Sean C. Capparuccia

23 August 2026

Sermon X in the Genesis series

Ephesians 4:17-30; Psalm 46; Hebrews 11:6-7; Genesis 7:1-16

            We have now come to what I think is the climax of the last several chapters. Genesis begins with creation and builds as God creates more and more of our world over the six days and ends with His crowning creation: Adam. And then quickly adds jewels to that crown in the person of Eve. Then they sin and the story comes crashing down, so to speak.

            Then it begins a new story with the line of Seth and it starts building again as the lineage of Seth carries us through 1500 years of people living and reproducing and filling this earth. Then we see that sin – evil under the pervasive influence of Satan – is also building and reproducing until we get to the point where humanity is “only evil, all the time.” God states that He regrets creating mankind and is resolved to destroy it. So here we are at this point where the greatest judgement that the world has ever seen (so far) is coming to pass.

            If you remember in chapter 6 God said that man’s days “shall be 120 years.”  that’s a pretty long time, don’t you think? I mean, it’s a good long time to think about things and resolve to live a better life. It’s not like God gave everyone just 24 or 48 hours here. 120 years!

            But do you know what the central figure in this chapter is?  The easy answer would be the ark. But I think that it’s the door; the door of the ark.  In a sense, God said, “In 120 years I will shut the door. Whoever is inside will be safe; whoever is outside will die.” It’s a fairly straightforward thing: the door will shut. And it’s not like He slammed it shut. It was slowly shutting for over a century. 

Build Me an Ark

            Genesis 7 begins with God telling Noah to enter the ark. Now Noah has been building this thing for somewhere between 55-75 years.[1]  When God said He would give man 120 years he wasn’t talking to Noah, He was talking amongst Himself – the Trinity – and/or with the heavenly host. By faith Noah has been building this humongous boat and nowhere near any water big enough to float it in. I picture that scene in the movie “Secondhand Lion” with Robert Duvall where they bought a massive yacht and put it in relatively small pond. But as Hebrews 11 said, it was “by faith, being warned by God about things not seen, in reverence to God” that he built the ark. He had no building plans, no experience building boats. God simply gave him some dimensions to work with and a few particulars and told him to build. Let that be the first lesson for us today: if God says build it, then just build it. How often have we heard God tell us, or lead us, to do something and we come back with, “Well, when I have more money… when I have more time…. When I get three affirmations from people I don’t know…. when this thing fits into my current lifestyle where I don’t have to change anything to accomplish it, then I will do it.” I hope that sounds somewhat preposterous to you as I say it like that, yet that is exactly what we do all the time. Sometimes all God gives us is the command. He told Noah to build him an ark. He didn’t have the why, or the how. All He had was God’s Word, and it was enough. That, beloved, is faith. Faith is trusting when you don’t have all the answers. And guess what? Without faith “it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6).

            Sometimes God asks His people to do things that seem impractical. A boat? Miles from water? And a boat big enough to displace 22,000 tons of water?  If we understand the length of a cubit to be 18 inches (elbow to fingertip), then the ark was 450 feet long (1.5 football fields), it was 75 feet wide (1/4 of a football field), and 45 feet high (about as high as a 4-story building). And he didn’t just pop down to Lowe’s to order up his lumber. He must have had a lot of faith!

            “Hey, Noah, what are you guys building?

               “An ark.”

            “Oh, yeah?  an ark? Cool…. Hey, Noah…. what’s an ark?”

               “It’s a boat. It’s going to be a really big boat.”

            “Yeah?  Out here?    Hey, Noah…. so why are you building this here ark?”

               “Because God is going to judge the world and destroy it with a flood.”

            Looking around wondering where the rain is…..

            Uproarious laughter.

               “Help me build it and come with us; repent and give your life to God.”

            And from then on he would most certainly have been the butt of every joke in the region. In fact, over the course of 60 years, it was a story most likely heard everywhere. Day after day the saws were sawing and the hammers were swinging and the pitch was boiling. And still no rain.

Saw, hammer, pitch, faith;

  saw, hammer, pitch, faith.

            His sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, were married when Noah began the ark but they would have been quite young men. So here they were, young men, just starting out in the world and their dad says, “Sons, I need you to help me with this. God is going to flood the earth, but if we build this, we’ll be saved.”

            I mean what must have been their initial response? What would you have said? “Wow, dad, really? Hey, that sounds like fun. Ok, we’re in!” Or maybe they said, “Are you feeling okay, Dad?”  Or they could have said, “Dad, you’re nuts! We’ll be the laughingstock of the whole neighborhood.”  Whatever their first responses were, they joined in. So, whether they had faith in God or not, we don’t know, but they at least had faith in their dad.  Which gives another lesson: sometimes, when our own faith is weak, we need to stay close to others whose faith is strong to get through those times of weakness.

The Animals and DNA

            Now one of the greatest criticisms of this passage in Scripture is how in the world two of every animal fit on the ark. There is just no way they could fit. Well, first of all, God did not tell Noah to put two of every animal on the ark, He said put two of every kind of animal (6:19). They came telling us that “the Bible isn’t a science book.”  There is some truth to that in that much of the nomenclature of modern science post-dated the Bible. Ergo, Linnaeus’ taxonomical system, i.e. kingdom, phylum, class, family genus species, has not been formulated yet. But if it had, the “kinds” in the Bible would have fit in with the “family” in modern science.  Now that drastically reduces the number of animals. And this is where genetics come into play.

             You see, at this point in history, so near the time of creation, DNA was perfect. And if you understand DNA you know that in the DNA of every cell is coding for what the cell is to be, how long it will live, and information for every single thing about that cell, along with a lot of other information pertaining to variation. In other words, we could think about what color skin Adam and Eve had. Well, some picture them as white people; some picture them as black people; some as brown Middle Eastern people. Their DNA would have had the information for producing every skin color. And since all skin color is a variation of brown (there is no true black or white) then they would more than likely have been a perfect middle brown color. After the Flood, when the people drifted, the environments in which they lived played a key role in their skin color. And as time went on, the DNA became narrower in its ability to produce variations.

            The same is true for the animals. One pair of dogs, probably some kind of primitive wolf, gave rise, over the millennia to all of the breeds we have today. And there are still more breeds being bred.

            So, you see, it wasn’t a matter of getting every animal, but every kind, or family, of animal. From two cats came lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, and domestic cats. A cat is a cat, whether it’s a kitten or a lion; a dog is a dog whether it’s a coyote or a poodle; and a person is a person whether they are 7-foot tall Scandinavian named Magnus or a 4-foot pygmy named @k#mbaatlo (or something like that). That, then, is another lesson for us – all people are created in God’s image and are descended from one blood. These outer differences, all this that we see in each other, from the color of our hair, eyes, skin, lips; the softness or coarseness of our hair; anything regarding the way we look is determined by 1/10 of 1% of our DNA. Which means that every human on the face of the earth shares 99.9% of their DNA with everyone else. [2] That’s not much difference, is it?  That ought to put an end to all racism right there, shouldn’t it? But racism isn’t about skin color, it’s about politics. You can’t control people who love each other and get along. You can only conquer if you divide. So, I challenge you all: decide for yourselves today to whose will you will bow.

            Answers in Genesis estimates that there were about 1,400 kinds on the ark, and roughly 6,700 individual animals, accounting for the fact that there were seven pairs of the “clean” animals and whatnot. And, we would certainly include the parent animals of those which are extinct today, so, yes, there were dinosaurs on the ark; at least two of them. And I doubt it was a T-Rex. Most dinosaurs were about the size of dogs; we just made a big deal out of the possibility of big dinosaurs from bones we have found.

            Too far-fetched, you say? Let’s circle back then. Was it God’s idea to make an ark? Then it stands to reason that every life that God wanted to save would be on that ark. Jehovah Elohim did not miscalculate the size of the ark. And, folks, listen, this has been carefully studied at every level. In Kentucky, the guys from Answers in Genesis built an ark to the Biblical specifications and they found that it will indeed hold as many kinds of animals as would be needed to repopulate the earth with the families, genera, and species that we have today. I’d say “it ain’t rocket science, people” but it’s even better… it’s “Biblical science.”

7-day Countdown & Unbelief

            In verse 4 God tells Noah that they’ve got seven more days. The animals are coming on board. (And I would have to believe that God led the animals to the ark and not Noah and the sons going out over the world and collecting them.) Seven days until it starts.  And the neighbors by now, though it’s still rather funny to think about, have probably gotten used to the huge ark in Noah’s front yard.  And even if it never rained, Noah had the absolute biggest house in the world at this point!

            So, the animals are there; Noah’s on board; his wife is there; his sons and their wives are all on board. From somewhere down below:

            “Hey, Noah, whatcha doin’ now? We seen all them animals getting on your boat. What’s going on?

              “Repent. Give your life to God and come with us. God is going to destroy…

            “Destroy the earth, yeah, yeah, you’ve been saying that for 60 years, Noah. Look at the sky, you old fool. No clouds. Look at the ground; not even a puddle. … So why the animals, Noah?”

               “God sent them here to preserve their lives. Repent. Come with us.”

            “Yeah, ok.  Well, we’re going home. Looks like the only flood you’re going to see is a flood of animal poo.  Hey, Noah, have fun with that!”

            Unbelief can look straight at the evidence and still not perceive the truth, can’t it? Thousands of animals were coming two by two to the ark from miles around and yet they still can’t see what’s going on. Unbelief can explain away the obvious; it can rationalize away the truth. It has an uncanny way of completely missing the facts because it won’t accept the obvious conclusion. Or, as modern “science” sometimes does it now, it finds the facts that support the conclusions they do want to see.

            Meanwhile, back on the ark… You can imagine that the boys were getting a little nervous now. They’re all on the ark waiting. “Dad said seven days, right, Shem?”

            “Yeah, that’s what he said.”

               “Did you hear God’s voice, Shem?”

            “No, Ham, I didn’t hear it.”   Pause

               “Shem?”

            “Yeah?”

               “What if nothing happens? What then?”

            “Well, me and the missus are moving far away, that’s what I’m doing. Very far away.”

               “That’s what I was afraid of.”

The Door

            Then the door in the side of the ark begins to close. Noah didn’t close it. Shem, Ham, Japheth didn’t close it. The women didn’t close it.  They couldn’t have closed it. It would have been impossible for them to close it. The Lord God closed it (7:16). It reminds me of another door, but this one was impossible to open; the tomb of Christ. Only God could have opened it, and open it He did!

            And then— a drop. Just one. Perhaps it hits the dusty ground; nobody notices. Then another. Then another. And finally somebody looks up. A little rain is not so frightening. In fact, it might even have seemed amusing. “That’s it? That’s the great ‘flood’ coming to ‘wipe us all out’? Haha! Bring it on, Noah! We’re not afraid of a little rain!”

But the drops increase. The ground begins to darken. The laughter becomes quieter. Then the clouds open and the fountains of the great deep burst forth (we’ll talk more about this next week). Water comes from above and water comes from below. The world that had laughed at Noah now realizes something terrible:

Noah was right. But listen, Beloved, at this point, just being right about the Flood is not going to save Noah’s neighbors; realizing the truth after rejecting it would not put them inside the Ark.

Imagine the change. The man who mocked Noah yesterday is no longer laughing.

He is knocking; yes, from mocking to knocking. The woman who thought Noah was a fool is no longer making jokes.

She is screaming; yes, from comical to hysterical. The young people who rolled their eyes when Noah warned them are suddenly terrified; yes, from those who deride to those petrified. And the rain is no longer funny. The Ark is no longer a joke. The sermon is over. The evidence has arrived. And suddenly the great question is not:

“Do you believe Noah?”

The question now is:

“Is there still a way to get on the ark?”

“Noah!  Hey, Noah!  Let us in!”

But, my friends, Noah couldn’t let them in. Because it was God who closed the door.

In Revelation 3 it is written, “…This is what the holy one, the true one, the one who has the key of David, the one who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one can open says:  ‘I know your works (behold, I have put before you an opened door that no one is able to shut) that you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and did not deny my name…. Because you have kept the word of my patient endurance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole inhabited world, to put to the test those who live on the earth.” (Revelation 3:7-8, 10). This is talking about the next global destruction. Are you ready?

Christ Is Our Refuge

Church, there is a terrible difference between laughing at God’s warning and living long enough to discover that His warning was true. Our Psalm today said, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Notice that the psalm does not say:

“God is our refuge, therefore there will be no trouble.” We will have trouble; we will have tribulation; our faith will be tested. But our refuge, is God. Look at that Psalm again. The mountains are falling into the sea; the waters roar and foam. The world itself seems to be coming apart. And in the midst of all of that comes the declaration: “Cease striving, and know that I am God,” or, as many know it, “Be still and know that I am God.”

The Flood continues even in our day; the world has not recovered; mankind is still mocking God and laughing at His people who live according to the faith. But where was Noah? Inside the ark. This is the Gospel!  Brothers and sisters, Our ark of safety is Christ Himself. There is only one refuge from the judgment of God: Jesus Christ. Noah’s ark was more than a boat, it was God’s appointed means of saving His people from destruction. And in the same way, Jesus Christ is God’ appointed means of saving His people from eternal destruction.

Beloved, you can’t swim faster or harder; you can’t be more moral than your neighbor; you aren’t saved by disbelieving the Bible and pretending there is no God. There is only one way of salvation: Jesus Christ. By God’s grace. Through faith.  He is the door. He is not a door; there is only one door. In the Gospel of John, Jesus was speaking to the people using an analogy they would know: a sheep fold. He said, “I am the door,” the “gate.” Whoever enters by Me will be saved. God the Father is the Shepherd, and God the Son is the door; and I might add that God the Holy Spirit is the key.  Listen, no pastor, no priest, no church has the power to save anyone or to even declare anyone saved or unsaved. God alone opens the door, and God alone shuts the door. Let me tell you what the “keys to heaven” consist of: they consist of telling people the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what Peter did on Pentecost. He stood up and with a mighty and unashamed voice proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ and the one who grants salvation. He was the first on that day to use the “keys” and Christ’s holy church has been using the keys ever since. The keys don’t belong to one man or one long succession of men – they belong to every Christian alive who is willing to proclaim the words of Christ!

__________

            This passage today is about a door. It is the door to salvation. It is a door that separates the righteous from the unrighteous, from the wicked. It is the door that closes off those who believe from those who do not believe. But until that door is shut, you can repent. But it is God who will shut the door.

Be Still

Picture the Ark one last time. The sky is dark and the rain is falling. The ground is disappearing and the waters are rising. And inside that great wooden vessel is Noah. Perhaps the Ark creaks. Perhaps the animals make noise. Perhaps the waves begin to lift them. And Noah may not understand everything that is happening outside. But he knows one thing. God shut him in.

Christian, there are days when your life may feel like Noah in that Ark. The world all around you is shaking. Your health may be failing. Your plans may have changed, even against your will. The waters may be rising. You may not understand everything around you. But if you are in Christ, remember this: God is your refuge and strength. The waters may rise, but they cannot rise above the throne of God. The world may shake. But Christ does not shake, He is constant. Your body may grow weak. But the Holy Spirit has sealed you for the day of redemption. Your grip may tremble. But Christ’s grip does not.

And one day, the judgment that Noah’s Ark foreshadowed will give way to the new creation promised in Jesus Christ. So do not live like those who stood outside laughing at God’s Word. Like Noah, live by faith. Build your life upon what God has said. Put away the old life and do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Take refuge in Christ. The Savior who opens the door is mighty to save and the Holy Spirit seals believers for the day of redemption.

And when at last the storm is over and the waters of judgment have passed— all who are in Christ will discover that they were not holding on to Him; He was holding on to them.

And no power in heaven or earth—

no storm,

 no sin,

  no fear,

   no enemy,

no angels, no rulers, no present thing nor things to come, not powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, can pry open the hand of the Savior and remove even one hair from the head of one of His redeemed children. (Romans 8:38-39).

So, church, come into the Ark and be still; know that He is God.

And rest in the promise that if you are truly in Jesus Christ— you are sealed for the day of redemption.

Amen.

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[1] Ken Ham, Genesis to Babel, 172.

[2] Nih.gov.