What I Learned from the Karate Kid

Genesis 6:14-18 (ESV):

Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. ¹⁵ This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. ¹⁸ But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.

The Karate Kid is one of my all-time favorite movies. Not just because I am a marital artist, but it really gives some great life lessons. My second favorite scene (my favorite scene is Daniel crane kicking Johnny right in the nose during the tournament finals, but I digress) is when Daniel goes to Mr. Miyagi’s house over the course of four days and is put to work doing chores. Mr. Miyagi goes into great detail showing Daniel how to sand the floor, wax the cars, paint the fence, and finally, paint the house. By the end of the fourth day, Daniel is furious. He berates Mr. Miyagi for “making me your slave,” and not teaching him karate. Mr. Miyagi calmly asks Daniel to show him each hand movement: sanding the floor, waxing the cars, painting the fence, and painting the house. When Daniel successfully blocks all of Mr. Miyagi’s kicks and punches, he is stunned.  What Daniel did not realize at the time was this: what seemed to have no purpose actually was fulfilling his intended desire.

Here in our verses in Genesis 6:14-18 we see a similar situation. God gave Noah instructions to build and ark, but He did not tell him it would take 120 years. What is interesting is that God instructed Noah to build an ark of gopher wood. While this type of wood remains a mystery, some scholars suggest that wood refers to pine or cypress wood, commonly used in shipbuilding. Because the ark would house many wild animals, God told Noah to make rooms in the ark and then to make it waterproof by sealing it with pitch, a tar-like substance.

Perhaps these rooms were to provide separation between humans and wildlife. Many Bible students conclude that God’s divine superintending of the operation must have enabled creatures to travel together without conflict or harm. In any case, the rooms helped provide order and organization to life on the ark.

God’s direction to cover the ark with pitch inside and outside gives additional insight into God’s saving grace. First, the ark had to be sturdy and seaworthy, given the deluge that would come. The vessel was too large for eight people to maintain once it began riding the waves. Pitch was a substance that would make the ark waterproof. Second, covering the ark on the inside and outside demonstrated God’s thoroughness in caring for the inhabitants. The double application of pitch would provide security during the coming storm. Third, God commanded Noah and his family to build the ark. This point should not be understood to imply that salvation is by works. Rather, it means that Noah was called to believe and obey God. Noah’s faith would be demonstrated through his obedience (Heb. 11:7).

In verse fifteen, we see that the dimensions of the ark had to be sufficient to house all the humans and pairs of creatures that God intended to spare. The common Hebrew term of length measurements is often rendered into English as cubit. The cubit generally signified the distance from an adult man’s elbow to the tip of his middle finger-that is, approximately 18 inches. The Holman Christian Standard Bible applies that figure to arrive at the ark’s dimensions of 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. If the ark was flat-bottomed and square-ended and contained three inside levels, these dimensions created over 100,000 square feet of living and storage space.

The idea of building such a structure must have seemed staggering to Noah. His obedient faith appears even more impressive in light of his willingness to undertake the assignment. He believed that the One who called him to a God-sized task would provide all that he needed. Noah simply obeyed God.

Notice in verse eighteen that God’s deliverance of Noah was not something Noah has the ability to initiate. God said, “I will establish My covenant with you.” This is the first occurrence in Scripture of the key Hebrew term for covenant. God alone can establish a saving relationship. It was His covenant. He determined the method and means of this promise. As He had with Adam, and as He would later do with Abraham and others, God established an “I-you” relationship with Noah. This relationship, however, was not a pact between equals. Rather, it was a gift of grace from the Sovereign God to a man who, although righteous, was nevertheless a part of sinful humanity. All that Noah could bring to the table was to respond in simple faith, taking God at His word.

An additional truth arises from this verse. God established this covenant singularly with Noah. (The phrase with you is singular, not plural.) Yet Noah’s family would benefit as well. They would be allowed to enter the ark with Noah. This does not mean that a father today can obtain salvation from sin for his wife and children. It does emphasize, however, the godly influence that a believing father can have on his family. Christ-like fathers bring God’s blessings on their families; they can introduce the faith to their children and children’s children by both teaching and example.

God may be asking you to undertake something that seems overwhelming and confusing to you. Look at Noah’s simple obedience as a pattern to follow. When we simply trust God’s plan and obey His direction, we can be assured of a positive outcome.

Applying the Scriptures:

Has God challenged you to undertake a great and challenging work, something that seems impossible? How have God’s promises unfolded as you trusted and obeyed God?

Serving Christ, Loving Others, and Growing Together,

Dr. Bryan Cox