Looking backward to the post entitled ‘The Storm Clouds Are Gathering’, that post concluded with two passages of scripture. One found in 2 Peter 2:4-6; and the second one found in Hebrews 11:7. Both of these scriptures gave us information about Noah.
Remembering Jesus’ words spoken in Matthew 24:37-39, He told His audience that the coming of the Son of Man would be as were the days of Noah.
So an appropriate inquiry would be to ask ourselves what were those days like? Does the Word of God give us any understanding?
Let us begin by looking at Peter’s words found in 2 Peter 2:4-6; and then examine what the writer to the Hebrews recorded in Hebrews 11:7.
Peter compared God’s judgment upon the sinning angels to His judgment upon the world by means of a flood. Peter specifies that God did not spare the world; but He did spare Noah and his family.
Why? Peter says that Noah was a “preacher of righteousness”. Peter also infers that Noah’s witness brought “in the flood on the world of the ungodly.”
In Hebrews 11, which is referred to by many as the ‘hall of faith’, the following is recorded about Noah. Noah heard God’s voice, received God’s Word, and responded obediently in faith.
Hebrews 11:1 NKJV, defines faith as follows, “Now faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (confidence) of things not seen.” (inserts mine from marginal notes)
The definition is exactly what is said of Noah.
Hebrews 11:7, NKJV, “By faith Noah being divinely warned of things not seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
Noah’s obedience, by faith, to God’s word was a witness and a testimony of the coming judgment that condemned the world. Noah’s obedience faithfully preached the righteousness of God to a godless society.
Question: What is the witness of the Church in the world today?
Does it obediently preach the righteousness of God to a godless society?
Who is the Church?
We are the Church, believers in Jesus Christ.
Is my life, a witness of righteousness to a godless society?
The answer to that question is between you and the Lord.
Selah.
What was the impetus that compelled God to bring judgment upon the earth?
What did God see then? He saw darkened sinful hearts ignoring Noah’s preaching.
What does God see now? He sees darkened sinful hearts ignoring His Voice.
Remember Jesus’ words, “As it was in the days of Noah…”
Let’s visit Noah day.
The back round for Noah’s day is found in Genesis 1-5. The major stories are the Creation account; the Fall of Adam and Eve; and a history of humanity until the days of Noah.
I will leave the study of the events recorded from Genesis 1:1 through Genesis 6:4 to your personal study, and the commentaries.
I will begin with Genesis 6: 5-8 (NKJV). I see these scriptures as a succinct summary of what God saw.
“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great *(of major importance) in the earth, that the intent *( thoughts) of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually *(all the day). And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, I will destroy man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (*marginal notes)
The commentary for Genesis 6:5 in the Spirit Filled Life Bible says, “The degeneration of the human race was proceeding rapidly inspite of a few good men such as Enosh (Enos), Enoch, and Noah.
What are their testimonies in scripture?
Genesis 4:26, “And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.” (NKJV)
Genesis 5:24, “And Enoch walked with God; and was not, for God took him. (NKJV)
The third person is Noah. He is the one front and center mentioned in the words of Jesus.
Reviewing the testimony of Noah, Peter said, Noah was ‘a preacher of righteousness’. Hebrews said, Noah responded in faith to God’s voice, obeyed His directions, built an ark, and in doing so condemned the world.
Genesis 6:9 (NKJV) says of Noah, “This is the geneology of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect, in his generations. Noah walked with God.
Reminder, God always has His remnant.
Continuing in Genesis 6:11-12 (NKJV), we are told, “the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked on the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”
Summarizing what we just read, “the Lord saw the wickedness of man”; it was great(large in number); man kinds thoughts in his heart were “evil continually”. (insert mine, marginal note)
The word corrupt is mentioned three times in Genesis 6:11-12, and it says “the earth was filled with violence”.
Sounds very dark to me.
Did the dark storm clouds gather?
Is there a storm pending?
Is there a righteous remnant in the ark?
The answer to all three questions is YES!
Except for Noah and his family, did the rest of the people have any idea what was about to take place?
According to Jesus, the answer is no.
The current series has been forecasting a gathering of storm clouds; and that there will be an ‘unprecedented unrest’ that is about to ‘rain’ on our nation and the the other nations of the world.
I believe the ‘unrest’ has already begun.
How else does one describe what happened with Covid? the Ukraine/Russia war? the Israel/Hamas conflict? invasion of Armenia? China’s desire for domination? North Korea’s threats of nuclear war? Increased persecution of the Church throughout the world? the political, social, and cultural unrest in the United States? And these only touch the tip of the ice-berg.
All of these events and many more speak of ‘unrest’.
Considering the words of Psalm 64:7-10, God’s ‘unprecedented unrest’ is the result of His arrow that has been launched at those who have bent their bows to shoot “their arrows–their bitter words” at the citizens of this nation. (Psalm 64:3b, NKJV)
The result will be that those who spoke bitter words will be wounded by God’s arrow. ”So He (God) will made them stumble over their own tongue (they will reap what they have sown) (inserts mine)
Psalm 64:8b tells us that all who witness their wounding will flee away (separate themselves from them) It continues saying that all who fled and in are in fear will “declare the work of God (this is God’s doing, no fake news); For they shall consider His (God’s) doing”. (inserts mine)
The word ‘all’, I believe speaks of all humanity, believers and unbelievers. Why? Because of the Sovereign impact of God’s work that brings both judgment and redemption.
Now picture with me, Psalm 64:10 in the context of Noah’s ark.
Noah and his family were in the ark because Noah had “found grace in the eyes of the Lord”. So, we too, those of us who have “found grace in the eyes of the Lord’, and are ‘in Christ’ are in ‘principle’ in the ark. The difference is that the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ is our Ark.
Just as Noah and his family were safe and secure in the ark as it ‘rode out’ the flood waters that God had unleashed upon the earth; so we too, are safe and secure in our ark, Christ Jesus, as we ‘ride out’ the ‘unprecedented unrest’ that God is allowing to take place throughout the nations of the world and our nation.
Just as the ark did not sink, but was buoyed as a vessel ‘riding out’ the waves of the storm; so Jesus, our ark, walks on the water for us in the midst of the storm.
Psalm 64:10 says (NKJV), “The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and trust (take refuge) in Him. And all the upright of heart shall glory.” (insert mine-from Tree of Life Bible)
What part of the ‘all’ are you? The righteous remnant that is Christ; or the unrighteous people who do not know Christ?
What are we safe from?
What is God confronting?
Peter said that the flood came because of ungodliness and not heeding Noah’s preaching of righteousness. Genesis 6:5 told us that there was continuous wickedness in the heart of mankind; Genesis 6:11-12 told us that the earth was corrupt and filled with violence.
What else can we expect from humanity that is totally depraved with darkened hearts ?
The ungodliness of Noah’s day is no different than the ungodliness of humanity today. There is constant corruption; and the earth is filled with violence.
Does God see that today? Absolutely!
If God had not promised to flood the earth again because of corruption and violence, would He be justified in doing it again today ? Yes.
There will not be another flood because God said so. He made that promise.
But there will be a ‘shaking’.
The storm clouds have gathered. ’Unprecedented unrest’ is being showered upon the nations, and that includes our nation, the United States of America.
God is revealing Himself to humanity.
All will become fearful.
Some will be judged; other will seek refuge in the Lord..
All will recognize that this is the work of God.
God is seeking the lost; and He is seeking the prodigal.
Humanity’s safety is ‘in Christ’, our ARK
How we endure the storm will be determined by the grace of God and our knowledge (ginosko) of the Lord. (see the previous posts in this series)
Noah had to wait it out in the ark
We, too, will be waiting it out ‘in Christ’.
I commend to you Genesis 7 to use as a fact check of Noah’s story.
In conclusion, I want to quote Robert Mumford from his Plumbline 44:2, ‘The Arena of Truth: the Trouble with Truth’.
Truth is often troublesome when encountered in the arena of life. Truth requires active pursuit. As followers of Christ, our life’s journey is not an accumulation of facts and theories (ekoi). We seek moral and spiritual alignment (ginosko) with reality in God. (inserts mine)
The ‘unrest’ is upon us. We, who know Christ are shut up in our ark, Christ Jesus. We now wait it out, during the ‘unrest’.
I think we had a foreshadowing of that during the Covid shutdown.
The ‘unrest’ may become more violent than we are personally perceiving at this time.
I recommend Psalm 61, 62, 46, and 91. They are Psalms of Refuge.
We, also, need to finish looking at Matthew 24-25.
Jesus gave us instructions that are apropos for our current situation.
Blessings, a brother in Christ, waiting in the ark, deo
Luke 2: 10-11 ESV, The angel said to the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Christ the Lord.”
“Fear not”, the ark is under construction.
Merry Christmas!
Living Words of Encouragement 