When the Door is Shut

Gen. 7:13-16

Intro: This story of Noah and the ark is very familiar, but there some very important lessons for all of us.
I. The Warning Proclaimed
     In these first 2000 years of human history, men had become desperately wicked:
- those from the godly line of Seth were intermarrying with women from the ungodly line of Cain and they were practicing polygamy.
 - every imagination and thought was evil continually
 - the human race had corrupted themselves with immorality, rebellion, and sin
 - the earth was filled with violence and murder It became SO bad that God was “Grieved in his heart” and was sorry he had even made man on the earth; decided that there had to be punishment; things could not be allowed to continue as they were. God decided to send a devastating flood that would destroy all life from off of the earth. In the record of Gen. 6, immediately following the decision of the Lord to destroy all life off of the earth we find these words: BUT Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord.
     Noah was a just man; a righteous man; a godly man; a man who lived his life according to the will and ways of God; he Walked with God. God told Noah all about his decision to destroy the earth; he kept nothing from him. It’s important to know that Noah did not keep this information to himself. Peter plainly says that Noah was A Preacher of righteousness! He Proclaimed the Warning. He told everyone who would listen about the coming Flood; He told them about God’s anger over their sin; that God’s Spirit had given them a Deadline of Mercy and at that Point the Flood of Destruction would come. The Warning Proclaimed!
II. The Way of Escape Provided
     We already know this story but it is still amazing even today, to think that a holy God who was going to punish man for their sins would Provide a Way of Escape. Noah could never have done this on his own; he would never even have thought of this plan; he had no idea what a flood really was; he had no idea what a Boat was; what an Ark was; how to plan it; build it. It was GOD who planned the Way of Escape; it was God who gave Noah the design; it was God who told Noah how to build it; it was God who Provided the Way of Escape. Thank God for his great mercy! His great Grace! Even though he was angry at man for their sin, he was willing to give them an opportunity to be saved from destruction. He called Noah specifically to build this ark as his divine way of Escape. For about 100 years, men and women, boys and girls, dads, moms, children, grand parents, people of all ages and stations of life were given the opportunity to believe the Warning and Take the Way of Escape. Noah preached it while he built the ark; Everyone could see the ark taking shape; they watched in amazement as this huge structure was put together; three stories tall; windows only in the top; covered inside and out with black pitch or tar; not a Beautiful Ship to look at but a beautiful Way of Escape from coming destruction. Sad but true that NOT ONE person outside Noah’s family believed the Warning and took advantage of the Way of Escape. Days passed; weeks passed; months passed; years passed; 25, 50, 75, 100 years! The Warning being Proclaimed; the Way of Escape being Provided; Finally the DAY Came when...
III. The Wrath of God Poured Out
     The Bible says that in the 600th year of Noah’s life; in the 2nd month; on the 17th day, That SAME DAY, the fountains of the great deep were opened up and the windows of heaven were opened. In that Selfsame DAY Noah and his family entered into the Ark along with the animals as God had commanded them: Gen 7:16- And the Lord shut him in. The Door Was Shut! After all these years of the warning being proclaimed; after all these years of the way of escape being provided; NOW the Door was Shut. There would be no more warning; there would be no more access to the Way of Escape; the Door Was Shut. The Door was not shut man but by God. The Door was not shut by Noah or one of his family; the door was shut by God; The Day of Wrath had come and there was no longer any opportunity to escape. It was a TRAGIC day for all those who would not believe and get into the ARK. The years, the decades, an entire century had passed while everyone had the opportunity to heed the Warning and take the Way of Escape. Now the Wrath of God was being Poured Out. There was no where to hide; there was no safe place; there was no mountain high enough; there was no cave secure enough; there was no escape! Thousands- possibly even millions perished in the Flood when they could have been Saved if they had only believed the warning and taken the way of escape.
     Jesus said that the Last Days, the days of his coming, the days of God’s wrath on the world would be Like the days of Noah. These days are like those days in that the Warning is Being Proclaimed. Bro. Essary who founded this church proclaimed the warning; He was followed by Bro. Parks, Bro. Farley, Bro. Blue, and NOW I am proclaiming the Warning; the same warning that has been proclaimed for hundreds of years now; for almost 2000 years now. JESUS IS COMING for his people; they will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Those who are left behind will suffer the outpouring of the Wrath of God. The moon will become as blood, the mountains will quake and be moved from their places, the sun will first scorch men with heat then be darkened; demons will torment men on the earth; the seas and oceans will be smitten and sea life will die; the trees and grass of the earth will be destroyed; there will be terrible signs in the earth and sky. The anti Christ will rise to power and demand the worship of every person in the world; anyone who refuses will be killed; Terror will reign over the earth; Finally, all the lost will be cast into the Lake of Fire and the earth will be destroyed with Fire instead of a Flood.
     Heed the Warning! Take the Way of Escape. Jesus Christ left heaven to become a man, he died on Calvary’s cross to pay for YOUR Sin, he rose again from the dead as the mighty Son of God, he ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Ghost to convict men of sin and to convert men’s hearts from sin to righteousness. There is a Way of Escape but you have to Believe- you have to get on board- you have to be SAVED- born again- washed from your sins by his holy blood- become a child of God- live your life for Him. Then and only then will you escape- for the day is coming when the DOOR WILL BE SHUT! No man will shut the door; no preacher will shut the door; no religious group, denomination or church will shut the door; GOD will shut the door and the opportunity will be forever Gone. For Since it is God who shuts the door, no man can open it; no preacher can open it; no religious group or denomination can open it. You must be Saved while the way of escape is still open. The Spirit says COME. The Bride, the church, the people of God say, COME. Let him who is athirst, COME. Whosoever will, Come; take the water of life freely. While the warning is being proclaimed; while the way of escape is provided- COME!