January 18

Noah, this same shall comfort us, concerning, our work and toil.—Genesis 5:29.

THE names of God's servants were often of divine origin, and related to the peculiar feature of their minds, or the work to which they were called. Noah was obviously a striking type of the Lord Jesus. His name signifies rest or consolation. Now Christ is the true rest, the spiritual rest, the rest for the soul, as well as the consolation of Israel. Noah was said to be perfect in his generation, and that he walked with God. Christ was absolutely perfect, there was no defilement attached to his nature, nor the least defect in his character. He also was never alone, but held unbroken fellowship with the Father. Noah was a preacher of righteousness and he warned the old world of the judgment which was threatened against them; Christ also preached repentance to his people, the Jews, and foretold the calamities which were about to befall them. Noah prepared an ark for the saving of himself and his house; Christ purchased and prepared his church for the salvation of all who would believe. In Noah's ark were creatures of all kinds, clean and unclean, and in Christ's church are both Jews and Gentiles, persons of every country, people, and tongue. As Noah was within the ark, so Christ is in the midst of his church, to bless and keep unto eternal life. As all those within the ark were preserved in safety and became the inhabitants of the new world, so all who are truly in Christ's church shall assuredly be delivered from the wrath to come and become abiding residents of the New Jerusalem. When Noah had left the ark, God gave him the rainbow as a sign of the Covenant between them. Our blessed Redeemer when beheld in a vision by John, from Patmos, was seated on his throne, around which was a rainbow, in colour like unto the emerald. (Revelation 4:3.) Noah however was only perfect in his generation, and after his deliverance was overtaken with temptation. Christ is as a lamb without spot. His nature and person are immaculate. Noah's ark only saved a few persons, and that only from temporal death, Christ's ark will save an unnumbered multitude, and that from eternal misery. O then how should we be interested in his Gospel! How we should flee to him for shelter! How anxious to have a place in his church, and how we should constantly intercede,

" Hide me O my Saviour hide, Till the storms of life are past, Safe unto the haven guide, O receive my soul at last!"