This week we are going to travel back in time again to visit a man named Noah. We find his story in Genesis chapters 5-9. Take the time to read his story. We will also find in Hebrews, that Noah is included in the “Heroes of the faith”
Heb 11:7 “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”
Noah’s life is more than a children’s church story using flannel grams and singing a song. Perhaps you remember singing this song, “ God told Noah to build Him an arky, arky”
Gen 6:8-10 “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.”
Gen 5:28-29 “When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.”
We learn that Noah means rest, comfort. We can note that Noah’s character is reveled to us. He was righteous, blameless and found favor in the eyes of the Lord. We have no details in regards to Noah’s life before he enters center stage in Genesis 5.
We are given the current state of the human heart during the time of Noah.
Gen 6:5 “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. “
The Lord makes known His plans to Noah. His plan of destruction and the plan of deliverance.
(Ps 25:14 “The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.”)
Gen 6:11-13 “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.”
Gen 6:17-18 “I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.”
Noah is given the task of building the ark. God was very specific in His plans for the ark. God knew the right dimensions, right floor plan, right building materials to use.
Gen 6:14-16 “So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks.”
My take a way #1. Being asked by God to build an ark Noah did not enter into a conversation with God. He made no attempt to reason with God in His choices. Without questions, by faith and obedience Noah moves forward in building the ark.
Gen 6:22 “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”
Take a way #2. So far things seem fairly simple. Build an ark as a flood is coming. Noah wasn’t given a time, day, year to have this completed but Noah had enough time to complete the task. I find myself wondering what the talk of the town was? I’m thinking people made more fun of Noah than encouraging him.
Take a way #3. This gave Noah a second mission as he was building the ark. I must believe that Noah preached a good sermon to those who came by. Perhaps we find here the longest sermon series ever preached, 120 years. Oh, but for the mercy and grace of God to wait patiently. His heart remains the same, today, that none should perish.
2 Pet 2:5 “And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So, God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.”
Take a way #4. Can a preacher preach a message of righteousness and have not one person respond to his message”? As we learn only Noah and his family entered the ark with the animals. I can only imagine that the people thought Noah was missing a few marbles as he preached to them. They may have laughed at his message until the waters started to rise.
1 Pet 3:20 “those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.”
Take a way #5 “Faith and Fear” It would seem Faith and Fear do not go together. Perhaps they seem to be opposite. But I must believe that by Faith and Fear Noah was moved to act upon the words of God in building the ark.
What stands out to me is the steadfast faith of Noah. His trust and belief in the words of God that came speaking of destruction coming (far off) and yet God was also providing a way of deliverance.
Perhaps we think of Hebrew 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Next this passage in Hebrews mentions Noah had a Godly, Holy fear. This fear is a good “fear” as it speaks to a pious regard, a reverence, awe in God. When God speaks, He speaks for a purpose. His words are sure and true.
Heb 11:7 “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”
I find myself wondering how I would have stood up over the years? Day after day hearing the jokes and ridicule of the people. I may have started out strong the first year, but as the years passed, would I grow weary, tired and consider giving up? God spare me from all of this!
I think of this verse in Romans. I believe Noah was a Romans 12:2 guy.
Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
“Living in the world, but not living like the world”
thank you Jeff
Greg