ARKS AND WATERY BARRIERS

Reve 4:2  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and [one] sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and [there was] a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne [were] four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and [there were] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

All through the Bible we see pictures of this.

• We see an uncrossable barrier between mankind and God.

NOAH'S ARK

Gene 6:11-13  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.

Noah found grace.  God PROMISED to save him.

Sinful humanity could not enter the new world God was going to make.

• And we see that all sinful humanity was destroyed and left as Noah moved from the old world into the new by the ark.

Gene 6:14  Make thee an ark...

• The picture of death and the need to cross a watery barrier is in view here.

MOSES' ARK

Exod 1:22  And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

We have water - the Nile river.
 

Exod 2:3  And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid [it] in the flags by the river's brink.

Moses enters an ark, too.

• There were infants that died in the that River.
• But Moses was placed into an ark in that very same River and crossed it.

JOSHUA'S ARK

Before they reached the borders we read:
 

Exod 25:10  And they shall make an ark [of] shittim wood:

• Moses sent out 1 spy from each of the 12 tribes to search out the Land.
• Upon returning, ten said Israel could not enter the land and take it because the natives and their cities there were too great for them to defeat.
• So God told Moses they shall wait in the wilderness until all doubters died and then the children shall enter in.

Joshua led Israel to the banks of the Jordan River.
 

Josh 3:6  And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

Josh 3:8  And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

Josh 3:13  And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, [that] the waters of Jordan shall be cut off [from] the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

A barrier was opened and we read of people dying before this barrier was opened up.

Dead flesh was always seen before people could cross a watery barrier into a place of safety.

• This place of safety represents the goal of every person -- Heaven.
• And the fact that flesh died before God's people crossed this barrier tells us something very important.

DEATH AMONGST HUMANITY

Roma 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
 
• "Death by sin."
• Death came because of sin.
• There had to be a death before one could cross into the places that represented Heaven.
• Sinners died before Noah crossed in the Ark through in the flood.
• Infants died before Moses was carried in the Ark to safety.
• The unbelieving adults died in the forty years that elapsed before the people crossed Jordan and entered the Land.

A death occurred on this side of a watery barrier before An ark rescued people and took them over the barrier.
 
 

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE?

• Three instances show an ark crossing a watery barrier after people died.

Since death came by sin, and death was required before anyone was rescued to pass the watery barrier, we see a picture of the Gospel.

• Some died while the others lived to cross.
• Those who died could not cross.
• This is not saying that after everyone dies they can go to heaven.
• No.
• It is saying that Heaven is a holy place.
• People who do not know God cannot enter there.
• While there was always a people who died and an ark that carried others across, we also see that FAITH surrounded those who entered.

Noah believed God would send a flood and built an ark.

• Moses' mother believed God would keep her child while the others doubted and lost their's.
• Joshua believed God would open up the Jordan and they would take the enemies whereas the older ones who died doubted.

John was shown the glass sea between the world and the throne of God.

• He saw a watery barrier and a place of promise on the other side.
• Sin is not allowed into Heaven.
• Death takes sinful elements away and bars them from entering Heaven.
• How can you experience a death and survive so that you can be free of sin and enter Heaven?
• How can you cross the barrier that keeps sinners out?

There was an interesting clue that brings it all together.

When Jesus died on the cross, in the Temple a VEIL ripped open, just like the JORDAN ripped open for the Israelites to enter the Land.

• This veil kept people out of a section room called the holiest of holies that represented the same thing as the Promised Land represented.
• The VEIL was like a barrier, too.
• And the Holiest of Holies was where God said He would meet with the Old Testament HIGH PRIESTS.
• And these HIGH PRIESTS were required to go through much ritual to become holy in order to enter this place with God.
• In fact, they had to wear a gold plate on their foreheads that read HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD.
• And this man could pass the VEIL while carrying blood with him.
• Only two things were in that Holiest.
• Behind the VEIL only two things were ever seen.
• The ARK OF THE COVENANT, and THE HIGH PRIEST WITH BLOOD.
• Like the watery barrier, the VEIL kept mankind out.
• And like all other instances of the barrier, DEATH occurred on this side the VEIL before a MAN OF GOD crossed the barrier.
• This was indicated by the blood.
• So, instead of the High Priest dying, we see that he offered a sacrifice, took its blood and entered.
• It was as though God was saying, "This is a symbol of how people will get to Heaven.  The holiest represents Heaven.  You should have died since you sinned.  One sin destroyed every chance for you to enter Heaven.  No one can enter with sin, and death comes by sin.  I must honour the fact that sin brings death.  So here is the loophole for you to enter.  I will allow you to enter after another innocent one dies as a sacrifice in your place because of your sin.  And to signify that, you must carry its blood."
• Like that innocent sacrificial animal, Jesus was the innocent Lamb of God who died because of our sins.

When John saw the Glass Sea before the throne, notice what he saw next.
 

Reve 5:1-4  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

No one could get into that place.
No one could cross that Glass Sea.

But suddenly:
 

Reve 5:5-6  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

A Lamb stood on the Glass Sea AFTER HAVING DIED.
 

Reve 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

They called the entering in of the dead and then resurrected Lamb, a WORK OF REDEMPTION.

And then we read,
 

Reve 6:1  And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

John could go in himself!

• REDEEMED means that something is brought back through PAYMENT.
• He died to PAY FOR OUR SINS.
• People who sin must die.
• Blood proves there was a death.
• So he REDEEMED us by HIS BLOOD.
• After this, we read...

Recall that the SEA OF GLASS stood before the throne in Rev. 4:6.

• After the Lamb redeemed the people, we read...

Reve 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

• They were standing before the throne.
• That means they were standing on the sea of Glass.
• They were crossing the BARRIER!

As Jesus walked on water, water was no barrier to Him, these people were standing on water.

• They crossed the barrier.

Reve 7:10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

SALVATION!

• It is salvation to be able to cross the barrier.

Reve 7:13-15  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.
This means their sins were removed.

A cleansed garment is a Picture of sin removed.
 

Isai 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Zech 3:3  Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

1Cor 6:9-11   Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

The Kingdom of God is Heaven.

• Sinners will not enter.
• But Paul the Apostle spoke to people who were sinners but were WASHED, SANCTIFIED AND JUSTIFIED.

SALVATION

Peter preached about people saving themselves from a crooked and sinful people.

• Why?
• So they could enter Heaven.

Acts 2:40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

What did Peter say that showed them how to be saved?
Go back a few verses.
 

Acts 2:37-39  Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.

THE PROMISE!

• The land Joshua entered by the ark crossing the barrier was called the PROMISED LAND.
• And the LAND represented Heaven.
• Peter was saying that we are promised HEAVEN, therefore we must experience ACTS 2:38 in order to cross the barrier.
• Peter said we must repent and be baptized and receive the Spirit, BECAUSE THE PROMISE IS FOR US.
• In other words, we receive the PROMISE by nothing less than repenting, being baptized in Jesus' Name and receiving the Spirit.

You must die on this side of the barrier so you can enter Heaven.

1. But if you will believe it and do something about it, Jesus died instead of you so you could enter past the barrier.
2. And ACTS 2:38 shows us how we IDENTIFY ourselves into the opportunity of accepting Jesus' death as our own deaths.
3. REPENT.  Die to your old way of life by praying and thanking God that Jesus died for you, and ask God to forgive all your sins.  Turn around your life, quit sinning, live everyday for JESUS CHRIST.
4. BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST.  Like ENTERING THE ARK.  Realize that you so much died with Jesus when you repented that you actually are buried in water, also showing that your sins cannot cross the watery barrier.  It is in Jesus Name because you are being baptized INTO HIS DEATH.
5. RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST.  You receive the Spirit and speak in tongues as they did when they received it, and are thereby given a RESURRECTED LIFE, and strength from God's Spirit to LIVE this new life.

Why?  Because the PROMISE is for you.
 

Reve 11:19  And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: