What is the largest boat you can think of? The SS TITANIC, of course. We visualize the
tragedy that befell (happened to) that great cruise ship. It weakens our hearts to think
of the deaths of so many innocent people. However there may have been a higher reason for
the sinking of such a vessel (navio). God doesn't have to prove anything to us, but
perhaps the demise (falecimento) of the Titanic was in response to the arrogance of that
days. What kind of a God would send nearly 2000 innocents to a watery (aguada) grave? A loving God. For God knows our hearts and He has a purpose for all mankind whether you believe Him or not. Many years ago God set another boat upon the waters. This vessel, unlike the SS Titanic, was designed by God himself, not by the technology of man. It was not made of iron, but of wood. This vessel came to be known as Noah's Ark. For it was Noah, a righteous man and a man who had found favor with God, who would build and command the Ark under the direction of God Almighty.
Why would a loving God destroy the earth? Because of man's disobedience. Mankind was
acting with violence and wickedness, much like we are doing today. So God said
"Enough!". Was God angry with man? Yes, but He was also grieved by their sin.
God's heart was broken over the violence and shame man had brought upon themselves. So, he
enacted his plan of redemption. But just like on the SS Titanic all would not be redeemed
from the great disaster to come. He had found a man whom He could trust. His name was
Noah. He was righteous before God and had an obedient spirit.
There is much controversy in the world concerning the God's Titanic. (The Noah's Ark). Many do not believe this vessel ever sailed. They think this story is a fable. But, this story is true! How do I know it's true? Because God's Word, the Bible tells me it's so. God does not lie . 1 Samuel 15:29 tells us, " He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind."
Noah's Ark really did sail and it really did hold all the animals that were on the earth at that time. (Of course this did not include the fish of the sea for they were in the water). I'm sure the Ark was very cumbersome as it was as tall as a four story building and as long as a city block. But that would not hinder God from floating it on the water.The people of Noah's day, much like people today, did not believe Noah when he said there was going to be a flood. They couldn't understand why this man was building this huge boat when it wasn't even raining. Well, Noah had planned ahead. A good thing for all of us to do. However, it wasn't the wisdom of Noah that caused him to think ahead, it was his devotion to God. You see, Noah had an obedient heart. When God instructed him to do something, he did it.
God gave Noah very specific instructions in the design of this boat. Noah, God's obedient servant, carried them out to the letter. And Noah's Ark was born.
Genesis 6:14-22 [14] So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. [15] This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. [16] Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. [17] I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. [18] But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. [19] You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. [20] Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. [21] You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them." [22] Noah did everything just as God commanded him."
Then God gave Noah further instruction on the world wide flood that was to come and how to carry out His divine plan. Noah took his family, the animals and the food and entered the Ark as instructed by the Lord. They waited there for the rains to begin. It was by faith that Noah entered the Ark and it was by faith that He and his family would survive.
Genesis 7:1-6 "[7:1] The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. [2] Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and two of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, [3] and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. [4] Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made." [5] And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him. [6] Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth."
The people of Noah's day were laughing at him. He was a foolish man. He was a crazy man, they thought. There was no rain and there would be no flood. Why did he build this barge and why had he entered into it? They still did not believe they would perish. They still didn't believe it would rain. They were just laughing!
After seven days, it begain to rain. It rained and it rained and it rained. Was there no end in sight? There would be a global flood, the likes of which had never been seen and by God's promise, will never be seen again. Noah and his family had entered the Ark to await the rains and God sealed the door, shutting them in.
The laughter continued but was slowly being replaced by crying and screaming. Then the banging and scratching on the ark door. The begging for Noah to please, please let them in. I believe Noah's heart, like God's was grieved, because he knew these people were going to die. How cruel it felt for Noah to be safe in the arms of God's ark, when all the rest of mankind was slowly dying.
Genesis 7:7- 24[7] And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. [8] Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, [9] male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. [10] And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth. [11] In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month--on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. [12] And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. [13] On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. [14] They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. [15] Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. [16] The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in. [17] For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. [18] The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. [19] They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. [20] The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. [21] Every living thing that moved on the earth perished--birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. [22] Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. [23] Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. [24] The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days. "
If you look carefully, you might see a tear in Noah's eye. Shed for those who were not destined to escape the awful disaster. Just like the Master's tears as the rains fell on the earth, slowly destroying it and just like the Master's tears when the SS Titanic hit the iceberg and began sinking. God is a God of compassion and sometimes the most compassionate thing He can do for sinners is to get rid of the sin. When this happens some times innocent people are lost. Does it sound cruel to you? Consider the violence in today's society. Guns in schools, children killing each other, child abuse by parents, spousal abuse by the one who has vowed to love another. The list goes on.
How are we supposed to stop it? There are measures we can take, but until sin is ridden from the land, there will be no cure. There is only one cure. His name is Jesus Christ and he came to this earth to redeem all who will come to Him. Just like God made a promise to man that he would never destroy the earth by flooding it again and set his rainbow in the sky as a sign of the promise, so does Jesus, God's Son, promise to redeem you -- take away your sins and care for you for eternity. But you must turn to Him. Here is a simple way to come to Know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.
Admit you are a sinner. Romans 3:23
Believe Jesus died on the cross for you.Acts 16:31
Confess your sin to God and turn from it. Romans 10:9
Like Noah's Ark, the Titanic may have been a place of divine refuge for some. Divine intervention often comes in the "nick of time" Maybe some of her victims cried out to God for salvation once they realized what was happenng and that there was no escape. We cannot know the fate of anyone aboard the SS Titanic until we get to heaven.
You can know what your fate will be. If you don't know Him, ask Jesus to be your Savior today.
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� 1999 Leah E. Miller. House2House Ministries. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.