians are today. That is the gist of the mystery of Christ. Abraham believed in Jesus, as did Moses, Nebuchadnezzar, and Noah. Likewise, all the prophets. Regeneration was always by God's Name who is called Jesus. Thus, the story of Noah and his relationship with God is about his belief that Jesus can save!
The ark's door represents judgment. The world was free to enter if they only trusted God as Noah did. That decision for his children and their wives to enter was when they were born again. The door of the ark represents regeneration, and those few who entered in were regenerated by the gift of a new clean world! Thus, Noah and the flood represents salvation. By choosing to enter the door, Noah and his family were saved. That trust in God's Name is the same way to be rewarded today. There is one gospel and one faith (Phil 1:27). There is one gate to Heaven:
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Mat 17:13-14)That straight gate and narrow Way was the entryway and door to Noah's ark. Noah found salvation by entering the straight gate (the Doctrine of Christ) and the narrow Way (the small ramp leading to the door - trusting God Jesus - for salvation.)
Why is that not known? Because people fail to understand the mystery of Christ. Study of the Word leads to understanding. All the books in the world may only confuse, but those who consider the Words of God will know the truth.
Does it matter whether the ark has been found or not? That is of no consequence! Noah was saved, not by physical evidence, but he saw salvation. He saw what others cannot see:
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Heb 11:7)Faith is in things unseen just as it is today. We don't have to see the ark to believe in salvation! We can have the same faith Noah had. He saw salvation in the ark. He trusted what he could not see (the rainbow) even though it had never rained or bowed before. That was the faith of Noah which was accounted to him as righteousness. Paul recounted the story of Noah and the ark because that event was a picture of Christ's salvation. Noah's salvation was symbolic of what the Christians' will be!
Where was Jesus in the ark story? He was saving Noah and his household. Jesus was doing what He always does: saving the world he so loves.
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