Genesis 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."
"And the LORD shut him in." Noah had followed all of God's directions
in building the ark. The animals had been brought into the ark with all
provisions having been made for them. Noah and his family had now entered the
ark. The rain had begun. Everything had been accomplished according to orders.
But now there had to be one more finishing touch. Without this final touch, all
would be in vain. What was that which was needed in order for the ark to be a
successful haven of protection and rest? The Lord had to complete the
work. Yes, the Lord shut Noah and his family inside the ark.
Not only did the Lord shut him inside the ark; but, He also shut them away from
the raging waters. He shut them away from the wickedness of man. We saw in
Genesis 6:5, "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." That wickedness had not changed in the 120 years that it
took to prepare the ark. Wickedness still prevailed and Noah was committed and
consistent in following the directions of the Lord. Now when the destructive
force was beginning, God "shut him in" and away from all the terror
that was outside the ark. If God had not shut him in, the ark would not have
held the water out. The ark would have been crushed by the weight of the
windows of heaven opening and pouring out a deluge of water. It would have been
crushed by the dashing against rocks and mountains. But God shut him in.
What is our lesson for today? Even as we walk in the counsel of the Lord, we
are dependent upon God's mercy and grace. When we are following the directions
of the Lord, we are still dependent upon His redemptive power to keep us safe
from the world's influence. I am so thankful that when God saved us from our
sins, He also sealed us unto the day of redemption. In Ephesians 1:13,
Paul writes that we "... were sealed with that holy Spirit of
promise." Praise God He sealed us and nothing can destroy the work
that He has begun in our hearts. "Being confident of this very
thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day
of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)