The Ark of Safety Gen. 6:1-16 (v 14) Genesis 6:1-16 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. Introduction: A. There are two words we would like to call our attention to: "Danger" and "Safety." 1. There is something about the word danger that frightens us. None of us like to be put in dangerous situation. 2. In like manner there is something about the word safety that thrills us. It gives peace and tranquility. a. A family in our church feared that harm had come to their daughter as she was traveling on the highway. She had not reached her destination, and there was no trace of her to be found. The highway patrol could not find her, and there was no trace of where she had stopped to buy gas, etc. Her parents were almost out of their minds with fear. Finally she was found. She had gone another route, and had stopped in a small town and had spent more time there than she had intended to. When her parents heard from her they screamed for joy. The mother said, "Thank God, she is safe." B. May we see both danger and safety in this lesson before us. I. The Condition of The World A. By the world we mean the people in it. There is nothing wrong with the world, the problem is with the people. B. There was great wickedness (v 2). 1. Moral corruption. Sins of the flesh. 2. Spiritual corruption. Forgot God. 3. Social corruption. No longer did they regard the laws of separation, but they mixed and mingled at will. C. God saw it (v 5). 1. God is always looking on.      2 Chr. 16:9a For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth. 2. There is nothing that escaped the all-seeing eye of God.      Prov. 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.      Prov. 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good. II. The Divine Verdict (vs 7,13) A. God said that He would send judgment. There comes a time when God gives up on people, and when that happens nothing but judgment is left. B. In case you question the statement that God gives people up I only ask that you look at the scriptures and also the examples He has given. Prov. 1:23-26, 28 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. 1. God gave up on some people of past civilizations. In Romans chapter 1, we find the saddest words one could possibly utter: they are "God gave them up" (vs 24,26,28). 2. God gave the Jews up.      Matt. 23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. III. God Provided For His Own (vs 14-16) A. We often hear this described as "Noah's ark"; but that is not accurate. It was God's ark. 1. It was designed by God. 2. It was provided by God. IV. Divine Invitation      Gen. 7:1 And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark. V. Safety In The Ark      Gen. 7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.