I want to look at Noah as a type of Christ and bring you a teaching sermon today. You know, when you look at the Old Testament, the more you look at it the more you begin to realize that the Old Testament pictures so many of the important things of the New Testament. The longer you look at the OT, the more you realize this and the more you see of these pictures from the Old Testament showing us the things of the New Testament or perhaps I should say, improving our view of them. And then, of course, as we begin to study the New Testament we begin to see from the opposite direction that many of the things of the Old Testament that are somewhat obscure in the Old Testament become clear when you study them in their New Testament connection.

So let's look today at Noah as a type of Christ! You know, even Noah's name foreshadowed the coming One. This is something we seldom think about. But most of these Biblical Names had a real meaning to them. And even this name of Noah foreshadowed The Coming One. The word Noah means "rest". And what could be a better foreshadowing of the coming of the Savior than this name of Noah, meaning "rest"?

If we look at Genesis chapter 5 for our first Scripture reference, we see in verse 29, it says: "And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed." So even in this verse in Genesis 5:29, we see the meaning of the word Noah when it was first given to this man-child who was born, meaning rest or rest and comfort.

Now another thing we see in this first verse that we read to you in verse 29 of Genesis 5, is this; it even makes a reference in connection with this rest or comfort and the giving of the name Noah, a reference to the fact of the ground which the Lord had cursed. That is, because of the curse there could be no rest to man. Because of sin and the evil that had come upon man there could be no rest. And yet, even in connection with this name "rest" here given to Noah, it mentions the fact because of the ground which the Lord had cursed.

If you fit it all together, you think about the fact that Lamech looked upon his son, Noah, as one who would bring rest or one who would bring relief from the curse of sin. Now that makes him an almost perfect picture of Christ, doesn't it? Even the name and the way Lamech looked at him in considering him as one who would bring rest or relief from the curse of sin.

If we look in Isaiah 11, there's a good reference in connection with this thought. In Isaiah 11:10, (this passage, of course, is referring to the Millennial Kingdom of the Lord which will be established someday, and we believe not long hence! Of course, we know it will be at least seven more years because there's seven years Tribulation which has to occur yet before the setting up of the kingdom. So even if the Lord came tomorrow to take the saints out, then there'd still be seven years of Tribulation and then after that would be the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom.

But read with me now in Isaiah chapter 11 verse 10, and it's speaking here about this rest that's come to men because of the antitype of Noah, the real thing of which Noah is only a type. In verse 10, chapter 11 of Isaiah it says: "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious." So again we see that even this word Noah meaning "rest" or rest and comfort and relief from the curse, fits in with the description of Jesus given here as the root of Jesse who shall come, and it says, "And his rest shall be glorious."

If we look a little further in Matthew 11:28, (this is a passage I often quote to you in lessons and sermons), but you may remember there it says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls." I believe I changed a word or two there, but the thought is exactly right. Let me double check it here. I was quoting it from memory. "Come unto me, all yet that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

If we look again at Isaiah chapter 9, just ahead of where we looked a moment ago, we find a good passage in connection with Jesus (as He is pictured by Noah) being our rest. Starting and following from Isaiah 9:1 it reads: "Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation." Here he, of course, is prophesying the coming of the child, Jesus. "Shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward and did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."

And then he goes ahead, speaking about the joy that comes from the light of Jesus shining upon people and breaking the yoke of the burden of sin. And then going on to verse 6, he says this: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." Here again Isaiah is referring to that rest, the perfect rest that is coming some day to the saved in setting up of the Millennial Kingdom.

If we look a little further over in Isaiah in chapter 35, reading verses 5 and 6, we find these words ---just think of this glorious time of rest that's coming when it says, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." You may remember this is also the same passage which up there in verses 1 and 2 speaks of the fact that in those days "the deserts shall rejoice and blossom as a rose".

Now as we go a little further with this, remember we just thought of the fact and showed you some Scriptures showing that even Noah's name, meaning rest and comfort or relief from the curse of sin, just as his name foreshadowed the coming One, we find another interesting thing which makes a picture from Noah as a picture of Christ. It says that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."

Only Noah is mentioned in this connection. It doesn't name thirty-nine other people with him, does it? It doesn't name even two other people with him. It says what? It says: "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Noah alone. In other words, all attention in this passage that speaks of that is fixed entirely on one man, Noah. And in the same manner, the Father's attention is firmly fixed on Jesus and His dealings with mankind.

People have worked out all kinds of silly schemes by which they think they can save themselves. They've invented all kinds of ridiculous theologies by which they believe they are going to save themselves. But there is only one thing that matters in God's dealings with man when you get right down to whether a man is saved or lost.

And what is that? It is Jesus! That's the only thing that really matters. All of this extreme covenant theology or any other kind of theology that you want to work out, it just doesn't work unless you get around to the true theology which is the fact that salvation is based entirely in, on and through Jesus, the ONLY Saviour! Salvation is based on that and that alone. Nothing else really matters when we understand the fact that God's attention is firmly fixed on Jesus in all of His deeds with mankind. And nothing else really counts!

Notice that just as the Father's first word that He speaks to us about Noah is that he found grace in the eyes of the Lord, so also about Jesus. Compare the first words of the Father when Jesus began His public ministry. The first words that He spoke of Him were these: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." He did not say, "Well, now you folks do this, do that, and you do something else and maybe you'll be saved." He doesn't say that, does He? Rather the very first thing He speaks about when Jesus begins His ministry here on earth is: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." That is Matthew 3:17.

This fits in with the idea that when God spoke of Noah, He didn't say anything except: "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." That was what His whole thought was wrapped up in! It was the saving of this little remnant of people from the wickedness of the world by this one man, Noah. And in the same manner, God's salvation for the little remnant of the saved from the earth today is wrapped up in one thing only --- in that one man, Jesus!

Going a step further now, we notice that Noah was a just man. Noah was a just man. If you read in Genesis chapter 6, verse 9, you'll see those very words where it says: "Noah was a just man," it's right there!

Now this word "just" here means "righteous". Noah, like all other sinners who find acceptance with God, was justified by grace through faith. Some people seem to have the idea that in the Old Testament people were saved in a different manner. But, of course, this is not true. There has never been but one means of justification before God, only one means of salvation. And that is, by grace through faith!

Noah was justified by grace through faith and by nothing else! He was not justified by the fact that he built the ark. He was not justified by the fact that he presumably preached for 120 years. And they mocked him and laughed at him, no doubt, most of the time while he was doing this. He was not saved by any of those things. He was not saved by the fact that he worked hard and long for many years in building the ark. He was not saved by the fact that he obeyed God in collecting the animals. He was not saved by the fact that he did this, or he did that, or he did something else, but how was he justified? He was justified by grace through faith just in the same manner that we are today. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY OTHER WAY THAT WAS EVER ORDAINED BY GOD THAT MEN CAN BE JUSTIFIED BEFORE HIM EXCEPT BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH!

Noah possessed no inherent righteousness of his own! He did not have any special little gimmick down in his heart that made him better than everybody else. A little divine spark that just meant he was elected to salvation and that was it. He didn't have that, did he? There is no indication in the Scripture of any such thing! Now there are, of course, many indications in the Scripture that men only come to God when He speaks to them. But that is not what we're talking about when we say some little, special divine spark in him that made him better than everybody else. God does speak to men. He draws them to Himself. As they come to Him when He draws them, then they are saved by grace through faith. But Noah possessed no particular inherent righteousness of his own.

Righteousness is imputed to those who believe. Let's read over in Romans 4 in connection with this thought. In other words, the point I'm making here and trying to drill into this lesson today is this: that men do not earn righteousness, they do not become righteous by anything that they do, they do not seek righteousness because of some special difference in them when they're born over other people, but they become righteous only when righteousness is imputed to them! That's the point we're trying to make.

Let's read here in Romans 4:6 where it says this: "Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." There Paul is referring back to what David had said in similar words in the Psalms saying that men do not become righteous by anything they do. They do not become righteous by any works they perform. They do not become righteous by any ceremonials they go through. But rather, they become righteous when God imputes righteousness to them.

This imputed righteousness is the righteousness of Christ! And it comes to men only when they trust the Lord, when they come to God by grace through faith. It never comes any other way! It cannot be obtained any other way! It cannot be secured by any other means. It comes only through this one man. This one man who can provide rest, this one man, Jesus, just as Noah's name meant rest!

If we look further in this same chapter of Romans, verses 22 through 25, we see a little more discussion of this same idea. It says, "And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Now before we go further with that passage, please notice that up there in verses 20 and 21 he's actually talking about the faith and the trust exercised by Abraham and Sarah. In the passage up above, up to verse 13 and on down, he's speaking about the trust or faith that they had in God and in God's Word. And then he goes ahead and says this that I just read to you. Verse 22 again: "And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."

Now what was imputed to him for righteousness? To Abraham and Sarah? Was it something that they did? No. What's he been talking about? He's been talking about their faith or their trust in God, their belief in what God had said to them, hasn't he? And that's what he's talking about when he says, "This was imputed to him for righteousness.

Verse 23: "It was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him." It says this about the imputation of righteousness wasn't just written for Sarah and Abraham, but for us also to whom it shall be imputed. And how do we get this imputation of righteousness? He goes ahead and explains it right here in this verse, doesn't he? He says, "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead." So this imputation of righteousness he clearly shows here again in verse 24 is based on what? It's based on faith, isn't it?

"Who was delivered," he's talking about Christ now, of course, "who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." So Paul, all the way through here, is clearly showing in this reference in Romans 4 that this righteousness or this salvation, being able to appear and stand before God, is based entirely on one thing. It is based on the grace of God which we accept when we exercise faith in Him. It is a free gift of God, in other words. And we have this gift, this righteousness imputed to us, the righteousness of Christ, when we exercise faith in Him!

The only man who ever walked this earth who was inherently righteous within Himself was the one whom Noah foreshadowed. Not another man has ever walked the earth who was inherently righteous in and of himself. You might say: "Well, what about Adam?" Well, he showed he wasn't so righteous, didn't he? He fell, didn't he? If he'd been inherently righteous within himself, he would not have fallen, would he? And certainly no one would be so foolish as to claim that anyone since Adam was inherently righteous within himself except Jesus! So no one, not a single man who ever walked the earth except this one who was foreshadowed by Noah (that is Jesus) was ever inherently righteous within himself.

The One of whom the centurion testified and said in Luke 23:47: "Certainly this was a righteous man." That's what the centurion said at the crucifixion of Jesus! He was one of this band of Roman soldiers who brought Jesus up to the cross and helped to crucify Him. And yet, when He saw the Son of God dying on the cross, he said, "Certainly this was a righteous man." There has never been another inherently righteous man on the earth. The only other righteous people upon the earth are those to whom the righteousness of Christ has been imputed by the grace of God through faith.

Going further, we see God gave Noah an important, unique, stupendous work to do. Remember, we're comparing Noah or using him as a type of Christ. He makes a very good one, as you've already seen from these other examples we've given. But God gave Noah an important, unique, stupendous, remarkable and incredible work to do.

The task that was given to Noah was that of preserving from God's judgment, representatives of all creation. That was the task entrusted to Noah! The task of preserving from God's judgment, representatives of all creation. Now if that had not happened, we would not be here! If there had not been a Noah who preserved from God's wrath representatives of all creation, we would not be here today. Never before or since has such a task been allotted to one man as was given to Noah, except, as we take our type on and make a picture of Jesus and the task that was allotted to Him.

To Jesus was entrusted the task of effecting the salvation of lost and ruined sinners. Jesus speaks about this task in John chapter 17. Let's read there in verse 4. There is a great deal given in this chapter 17 of John about the task given to Jesus in effecting the salvation of lost, ruined, and fallen man. Here Jesus Himself is speaking when He says: "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." Now what was the work that was given to Him to do? To effect the salvation of lost mankind. "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word."

About whom is He speaking here? Well, in a direct sense He's speaking of these who have already believed at that time. But as we'll see a little bit later in this same passage, He is also indirectly speaking of all who will believe, isn't He?

"Now they have known that all things whatsoever things that thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me." Notice this emphasis on belief, or trust or faith --- whatever word you want to use for it.

"I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine." Now who's He speaking about? He's still speaking about these who at that time specifically had already believed. And as we see later in the passage, about those who yet will believe in Him!

"For they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they—they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." And, of course, the son of perdition was lost from the beginning. He could not otherwise have been called the son of perdition.

"And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." This is something that a lot of modern day Christians don't seem to understand. They think that everybody ought to love everybody. And that's not the way it is, is it? That's not even the way it's supposed to be. The Bible clearly teaches that true Christians will be hated by the world, not loved by everybody. They'll be hated by the world. And this is only one of the passages that teaches that.

"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." Then one really should go ahead and read the rest of the chapter in connection with this same thought. But let's just close it by reading verse 20 --- Skipping down to verse 20.

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word." That brings it down to us, doesn't it? We believed through the word of the apostles, through the word of the early day believers who wrote and recorded God's message to us in the Bible --- "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." But notice His emphasis in this passage and throughout the entire chapter 17 of John. His emphasis was on three things.

One is the truth. The truth, or the Word of God. Another emphasis is on the fact that the world will not love the true Christian. Throughout the passage you can see this. And then a third emphasis later on in the passage is the reward that's coming to the true Christian. That is, to share His glory with Him!

Going on quickly, we notice Noah's obedience to God not only saved his house thus preserving the human race from God's judgment, but it also saved every living creature. Now we said we are showing you this picture of Noah as an almost perfect picture of Christ! In the same manner Christ shall yet bring deliverance from the curse to the very beasts of the field! Did you know that? Even the beasts of the field are going to have deliverance from the curse.

Back in the beginning, before the curse, Adam had absolute total dominion over nature. All the animals were subject to him, and in fact, in the beginning before sin came in, the dominion was shared between Adam and Eve, in the very beginning. Then much later we see here that Noah had dominion over the beasts of the field at this time as well. Noah delivered the beasts of nature, from the curse --- that is, from the curse of this judgment of the flood. And in similar fashion Jesus Himself will eventually deliver all of nature from the curse!

Look at the passage here in Romans 8:21, and read that one with me. Remember we said that in the same way Noah not only saved his house by believing and obeying God, but also preserved the whole human race from God's judgment, and yet further than that we said that he also preserved every living creature. And we said in the same way Jesus Himself is going to bring deliverance from the curse to even the beasts of the field. Romans 8:21 says: "Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." Paul here referring to the fact that there is going to be a day when the whole creation will be delivered from the curse. This, of course, is going to come about in its fullness at the time of the Millennial Kingdom.

As we go a step further here, we see that Noah was given universal dominion. In Genesis 9:3 we see Noah was given universal dominion at the time of the preparations for coming out of the ark and when they out upon the earth again. This is what he says in 9:3, God speaking to Noah, "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I give you all things." Now that is a pretty universal dominion, isn't it? All living things, and then goes ahead and mentions the green herbs have been given to him also. So Noah was given dominion there in Genesis 9:3.

So, in the same manner Jesus Christ is heir of all things as it tells us in Hebrews chapter 1. As Noah was given universal dominion, so also will Jesus have universal dominion. In Hebrews 1:2-4, he is speaking about God, of course, when he says these words. It says God "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."

Now the point for emphasis here is this, where it says in verse 2 that He has spoken unto us by His son, "whom he hath appointed heir of all things." "Heir of all things" corresponding with Noah's universal dominion. Noah is also shown here in the passages over in Genesis as the great food provider! And of course, that fits in perfectly with Christ as the Bread of Life, the Water of Life, and so forth.

Going on, if we look at Genesis 6:22, we see another interesting way in which Noah is a type or picture of Christ. In 6:22, and also in 7:5 we see that Noah completely obeyed God's commands. This also makes him a perfect picture of Christ because Christ also completely obeyed the Father's commandments. 6:22 of Genesis says: "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he." Then if we look at 7:5, it says virtually the same thing again. "And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him."

In John 15:10 it's recorded, that Jesus also did exactly and always what His Father's commandments were. In John 15:10 it says: "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." But when we think of Jesus and His obedience we find that although Noah completely obeyed God's commands and Jesus completely obeyed God's commands, yet the obedience of Jesus went much further than Noah's, because Jesus became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). So that was much further than the obedience of Noah. In all things Jesus has the preeminence, even in His obedience to God.

Noah brought all that God had committed to his care safely through the judgment of God. Looking at Genesis chapter 8 you find that everything which had been committed to Noah's care was brought safely through the judgment of the flood. Genesis 8:18 and 19, "And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark." No epidemics wiped out any of the animals. Nothing died out during the time they were in the ark. Everything was preserved. He brought all that God had committed to his care safely through the flood judgment of God.

And in the same manner he brought them not only through the judgment but onto the new earth after the judgment of God. The same way Jesus said in John 18:9, "Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none."

Going on quickly to the conclusion --- Noah built an altar and made an offering to the Lord. You can read that if your look in Genesis 8:20: "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar." In a similar but far superior manner, Jesus gave Himself for us as an offering and sacrifice to God. Noah sacrificed animals on the altar to God. But Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice for us. It tells us about this in Ephesians 5:2: "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour."

Another thought we must share with you today is this --- Remember we're still comparing Noah as a picture or type of Jesus. God made a covenant with Noah, an everlasting covenant! You can find this recorded in many places. We'll read just one of them, quickly. Genesis 9:9: "And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you." Then you can read the repetition of a similar statement in verses 11, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17 of that chapter.

In that same manner, this covenant (if you look in verse 16) you find is an everlasting covenant. It's not just a covenant that is temporary or limited. Verse 16 says: "And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth."

As we said before this covenant God made with Noah was an everlasting covenant. So also with Jesus Christ, God has made an everlasting covenant. If we look in Hebrews 13:20 we find a reference to this everlasting covenant that God made with Jesus. It says: "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever."

Then we must read in Hebrews 9 which also refers to this everlasting covenant. Hebrews 9:11_15: "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."

DO YOU HAVE THIS ETERNAL INHERITANCE TODAY? If you don't, you can have it if God is speaking to your heart. If God's spirit is drawing you, and you will accept Christ as your Savior, coming to Him in repentance and faith, you can have this eternal inheritance as your very own! Will you accept Him today?