Hebrews 11:7 "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."
Wickedness was rampant in the days of Noah. We believe the world to be in
terrible shape in our day, but it is evident that it was even worse in the days
of Noah. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis
6:8) Can you imagine how it must have felt for Noah to live among such conditions
of life? And yet, we can find encouragement in that he is described as being a
"preacher of righteousness" even in that time. See 2 Peter 2:5.
What moved Noah to spend over one hundred years building this huge ark? How did
he endure when surely those people around him made fun of him building such a
boat on dry land? Can you imagine their laughter at this old man day after day,
month after month, year after year? I imagine some of the conversation
went like this. "Whatcha doin' Noah?... I'm building a boat ... Why are
you building a boat? There's no water around for a boat like that ... (Noah)
It's going to rain and bring a flood." Now a side note: It had
never rained before so that must have stoked their mockery of him even more.
But there came a day when the rain began to fall. Again, I wonder what was
going through the minds of the people as water began to fall out of the
heavens. How did it occur? Did it begin with a soft cool rain? God told
Noah to enter the ark. God brought the animals two by two into the ark. Except
He brought seven of each of the clean animals, by which He made provision for
Noah and his family to be able to worship and give thanks when they came off
the ark. The rain was falling. All had entered the ark and then we read,
"... and the LORD shut him in." (Genesis 7:16) It was at that point,
"all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven
were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights."
(Genesis 7:11-12)
"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." Noah was warned
of God and he paid attention to that warning. Along with that warning, Noah had
something else. He had the promise of God: "But with thee will I establish
my covenant" (Genesis 6:18). What a precious promise that was
to Noah. The people of that day cherished their history, both good and
bad. Surely Noah remembered God had made a promise to Adam and Eve as he sent
them out of the Garden of Eden. "And I will put enmity between thee and
the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and
thou shalt bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:15) Now in the midst of all
this wickedness, God established that promise (covenant) through Noah. He
destroyed all humanity except Noah and his family. "Noah found grace in
the eyes of the Lord."
Noah "became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."
(Hebrews 11:7) Noah believed God. Noah did as the Lord commanded.
Noah experienced the blessing of deliverance. We are called to be
faithful witnesses and obedient children unto the Lord. We also find grace in
the eyes of the Lord.