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Scripture reading – Genesis 7-8
Review – “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” (Genesis 6:8)
Because He “saw that the wickedness of man… [and] the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (6:5), God determined to judge the earth. Nevertheless, He allowed 120 years before the earth and its inhabitants would be destroyed (6:3). Yet, there was one exception to this universal judgment. “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (6:8).
Why Noah and his household? He was a believer, “a just man and perfect in his generations,” whose life gave testimony of his “walk with God” (6:10). Though the world of his day was given to all manner of wickedness, Noah’s testimony and influence evidenced the fruit of three sons: “Shem, Ham, and Japheth” were preserved from judgment (6:10).
God revealed to Noah his plan to destroy the earth, and in evidence of His grace, commanded him to build an Ark, and gave him the design of that great ship of salvation (6:14-17). Assuming one cubit is equal to 18-20 inches, the size of the Ark (6:15) was some 450 feet long (135 meters), 75 feet wide (22 meters), and its depth 45 feet (13 meters). (In fact, the Ark is believed to have been the largest vessel built by man until the mid-19thcentury.)
Lest there be any doubt of the extent of God’s judgment, He made Noah to understand the flood would be universal, destroying “all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die” (6:17). The LORD established a covenant with Noah (6:18), that his family would be saved from the flood waters. They were spared God’s judgment, not because they were sinless, but because they were the object of His grace (6:8), and Noah was a perfect [righteous] man “who walked with God” (6:9). Because He intended to restore the earth after the flood waters receded, the LORD directed Noah to bring two “of every living thing…into the ark, to keep them alive” (6:19-20), and to store “food that is eaten… food for thee, and for them” (6:21).
Genesis 6 concluded with Noah doing “according to all that God commanded him” (6:22). Though he had not experienced a rainfall (for the waters were still in the firmament encircling the earth, 1:7), Noah believed God and began building a massive ship, and preaching the imminent judgment of God (2 Peter 2:5).
Genesis 7 – “All Aboard!”
The day came when the preacher’s sermons fell silent, and the work on the Ark was complete; “And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation” (7:1). In addition to the male and female of each “kind” and “every sort” (6:19-20), Noah was commanded to lead into the Ark seven “of every clean beast,” which he sacrificed in an act of worship and thanksgiving, when the flood waters receded (7:2-3; 8:20).
Noah was 600 years old “when the flood of waters” began, and he “did according unto all that the LORD commanded him” (7:5-6, 16). With Noah, his family, and the animals safe in the Ark, “the LORD shut [Noah] in” (7:16), and unleashed the mighty powers of the waters above, and the waters reserved in the earth. “The windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights” (7:11-12). All was destroyed, and all “flesh died that moved upon the earth…and every man” (7:21). “Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark” (7:23).
Genesis 8 – God Remembered Noah (8:1)
After a year of devastating floodwaters, and confinement in the Ark, the Scriptures simply stated, “God remembered Noah” (8:1). In the midst of His wrath, and the greatest cataclysmic event to ever come upon the earth, God remembered one man and his family. The world Noah knew was destroyed, and every man, woman, boy, and girl perished in the waters. Three hundred and seventy days after the rains began, Noah was commanded, “Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee” (8:16).
After disembarking from the Ark, Noah’s first act was to build an altar and offer sacrifices to God (8:20-21a). The LORD’s first act was to accept Noah’s sacrifice, and establish a covenant with him and his family (8:21b-22). Noah’s sacrifice acknowledged his sin, and need of a substitute. God’s covenant served as His promise to extend His mercy, and never again destroy the earth with floodwaters (8:21-22).
Closing thoughts: With the Ark resting on the slope of Mount Aarat as a backdrop, I invite you to picture in your thoughts, Noah and his family, lying prostrate on their faces before an altar. As the smoke of the offerings ascended to heaven, Noah looked across a valley and saw a beautiful rainbow (9:12-17), with an arch reaching into the heavens and toward the very throne of God.
Noah entered through the door of the Ark by faith, and God shut the door, saving the man and his family. So it is that sinners are invited to enter another door, and be saved from the penalty of sin and eternal judgment. That door is Jesus Christ who promised, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:7, 11).
The door of salvation is opened, if you will believe and accept God’s offer of salvation through Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)
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