What Do the Ark, the Lodge, & the Church All Have in Common?

The title question may sound strange at first, but what these three Biblical structures have in common is that they have all been God’s one established shelter of salvation. Let me explain:

The Ark (Genesis 6 – 9)

Roughly 4,500 years ago, the population of mankind was absolutely exploding as globalization was being achieved for the very first time. People were living for seven, eight, even up to nine hundred years of age and were expanding and spreading across the earth like never before. Thus, in general, the number of children parents were bringing forth would make even the Duggar family look small!

Nevertheless, as the population rapidly increased so did sin because people are sinners. Not only were more born every day, but corrupt and evil leaders were ruling and reigning for multiple centuries at a time. All this ultimately led to and resulted in God declaring in Genesis 6:5 that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” People today often make statements surrounding how bad things have gotten, but what’s happening today is child’s play compared to what happened before the Flood.

Genesis 6:11-12 says that “the earth was filled with violence” and “was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” Therefore, God, in His infinite foreknowledge and wise understanding, knew that the only way to save mankind from total annihilation was to provide an ark of salvation in which anyone who wanted to be saved both from and through the coming catastrophe could find shelter and refuge. The ark that God had Noah construct would act as the one fortress of His salvation which would provide safety, hope, and a future life to come.

The Lodge (Joshua 2 & 6)

In 1406 BCE, Joshua led the nation of Israel into the land of Canaan to begin possessing it as their promised inheritance from the LORD. Upon miraculously crossing the Jordan River, the very first city they would overtake would be Jericho – a mighty fortress on a hill with high and thick walls! A couple weeks before Israel attacked the city, however, Joshua had sent two men to spy out the land, especially Jericho, and to bring back a report.

While the men were in the city, Joshua 2:1 says, “they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.” Jericho was an incredibly wicked place to be, one of prostitution and child sacrifices as well as deception and corruption flowing from top to bottom and all throughout, and Rahab knew that Yahweh was about to fully and finally deliver her city into the hands of His people. So, when the authorities came to arrest these Israelite men, she hid them on her roof and sent the officials off on a wild goose chase…and afterward reasoned with them to spare her and her household just as she spared them.

In Joshua 2:18-19, as she was letting the spies down through her window the men stated, “Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.” Basically, the entire city, every thing and every one, was about to be completely destroyed, except for this one shelter and place of refuge. The lodge that God had set apart would act as the one fortress of His salvation which would provide safety, hope, and a future life to come.

The Church (Ephesians 1)

On the Day of Pentecost, just shy of 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit was sent into the world and God’s Church was officially born! No longer did someone need to be Jewish or bring their offerings to Jerusalem, but people within and throughout all nations who simply hear about Jesus the Messiah and believe in His sacrifice on the Cross for their sins and resurrection from the grave can be saved. It is why the Apostle Paul stated in Ephesians 3:3-6, “…the mystery was made known to me by revelation…the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.”

And here’s the kicker…Ephesians 1:5 says that in love “He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will….” This verse has led to a lot of questions over the years regarding election and predestination, but who or what is it speaking of? “Us” individually or “us” corporately? I would suggest, given the context, that this specific verse has more to do with the corporate body of believers [i.e. the universal Church]. Thus, the who or what God has predestined to receive salvation from the incoming destruction is His Church. It is the one fortress of His rescue plan which will provide safety, hope, and a future life to come.

Picture it as an airplane that is currently boarding. As it stands, the airline attendants are speaking over the radio and repeatedly calling out, “Last call to board Flight #777 from earth to heaven!” Eventually, the time will run out, the doors will be shut, and the plane will take off…and at that time there will only be two groups of people: those on the plane and those left behind. Either way, the plane is about to take off and God has already predetermined its final destination.

Conclusion

In the same way that God had established the ark and the lodge as His one shelter of rescue, so too has God set up and firmly decreed the Church to be His one lifeboat – a spiritual body in which anyone and everyone in literally any nation around the world who simply places their faith and trust in Jesus alone to save them can come into and be warmly welcomed. Therefore, the question is: Are you on the ark, in the lodge, on the plane? Are you in and a part of His Church whom He has already chosen to save from the coming catastrophe? If not, trust in Christ today by:

Admitting you are a sinner and in need of a Savior.
Believing that Jesus is God’s only Son and that He has come into this world, died on the Cross for your sins, and has risen from the grave offering you that same resurrection life.
Confessing Jesus openly, publicly and boldly as your Lord – the Captain of your ship and the Leader of your life.

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