The ark, object of Noah’s deliverance, was designed by God in advance. Before a tree was cut down or a rope was tied, the total design of the ark was explained to Noah. There was a lot of detail. Notice Genesis chapter 6:14-16: “Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.” Noah could never have designed this object of His salvation by himself. He most likely didn’t even know what an ark was! Or a cubit! Or a flood, or even rain for that matter. Just check with Bill Cosby!
God gave Noah very specific instructions as to how the ark was to be built. Through the Old Testament He gave the world very specific details about Jesus’ life and mission. We refer to these details as Messianic Prophecies. For example, the Old Testament tells us that Jesus would be the Son of God (Psalm 2:7), that He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), He would be an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10), He would be raised from the grave (Psalm 16:10) and there are dozens and dozens more.
We could never have designed the instrument of our own salvation, and if we had it surely wouldn’t have been a crosscut from a tree. The scriptures teach us in the Old Testament and the New Testament that anyone hung on a tree is cursed. The instrument of salvation for Noah came from a tree. It was a gopher wood tree. I don’t think we know what kind of a tree the cross was made of, but we do know it came from a tree. As Noah was saved from God’s judgment through an object made from a tree, so too, we are saved from God’s judgment through an object made from a tree. It was God’s design! God’s means of salvation have always been completely and solely at His design. Isaiah teaches this clearly. The Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible explains it: “According to Isaiah’s gospel, it is God alone who saves, and there is no explanation for his saving action except in his own nature. Israel’s deliverance is undeserved; she is no more worthy of the divine love now (after the Babylonian captivity) than when she went into captivity. It is only by God’s grace that she is saved (55:1–7). By God’s design, Israel’s salvation depends not upon her own righteousness but upon his (41:10; 45:24; 46:13; 51:5, 6). There being no righteousness to reward, the Lord acts to create righteousness in Israel (45:8; 61:3, 10, 11).” Through the instrument of the cross God acts to create righteousness in us as well.