Genesis 6-10 contain the history of the family of Noah. This is one of the most well known stories of the Bible, and yet often I hear Noah proclaimed only as a preacher of righteousness and an ark builder, neglecting the great things I believe we can learn from his life as a father and husband. There are some details of Noah's life that speak volumes to the topics of obedience and faith, but also we can see those things that are seemingly taken for granted when discussing the worldwide flood that was the judgement of God on the wicked world.
For me, the first thing I noticed that made me look further into the life of Noah is found in Genesis 6:6-8. God says that He was sorry for making man on the earth, and that God was grieved. Oh, that I would never be one that grieves the Father heart of God, and yet apart from regeneration and faith in Christ Jesus, we will never do anything but grieve God. Glory to God for His gracious and merciful redemption of rebellious children through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior!
What must it have been like for our Creator to wish that He had never made man, and then at the last of that passage we see what we see so often in Scripture. "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord" Hope in the worst of situations, a righteous man emerges from the chaos and violence that filled the earth. Noah was a righteous man in God's sight, and he walked with God. I pray that the Lord finds me to be such a faithful man that I would find favor in His eyes. Indeed, I know I have found God's favor, as He has saved me by faith in Jesus Christ, bringing me back from the dead, pardoned from the judgment so rightfully deserved. Praise God for His mercy!
Looking more into the story of Noah, we see that God blessed him. Children are a blessing from the Lord, and Noah had three sons, a triple blessing! While in today's society, we often see that the sons of Christian men do not follow in their father's footsteps (or maybe they do, but they are not a good example) Noah's wife submitted to him and followed him onto the ark. Noah's sons and their wives also followed. It would seem to me that Noah not only loved his wife and led her according to God's will, but that he also served as an example of this to his sons, whose wives also submitted to get on the ark. In all, God saved the whole family of Noah because of his obedience. This speaks volumes about the daily life of a man, even if we have limited details about his life other than the events surrounding the flood.
Chapter 6 of Genesis ends with a phrase that I hope the Lord would ascribe to me at the end of this life: "Thus Noah did according to all that God had commanded him, so he did." That type of obedience is commendable, and I pray that I find the grace and strength to obey the Lord in all things. That is a laudable pattern for a husband, father, and man of God, a Biblical patriarch who leads his family in God's ways no matter the cost. Imagine the pain in Noah's heart as he heard those he had warned, maybe others in his extended family, the parents of his daughters in law, as they saw the rain coming too late, and could not be saved due to their lack of faith and obedience to the command of the Lord.
In Genesis 8 we see the heart of Noah, that though we don't see any command to do so, in verse 20" Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 The Lord smelled the soothing aroma..." This picture of sacrifice, of offering that which is pure and undefiled to God, is beautiful. God then declares that He will never again destroy the whole Earth by flood. This is a covenant still in effect, but also reminds me of the promised judgement that will come by fire according to 2 Peter 3:10-15a. Let us be reminded today of the promise of God of judgement of this world again, and also the blessing that follows:
For me, the first thing I noticed that made me look further into the life of Noah is found in Genesis 6:6-8. God says that He was sorry for making man on the earth, and that God was grieved. Oh, that I would never be one that grieves the Father heart of God, and yet apart from regeneration and faith in Christ Jesus, we will never do anything but grieve God. Glory to God for His gracious and merciful redemption of rebellious children through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior!
What must it have been like for our Creator to wish that He had never made man, and then at the last of that passage we see what we see so often in Scripture. "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord" Hope in the worst of situations, a righteous man emerges from the chaos and violence that filled the earth. Noah was a righteous man in God's sight, and he walked with God. I pray that the Lord finds me to be such a faithful man that I would find favor in His eyes. Indeed, I know I have found God's favor, as He has saved me by faith in Jesus Christ, bringing me back from the dead, pardoned from the judgment so rightfully deserved. Praise God for His mercy!
Looking more into the story of Noah, we see that God blessed him. Children are a blessing from the Lord, and Noah had three sons, a triple blessing! While in today's society, we often see that the sons of Christian men do not follow in their father's footsteps (or maybe they do, but they are not a good example) Noah's wife submitted to him and followed him onto the ark. Noah's sons and their wives also followed. It would seem to me that Noah not only loved his wife and led her according to God's will, but that he also served as an example of this to his sons, whose wives also submitted to get on the ark. In all, God saved the whole family of Noah because of his obedience. This speaks volumes about the daily life of a man, even if we have limited details about his life other than the events surrounding the flood.
Chapter 6 of Genesis ends with a phrase that I hope the Lord would ascribe to me at the end of this life: "Thus Noah did according to all that God had commanded him, so he did." That type of obedience is commendable, and I pray that I find the grace and strength to obey the Lord in all things. That is a laudable pattern for a husband, father, and man of God, a Biblical patriarch who leads his family in God's ways no matter the cost. Imagine the pain in Noah's heart as he heard those he had warned, maybe others in his extended family, the parents of his daughters in law, as they saw the rain coming too late, and could not be saved due to their lack of faith and obedience to the command of the Lord.
In Genesis 8 we see the heart of Noah, that though we don't see any command to do so, in verse 20" Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 The Lord smelled the soothing aroma..." This picture of sacrifice, of offering that which is pure and undefiled to God, is beautiful. God then declares that He will never again destroy the whole Earth by flood. This is a covenant still in effect, but also reminds me of the promised judgement that will come by fire according to 2 Peter 3:10-15a. Let us be reminded today of the promise of God of judgement of this world again, and also the blessing that follows:
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
Since all things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements melt with intense heat!
But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation."
Will we be found faithful? Are we looking for, even hastening the day of God? What type of men ought we to be in light of all these things, including the example of Noah! What a responsibility given to men to lead their wives, children, and anything else given charge to them by God. We will continue our profiles next time with Abraham. I hope you will join me next time.
2 Peter 2:5 AMP "And He spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven other persons, when He brought a flood upon the world of ungodly [people]."
