131. NOAH—THE RUIN OF THE OLD WORLD
Seth 's descendants being people who followed God's ways, were called "sons (or daughters) of God". Cain's descendants, although skilful in many arts, were wicked, and became known as "sons (or daughters) of men ". For a long time, these two groups were separate from each other, but as time went on the separateness disappeared, and they began to seek each other's company. The "sons of God" found "the daughters of men" very attractive, "and they took them wives of all which they chose." This was a departure from the way of God. The children of these marriages became "mighty men of renown". They were "giants", not necessarily giants in size, but giants in wickedness. They were "renowned", which means they had a name for great deeds, particularly in warfare. God gave judgment on the wicked and set a time when he would destroy them.
Genesis 6, 7, 8
WICKEDNESS INCREASED IN THE EARTH (Gen. 6:5-13)
Human pride and rebellion against God rapidly increased. "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, and it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. . . for all flesh had corrupted His way upon the earth".
The earth was filled with wickedness and violence, but even in those evil days, one man, Noah and his family, were faithful to God (verses 8 and 9).
God told Noah He would destroy mankind but in His Mercy He would give them warning and the chance to repent (v.3). Noah became a "preacher of righteousness" to the people around him, calling them to repent and warning them of God's judgment to come (2 Pet. 2:5). From Genesis 6:3 and 1 Peter 3:20 it seems that the "longsuffering" of God waited for 120 years as Noah preached to the people. Unfortunately for them, the people ignored Noah's preaching and continued in their evil ways.
THE ARK OF SAFETY (Gen. 6:14-22)
God told Noah to build an ark which would provide a place of safety when His judgments came. He said, "I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die; but with thee will I establish my covenant, and thou shalt come into the ark, thou and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee" (vv. 17-18).
Noah was given directions for building the ark, and carried out the work in faith and obedience. The measurements were 300 cubits long by 50 cubits wide by 30 cubits high. A cubit was about 45 cms to 55 cms long, so it would have been approximately 150 metres long by 25 metres wide by 15 metres high — a very large vessel. It was to have three storeys, with a window in the top and a door in the side. It would provide room for men and animals, beside the necessary food supplies.
Such a task would take many years of hard work, patience and faith. While Noah was carrying out the building of the ark, he was also preaching his warning message to the people, who refused to take any notice. His faith was tested, as year followed year, and the wickedness on the earth increased, but still God's judgment was not revealed. But Noah's faith did not fail, for it is recorded, "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). We can be encouraged by Noah's faith and obedience to God's instructions by showing faith and courage to do God's will as we mix with ungodly people at school. Rather than be discouraged we can gladly tell them of the good news of Christ's coming.
HOW GOD SAVED THE RIGHTEOUS AND PUNISHED THE WICKED (Gen. 7; 8:1-19)
The ark having been completed, God told Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation". This was God's invitation to "come out and be separate" from the evil world which was about to suffer God's judgment. So Noah and his family — only eight of all the multitudes on the earth — accepted God's offer of salvation.
Noah was directed to take into the ark seven pairs of each kind of clean beasts and birds, and one pair of each of unclean beasts and birds (note: The Authorised Version in Chapter 7:2-3 gives "by sevens", but other translations give "seven pairs", e.g. Revised Standard Version, N.I.V.).
Noah obeyed God's instructions and gathered his family and the animals and other creatures within the ark, together with sufficient food for them. They were "shut in" by God, and after seven days the rain began and continued for 40 days and 40 nights, "bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly" (2 Peter 2:5). "And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle, and the creeping things and the fowl of heaven". So God's judgment came upon those wicked people and "Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark".
After the rain stopped, Noah and his family had to remain in the ark until the land was dry.
As the flood waters went down, Noah sent out a raven, then a dove. The raven flew back and forth until the waters were dried up, but the dove came back to the ark because there was "no rest for the sole of her foot". After seven days she was released again and returned with an olive leaf, showing that the waters were going down. After a further seven days the dove was once more sent out, and this time she didn't return. Finally, just over a year after they had entered the ark, the earth was dried. Noah and his family were told by God to "go forth", taking with them all the living creatures, to be "fruitful, and multiply upon the earth".
GOD'S COVENANT (Gen. 8:20-22; 9:1-18)
Noah's first act after leaving the ark was to build an altar and sacrifice burnt offerings unto Yahweh in thanksgiving for His deliverance. This pleased the Creator. He blessed Noah and promised that He would never again wipe out everything living, as He had done. Noah and his sons were told to "be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." God had removed wickedness from the earth. A new beginning would be made with righteous, faithful Noah and his family.
God said, "I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the water of a flood. . . This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow (rainbow) in the cloud, and it shall be for a token (or sign) of a covenant between me and the earth" (Gen. 8:11-13).
WHAT THE FLOOD TEACHES (2 Pet. 2:5-9; Matt. 24:37-39; 1 Pet. 3:20-21)
•God will deliver the righteous in the day of judgment:
The record of the flood shows us the justice and mercy of God. In the days of Noah God was longsuffering toward a world given over to wickedness. He finally brought judgment upon it and at the same time saved Noah and his family, who showed faith and obedience. In like manner, those who have obeyed the call to "come out from among them and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing" (2 Cor. 6:17) will be saved in the day when God judges this present evil world (2 Pet. 2:5-9).
•Conditions "as in the days of Noah" before Christ's return: Jesus Christ used "the days of Noah" to show the conditions that would be in the world just prior to His return. We see these wicked conditions existing today. The earth is filled with violence; an evil generation denies the power of God and even His existence. Their lives are given only to their own pleasure and they ignore the warnings given in our ecclesial and personal gospel preaching efforts about judgment and the need to repent. This is one of the signs which tell us that the return of Christ is near, for He said, "as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. 24:37-39). Even though the world is wicked and far from God we need not be overcome by the ungodly behaviour of people about us. Christ taught that his followers were to be "in the world but not of it" teaching us to use our time wisely, not to be caught up with foolish talk and behaviour but rather to use any opportunity to speak positively of God's coming Kingdom to change this evil world.
•Baptism:
The Apostle Peter, in his first epistle, said the flood was like baptism. . . "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" (1 Peter 3:20-21). The "old world" was cleansed by flood and a new life commenced for Noah and his family when they stepped from the Ark.
Jesus is the "Ark" of salvation to all who believe the gospel and obey the command to be baptised into his Name (Mark 16:15-16). In him we are safe from the destruction which will come on the world through wickedness, if we remain faithful as did Noah. When we turn aside from the wickedness around us and decide to obey Christ in baptism, then we are like Noah. Noah's first act after leaving the ark was to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh, showing his complete dedication to Him. We too, after baptism, must make our offering of a life given to God's service that "henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6:4-6).
So the lessons of the flood come home to each one of us, and may we be like Noah, and his family, working together to save ourselves from the judgments of God on a wicked and unheeding world (Heb. 11:7). Even though we are young, we can still show in our lives that the world holds no attractions for us but that we eagerly look forward to Christ's coming.
REFERENCE LIBRARY:
"The Story Of The Bible" (H. P. Mansfield)—Chapter 6
"Elpis Israel" (J. Thomas)—Pages 118-120
"The Visible Hand Of God" (R. Roberts)—Chapter 5
PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:
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What was God's attitude to the people in Noah's day?
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What did Noah do when God warned him that judgments were to come upon the world in which he lived?
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Whom does the ark that Noah and his family built typify?
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Noah's obedience in building the ark and entering it during the time of the flood is like an act of obedience which God requires of us. What is this act?
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What was God's covenant given to Noah?
ESSAY QUESTIONS:
1. Describe the conditions on earth in the time of Noah, and explain ho w they are similar to our times.
2. Outline the character of Noah, giving illustrations from the record of his life.
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Abram arrives with Lot and his family from Haran and builds an altar (12:6-7).
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Abram pitches his tent between Bethel and Hai and then builds an altar (12:8).
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Abram travels to Egypt to escape a famine and returns to Bethel/Hai (12:9-10; 13:1-4).
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After Lot has departed for the city of Sodom, Abram moves south to Hebron and builds another altar (13:18).
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Abraham stays in Gerar amongst the Philistines (20:1).
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Abraham removes to Beersheba from where he travels to Mt. Moriah to offer Isaac (21:32-33; 22:2).
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Abraham buries Sarah in the cave of Machpelah near Hebron. He is later buried there himself (23:19; 25:8-9).