The story of Noah has been read over and over. However, there is a New Testament twist on this story that many people have overlooked. It's by the Apostle Peter. He has an interesting, significant interpretation about that famous, historic event that is uniquely found in his New Testament epistle (letter) called "1 Peter".
In that letter, he uses a teaching technique called typology. Typology is the study of persons, places, or things in the Old Testament which are prophetic pictures of the greater things to come in the New Testament, brought to fulfillment in Jesus Christ and His church.
Here's an example of typology: In the Old Testament, manna is that miraculous bread that came down from heaven that daily fed the Israelites and sustained them while they were in the desert for 40 years. In the New Testament, we find that manna is a picture of Jesus Himself! Jesus is the living bread that came down from heaven. And it's He that sustains us and gives us life.
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven" (John 6:51).
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven" (John 6:51).
Regarding Noah and the great flood, Peter uses typology to explain what I call the hidden meaning in the story of of Noah's ark -- our baptism! That's right -- Peter portrays the great flood as a picture of our own baptism into Christ!
...to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:20-21)
Understanding what baptism is will help you understand what Peter is getting at. First, Biblical baptism is done by immersion, when one's complete body is submerged under water and brought back up out of the water. This is shown by examples in the New Testament Book of Acts, as well as scriptural teachings. Furthermore, a person's baptism is one's spiritual death, burial, and resurrection to a new life (Romans 6:3-4). In baptism, we bury our old self! And rise to walk a new self, forgiven and free.
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:3-4)
Here's what Peter is implying: During the terrible flood that Noah experienced, all the unrighteous were buried under the water just as our old, unrighteous self is buried under water in baptism.
...to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:20-21)
Understanding what baptism is will help you understand what Peter is getting at. First, Biblical baptism is done by immersion, when one's complete body is submerged under water and brought back up out of the water. This is shown by examples in the New Testament Book of Acts, as well as scriptural teachings. Furthermore, a person's baptism is one's spiritual death, burial, and resurrection to a new life (Romans 6:3-4). In baptism, we bury our old self! And rise to walk a new self, forgiven and free.
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:3-4)
Here's what Peter is implying: During the terrible flood that Noah experienced, all the unrighteous were buried under the water just as our old, unrighteous self is buried under water in baptism.
For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. (Colossians 2:12)
Noah was saved by means of water, just as we are assured salvation by our baptism. When Noah reached land, he started a new life, just as we rise to walk in a newness of life when we rise up from being baptized.
Peter's teaching brings a whole new perspective on how Noah and the great flood relates directly to us as Christians today. Amazing!
