Genesis 7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.
According to God’s will and plan and perfect timing, Noah, his family, and all the animals went in to the ark just as and when the Lord commanded. Faith and obedience is the proper response to the Lord’s command. The command in this instance is more like a gracious invitation. It is a word of Gospel. It is a free offer of life and salvation.
We ”obey the Gospel” by believing in Jesus Christ. God says, ”Come in to the Kingdom.” We go in. Jesus says, ”Come unto me.” We come. The Spirit and the Bride say, ”Come.” We hear, and come. In the very offer and gospel invitation resides the Spirit’s power to grant receptive faith and its fruit, obedience. The Holy Spirit calls us by the gospel to repent and to believe it. We enter, and are saved.
”Going in” is a miracle. The Spirit uses the Word of Gospel to miraculously overcome our stubborn resistance. He makes us an offer we can refuse. This is a mystery: God gave us the choice to reject, to refuse the offer, but we cannot by our own decision accept the offer, enter in. The saving response, going in, takes a work of God. It is all of grace, even our going in.
Then “the Lord shuts us in” to the ark, the safe place in Christ and the Kingdom, where we are saved from sin and death and enjoy forgiveness and life.