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Noah's Ark as a Symbol of Salvation in Scripture

Noah's Ark, a vessel constructed by Noah at God's command, serves as a profound symbol of salvation in biblical narratives and subsequent theological interpretation. The ark itself was an oblong, three-storstory structure made of gopher-wood, measuring 300 cubits long, 50 cubits broad, and 30 cubits high, with a door in its side and a window in the roof [1]. Its purpose was to preserve Noah, his family, and various animal species from the global deluge God brought upon the earth due to its pervasive wickedness [1, 3].

The narrative of Noah and the ark is found in Genesis 6-9. Noah, described as the tenth in descent from Adam through Seth, lived in an age of widespread apostasy [3, 5]. Despite the prevailing corruption, Noah "found favor in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8). God warned Noah about the impending judgment and instructed him to build the ark [16, 17]. This act of building was a demonstration of Noah's faith, as he was warned about "things not yet seen" [2]. By acting on this divine warning, Noah "condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith" [2]. Flavius Josephus notes that Noah's ancestors, the posterity of Seth, initially honored God but eventually "were perverted, and forsook the practices of their forefathers" [4].

The ark housed eight people—Noah, his wife, his three sons (Shem, Ham, and Japheth), and their wives—along with seven pairs of every clean animal, one pair of every unclean animal, and seven pairs of every bird [1]. The construction of the ark took 100 years [1]. After the flood, Noah and his family exited the ark, and Noah offered sacrifices to God [7].

Theological traditions often interpret Noah's Ark as a type or foreshadowing of Christian salvation. Peter explicitly connects Noah's deliverance through water to Christian baptism, stating, "which, corresponding to that, now saves you, baptism" (1 Peter 3:21 ESV). John Calvin elaborates on this, explaining that Peter teaches "Noah’s deliverance from the universal deluge was a figure of baptism" [14]. Calvin suggests that the method of salvation received through baptism aligns with Noah's deliverance. He also notes that just as the world was full of unbelievers in Noah's time, so it is now, necessitating separation from the multitude to be saved from destruction [14]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on 1 Peter 3:21 further explains that the water of the flood, as an "antitype," now saves believers through baptism, not by the water itself, but by sustaining the ark built in faith, which rested on God's word [15]. This act of faith placed Noah in a state of salvation, akin to regeneration [15].

The concept of salvation in the New Testament, particularly in Pauline epistles, emphasizes God's grace and mercy as the sole basis for salvation, not human works [9]. Believers are "made alive together with Christ" and share in his resurrection [8, 12]. This salvation results in a "new nature" and the ability to do good works, which are the outcome, not the cause, of salvation [10, 11, 13]. The ark, in this symbolic framework, represents the means by which God preserves a remnant through judgment, much as Christ is the means by which believers are saved from spiritual death and judgment. Noah's obedience in building the ark, driven by faith, mirrors the obedience of faith required for salvation in Christ [16]. The ark provided "repose" and "consolation" for Noah and his family, reflecting the meaning of Noah's name [6, 5].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ark — Noah's ark, a building of gopher-wood, and covered with pitch, 300 cubits long, 50 cubits broad, and 30 cubits high (Gen. 6:14-16); an oblong floating house of three stories, with a door in the side and a window in the roof. It was 100 years in building (Gen. 5:32; 7:6). It was intended to preserve certain persons and animals from the deluge which God was about to bring over the earth. It contained eight persons (Gen. 7:13; 2 Pet. 2:5), and of all "clean" animals seven pairs, and of "unclean" one pair, and of birds seven pairs of each sort (Gen. 7:2, 3). It was”
  2. Hebrews “Hebrews 11:7 (BSB) — By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”
  3. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Noah — (motion), one of the five daughters of Zelophehad. (Numbers 26:33; 27:1; 36:11; Joshua 17:3) (B.C. 1450.) (rest), the tenth in descent from Adam, in the line of Seth was the son of Lamech and grandson of Methuselah. (B.C. 2948-1998.) We hear nothing of Noah till he is 500 years old when It is said he begat three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. In consequence of the grievous and hopeless wickedness of the world at this time, God resolved to destroy it. Of Noah's life during this age of almost universal apostasy we are told but little. It is merely said that he was ”
  4. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 3, section 1: . Concerning The Flood; And After What Manner Noah Was Saved In An Ark, With His Kindred, And Afterwards Dwelt In The Plain Of Shinar. 1. Now this posterity of Seth continued to esteem God as the Lord of the universe, and to have an entire regard to virtue, for seven generations; but in process of time they were perverted, and forsook the practices of their forefathers; and did neither pay those honors to God which were appointed them, nor had they any concern to do justice towards men. But for what degree of zeal they had former”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Noah — Rest, (Heb. Noah) the grandson of Methuselah (Gen. 5:25-29), who was for two hundred and fifty years contemporary with Adam, and the son of Lamech, who was about fifty years old at the time of Adam's death. This patriarch is rightly regarded as the connecting link between the old and the new world. He is the second great progenitor of the human family. The words of his father Lamech at his birth (Gen. 5:29) have been regarded as in a sense prophetical, designating Noah as a type of Him who is the true "rest and comfort" of men under the burden of life (Matt. 1”
  6. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Noah — repose; consolation”
  7. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 3, section 4: the earth was become clear of the flood. So after he had staid seven more days, he sent the living creatures out of the ark; and both he and his family went out, when he also sacrificed to God, and feasted with his companions. However, the Armenians call this place, [GREEK] 16 The Place of Descent; for the ark being saved in that place, its remains are shown there by the inhabitants to this day. 6. Now all the writers of barbarian histories make mention of this flood, and of this ark; among whom is Berosus the Chaldean. For when ”
  8. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:5: 2:5 gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (literally made us alive together with Christ): Joined with Christ, believers share in his resurrection, now and in the future (see 2:6; Rom 6:4-14; Col 3:1-4). • It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved: See Eph 1:2; 2:8-9.”
  9. Titus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Titus 3:5: 3:5 not because . . . but because: The contrast is between human actions that might be thought to merit salvation and God’s grace (see Gal 2:16). Salvation is through faith in God’s mercy alone (Eph 2:8). • He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth: See Ezek 16:9; John 3:1-15; Eph 5:26; Heb 10:22; 2 Pet 1:9. • and new life through the Holy Spirit: This signifies a complete departure from the life of sin and death and a transfer into the realm of life and purity (see also Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 3:10).”
  10. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:10: 2:10 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23).”
  11. Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:9: 3:9-10 your old sinful nature . . . your new nature: Paul contrasts old and new identities (see also Rom 5:12-21; 6:6; Eph 4:22-24). Believers strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life, allowing him to be Lord and to guide the way they live.”
  12. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:6: 2:6 united with Christ Jesus: Because of this union, believers share God’s glory and blessings, and experience resurrection both now and in the future (see Rom 6:4-14; Col 2:12-13; 3:1-4).”
  13. Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:24: 4:24 A believer has a new nature: God’s Spirit expresses his life within the believer (see Col 3:10; cp. Gen 1:26; Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:22-23). The transforming work of God’s Spirit is part of the gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-10).”
  14. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 11.13: the final issue, that our obedience has been approved by him. In this sense, Peter teaches that Noah’s deliverance from the universal deluge was a figure of baptism, ( 1 Peter 3:21 ;) as if he had said, the method of the salvation, which we receive through baptism, degrees with this deliverance of Noah. Since at this time also the world is full of unbelievers as it was then; therefore it is necessary for us to separate ourselves from the greater multitude, that the Lord may snatch us from destruction. In the same manner, the Chur”
  15. 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 3:21: whereunto--The oldest manuscripts read, "which": literally, "which (namely, water, in general; being) the antitype (of the water of the flood) is now saving (the salvation being not yet fully realized by us, compare Co1 10:1-2, Co1 10:5; Jde 1:5; puts into a state of salvation) us also (two oldest manuscripts read 'you' for 'us': You also, as well as Noah and his party), to wit, baptism." Water saved Noah not of itself, but by sustaining the ark built in faith, resting on God's word: it was to him the sign and mean of a kind of regeneration, of the ea”
  16. CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 10.20: Lord,’ ( Zechariah 2:13 .) 13. And God said unto Noah . Here Moses begins to relate how Noah would be preserved. And first, he says, that the counsel of God respecting the destruction of the world was revealed to him. Secondly, that the command to build the ark was given. Thirdly, that safety was promised him, if, in obedience to God, he would take refuge in the ark. These chief points are to be distinctly noted; even as the Apostle, when he proclaims the faith of Noah, joins fear and obedience with confidence, ( Hebrews 11:7 .) ”
  17. Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 11:6: By faith Noah, being warned of God,.... In the Greek text, Noah is called "Noe", and so the Septuagint interpreters of the Old Testament call him; but Josephus calls him "Noeos": or "having received an oracle from God"; in which he was admonished, how to make an ark, as Moses was, in like manner, how to make a tabernacle, Heb 8:5. This oracle or warning is extant, in Gen 6:13 and it was of things not seen as yet; as the universal deluge; the building of an ark or ship, which was the first that ever was in the world; the entrance of all creatures into it; their pres”
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