That’s what courage is all about. You allow your character to control the actions, not your brain.”
–Stephen Bly (Throw the Devil Off the Train)
“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
–Hebrews 11:7 (NASB)
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I doubt if anyone would not agree that this world is full of evil. It is wicked and there seems to be little possible to stop its advance. In looking at our world I began to think of the times of Noah. Jesus said, “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26-27, NASB).
Some theologians believe that this verse just means that when the Lord returns it will happen during the normal happenings of life. It will be life as usual until the Lord returns. But I began to look at the verses in Genesis. That was an evil time. Perhaps the most evil in history. It was a time devoid of faith and godly virtue. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5, NASB). Evil continually, so evil and wicked that it grieved the Lord and He said that He would “blot out man…” (Genesis 6:7, NASB).
It must have been extreme wickedness. The hearts of man were wicked, and vile and perverse evil was practiced. But let’s go back to Enoch, the great grandfather of Noah. He walked with God. So much so that God took him. I wonder what Methuselah thought when his father did not return from his daily walk with the Lord? The days were already evil, yet Enoch was able to walk with God despite the evil. That should tell us something–a person can live for God in this pagan and apostate world. Another question, was Methuselah a godly man? Did he instill the knowledge of the holy One to his children, especially to Lamech the father of Noah? Was Lamech godly? There must have been something there for we know that “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9, NASB)
Man knew about God, or at least did at one time. Most likely they had perverted their worship and began to serve false gods–idols. It also seems that they were so far gone that they could not be turned around; hope had passed them by. There is no message of redemption except that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. His life exemplified godliness. His message was for the people to turn, yet no one did. Scriptures say that the “earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11, NASB)
However, God in His mercy and grace–His unmerited favor gave Noah a command. Noah was a man of faith; he proved his faith through his faithfulness in doing what the Lord commanded. Now, another question, why did all the inhabitants have to be destroyed? Was this God showing mercy? One writer said that the devil was trying to pervert all the people so that there could be no righteous left to continue the bloodline of which Jesus would come. Hmmm, perhaps? Noah found grace! It is important to remember that grace is not a reward, but a response to faith. He must have been a remarkable man, especially for his times. The Lord declared, “for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.” (Genesis 7:1, NASB) and because he was faithful it is said that he “did according to all that the LORD had commanded him.” (Genesis 7:5, NASB) Oh that we be like Noah–faithful, righteous, and obedient. He was not perfect, but he was righteous and he stood out in the midst of wicked and perverse people.
————————————-
I doubt if anyone would not agree that this world is full of evil. It is wicked and there seems to be little possible to stop its advance. In looking at our world I began to think of the times of Noah. Jesus said, “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26-27, NASB).
Some theologians believe that this verse just means that when the Lord returns it will happen during the normal happenings of life. It will be life as usual until the Lord returns. But I began to look at the verses in Genesis. That was an evil time. Perhaps the most evil in history. It was a time devoid of faith and godly virtue. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5, NASB). Evil continually, so evil and wicked that it grieved the Lord and He said that He would “blot out man…” (Genesis 6:7, NASB).
It must have been extreme wickedness. The hearts of man were wicked, and vile and perverse evil was practiced. But let’s go back to Enoch, the great grandfather of Noah. He walked with God. So much so that God took him. I wonder what Methuselah thought when his father did not return from his daily walk with the Lord? The days were already evil, yet Enoch was able to walk with God despite the evil. That should tell us something–a person can live for God in this pagan and apostate world. Another question, was Methuselah a godly man? Did he instill the knowledge of the holy One to his children, especially to Lamech the father of Noah? Was Lamech godly? There must have been something there for we know that “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9, NASB)
Man knew about God, or at least did at one time. Most likely they had perverted their worship and began to serve false gods–idols. It also seems that they were so far gone that they could not be turned around; hope had passed them by. There is no message of redemption except that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. His life exemplified godliness. His message was for the people to turn, yet no one did. Scriptures say that the “earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11, NASB)
However, God in His mercy and grace–His unmerited favor gave Noah a command. Noah was a man of faith; he proved his faith through his faithfulness in doing what the Lord commanded. Now, another question, why did all the inhabitants have to be destroyed? Was this God showing mercy? One writer said that the devil was trying to pervert all the people so that there could be no righteous left to continue the bloodline of which Jesus would come. Hmmm, perhaps? Noah found grace! It is important to remember that grace is not a reward, but a response to faith. He must have been a remarkable man, especially for his times. The Lord declared, “for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time.” (Genesis 7:1, NASB) and because he was faithful it is said that he “did according to all that the LORD had commanded him.” (Genesis 7:5, NASB) Oh that we be like Noah–faithful, righteous, and obedient. He was not perfect, but he was righteous and he stood out in the midst of wicked and perverse people.