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 (Gen. 7:1).
Controlled by worldly appetites and carnal desires, mankind quickly spiraled out of control, perverting and despoiling God’s creation. In just ten generations (Gen. 5), evil had taken root to such an extent that God knew He had to intervene. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them (6:7). The sinful nature that Adam and Eve had loosened onto the world had led it straight to the brink of annihilation. All would have been well and truly lost had it not been for the righteousness of one man.
Adam and Eve had been given charge of paradise, surrounded and uplifted by all the blessings of God, yet they had willfully chosen to defy His authority and turn their back on His Word. Noah was born into a depraved world and weighed down by the innate sinful nature that was bequeathed to him by Adam. Yet, Noah consciously chose to walk with God (6:9), and through his obedience, he brought the blessing of continued existence to the entirety of God’s creation. God called to Noah, and Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him (7:5).
The world we live in today shares many similarities to the world of Noah’s time. Familial murder is commonplace (4:8), the sacrament of marriage has been twisted and is taking place outside of the perfect will of God (4:2-3; 6:2,4), and everywhere we go, we find hearts set on selfish, evil intents. Following God in such an environment is hard, but Noah is a testament to us all that it is not impossible. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Heb. 11:7).
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Pet. 3:20-21). Just as He did with Noah, God has laid on every receptive heart the call to enter into the true Ark, the salvation of Jesus Christ our Lord. Noah was given specific instructions; if he wanted to survive, he had only one option open to him. So it is with us today. Salvation can be found in Jesus and Jesus alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:10-12). Through His Word, God has shown us our need and introduced us to His Son; the next move is up to us.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience(Col. 3:1-6).
Thought for Today: Sometimes, it can feel as if we are the only ones living according to God’s will. This is not a cause for despair; so long as someone keeps the candle burning, others will flock to its light.
Christ Revealed:Through the Ark (Gen. 7:1,7; Acts 4:12; I Pet. 3:12,20). Christ is our Ark of safety. Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come (I Thess. 1:10).
Word Studies:8:1 asswaged = subsided; 8:3 abated = decreased; 8:21 sweet savour = symbolic of satisfaction; 9:9 Covenant = binding agreement with qualifications given by God; 9:13 bow = rainbow; 9:20 husbandman = farmer.
Pray for Staff:Ryan McCrary • Government Official: Gov. Ned Lamont(CT) Rep. Eli Crane (AZ), Rep. Katie Porter (CA) Rep. Marc Veasey (TX) • Country: Montenegro (650,036) Southeastern Europe • Major Languages: Serbian, Montenegrin • Religious Freedom • 72.1% Orthodox; 19.1% Muslim; 3.4% Catholic; 1.3% Atheist; 1.5% Other; 2.6% Unspecified • Prayer Suggestion: Humble yourself and reverence the Word of God; He will look upon you with affection (Is. 66:2)
Optional Reading Matthew 3