“And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.” (Genesis 7:16)
This is from the account of Noah. What we want to focus on in this Scripture are the words, “and the LORD shut him in.” In the Old Testament we will see God referred to as “LORD” written in all capitals. This word “LORD” means Jehovah, the eternal and Self-Existent God. In the New Testament we will see “Lord,” which means Adonai or master.
This information puts in perspective God’s position in the lives of man. The LORD always intervened in man’s affairs when their behavior was wicked or when His Purpose was attacked. He kept His eye on His people and was faithful to the promises He made to Abraham. But God was seen as LORD. A God High and unable to be reached except through the priests. The people of God lived under the Law. Their righteousness was counted to them for their obedience. One of the scariest things would be for our righteousness to depend on our obedience. Why? Because we will fail. But praise God that our righteousness is depended on Jesus, Who always obeyed.
Now in the New Testament we see the word “Lord.” Only the first letter in the word is capitalized. This word means Adonai or master. It points to our relationship to God. He is now with us, living in us, seeking us, walking with us and with us always. He is Adonai, our master to Whom we have surrendered our lives. “Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; He bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory.” (1Corinthians 6:19-20)
Now Noah, lived before the Law. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:8) We all have an inner conscious. We can know even if we don’t have the Holy Spirit what is right and what is wrong. An atheist I knew once told me that he was moral. He lived his life by his moral law. So even unbelievers have this moral law of what is right and what is wrong. In Noah’s time, the people violated this moral law and were very wicked. We could say that Noah was living in this moral law, since there was no Law covenant with God. And he was a believer of the One True God, Yahweh, the LORD. He made sacrifices to the One True God, Yahweh, the LORD as his ancestors had passed on to him their beliefs and customs. He didn’t violate his moral law. His actions and beliefs pleased God. And he found grace or favor with God.
So, the LORD saved Noah from the flood and “shut him in.” The phrase is so symbolic. The LORD enclosed him with peace and safety from the condemnation that came upon the earth. Noah didn’t and couldn’t shut himself in. The LORD had to do it. We see that even in Noah’s obedience that ultimately it all depended on the LORD.
He is the One Who supernaturally gave Noah the command to build the ark, the instructions and wisdom on how to do it and brought the animals to the ark. It was all God. And also, in our lives, it’s all God. “We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1John 4:19) He loved us and His mercy sent Jesus. (John 3:16, 17) He gave His all for us. He left the Father’s side to become a man and suffer the wrath of God for us. “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1Timothy 2:5-6)
And just as in the account of Noah when He “shut him in,” He has shut us in. He has enclosed us with His peace, His love and safety from condemnation. We are covered with the Blood that speaks righteousness, the righteousness of Jesus. And we are “shut in” from the condemnation and destruction of this world.
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