Following by Faith

Genesis 7:5 ESV

5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.

What is faith?

Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

Belief and trust in and loyalty to God.

Faith is stepping out where one cannot see safety, yet trusting God’s promises.

Noah was a prime example of this definition, faithfully stepping out, trusting God’s promise, by building an ark as instructed by the Lord. Could he see the Lord? No. Could he show others the physical manifestation of the Lord? No. But, he could see the hand of God everywhere and he chose to follow Him by faith - trusting in God’s promises made to Noah and the future generations.

But to start this morning, I want us to look at the condition of the world leading up to this point in scripture.

Increased Wickedness

Genesis 6:5–8 ESV

5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

From Genesis 3 until Genesis 6, approximately 1500 years since the fall of mankind, the world has become so sinful and corrupt that only one family was found faithful to God. People had become so corrupt and evil that God saw only one way to cleanse His creation. Mankind would no longer be shielded from His judgment and in verse 7, declared all of His creation would be destroyed because “He was sorry that He made them”. The world had become so corrupt that destruction was the only option.

But one man and his family had found favor with God. One man. In all the world. Yet God would spare them from the upcoming destruction.

God’s Judgment

Genesis 6:11–17 ESV

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.

God speaks to His faithful servant Noah and explains the upcoming doom. The destruction. The cleansing. God was going to destroy all of humanity and their increased wickedness except for Noah and his family. It should be made clear that the Flood was sent as a moral judgment from God. God cannot tolerate sin. God could only allow sin to be present for a short period of time. When wickedness and sin became so rampant…God had no choice but to pass judgment.

But God provided a means of deliverance in the ark. A wooden structure 450 ft long, 75 ft wide, 45 feet high, with 3 decks/levels. It would house Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives and families along with the animals, birds, and creeping things of the ground AND enough food to feed them for over a year.

Just as in the time of Noah, God still offers us a deliverance from the sin and destruction of the world. Instead of a wooden ark, a wooden cross provides us with the opportunity to escape impending doom. For you see, Noah had been given up to 100 years notice to start building the ark. Can you imagine the non-believers remarks to Noah about constructing this behemoth of a ship? Trying to explain the rains that would fall, when no rain had ever fallen. The ridicule, the jeering, the shaking of heads. Until...

A Way Provided

Genesis 7:1–5 ESV

1 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.

Seven days before the rains were to start, God commanded Noah to gather his family, the animals, and board the ark. Throughout all of God’s commands, scripture simply says “Noah did all that God commanded him”. You see, it was Noah’s faith that caused God to find favor in him. Noah faithfully built the ark, faithfully filled it with food for he, his family, and the animals. Seven pairs of clean animals for preservation, food, and sacrifice, a pair of unclean animals, and seven pairs of birds - notice male and female were specified. The rain was to fall for 40 days and 40 nights. Nothing that required breath would survive. But Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.

Protection Guaranteed

Genesis 7:15–16 ESV

15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.

After all the preparations had been made, the Lord shut the doors of the ark. Not only did God shut the doors, but He sealed it. No water would come in, no one else could gain entrance, no one or thing could leave. This was a promise of protection that was guaranteed by the hand of God.

The torrential rains came, and there was an upheaval of the earth with waters coming upward (burst forth) and down from the sky (windows of the heavens were opened) until it was 22.5 feet above the mountains. Once God’s judgment started, there was no turning back. God would see the world cleansed and the face of the earth was no doubted changed. In verse 21 we see God’s Word was fulfilled.

God’s Word Fulfilled

Genesis 7:21–23 ESV

21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark.

God’s Word concerning judgment of those on the earth was fulfilled. All flesh died, and all mankind. These verses prove God means exactly what He says, and He will do exactly what He says. Today, He still warns us of the judgment of sin, and He means it as much today as He did in the time of Noah. The cleansing caused by the flood was something that none of us could imagine. Mt. Everest stands at 29,035 feet - and water was 22 1/2 feet above the highest mountain. This was an enormous act, an act of immense power, strength, might, and proof that God alone was the one responsible for this cleansing.

Once the flood started, it lasted for 40 days and 40 nights. The waters prevailed - continued - for 150 days and then started to subside. It took another 150 days until the waters completely receded and another 70 days until the earth dried out and Noah could leave the ark. 370 days from the time Noah was told to enter until they exited.

God is Faithful

Genesis 8:15–21 ESV

15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark. 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.

Even though destruction was extended across the whole earth, God protected His faithful follower. God was faithful to keep His promises - He promised to pass judgment on the wicked, and He promised to protect the faithful followers. God saved Noah and his family through this awful judgment. Not only did God save Noah from judgment, now God was about to be faithful with a new set of instructions.

Go from the ark. By exiting the ark and stepping on dry land they were able to see their deliverance from God’s judgment. Not only was his family to de-board, but the animals also. There was to be a new life on the earth. His judgment had been passed. The wicked had been punished. But those He had promised to save had been spared - all because of their faithful obedience.

But imagine the scene. A desolate land with no plants, no animals, no other humans. Only bones and erosion. Noah was able to see the effects of the reality of sin, and God’s judgment of sin. But he also was able to see the true effect of God’s love by preserving His own. God saves the person who truly believes and follows Him. They had been spared from the terror of God’s judgment.

Now, the earth was ready to be replenished. Seed to form new trees and plants. Animals, birds, and the creeping crawling creatures of the earth to repopulate. And those spared to regenerate humanity. When Noah realized the full magnitude of the preservation and gracious salvation provided by God, He built an altar - a place of worship.

Too many times today, when we avoid God’s judgment we tend to say “thank you Lord” and then go about our day like nothing had ever happened. We might throw a party to celebrate! We might even be tempted to prepare a plan for survival on the devastated earth. But Noah’s first action was to not turn to himself, but He turned to God. This is the first time we see the world altar mentioned in scripture. Even though offerings were made from the beginning of time, this is the first time we see something built for the explicit purpose of worship.

Regardless of what we endure, our focus should be on our personal worship of God, placing Him first and foremost in our lives. This is such a wonderful example for us, we need the church! We need to have a place to worship God, and a place to be faithful to our worship of Him at. We should have a place of personal worship - a prayer closet where we lift up our prayers and seek God. A place to give - after Noah build the altar, he offered a sacrifice - a burnt offering. We, too, should recognize the sacrifice Noah made and the thanks he made to God. Because of our salvation, we should also give God thanks, and yes this also comes in the form of our sacrifice. We should give all we are and have to Him. Our time, our selves, and what we have been blessed with because God’s promise of salvation with us is still as real as it was with Noah.

God’s Sign

Genesis 9:13–17 ESV

13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

The rainbow is a sign given to all generations. This sign was given to Noah, and to all of us of the covenant made between God and mankind. It is a sign that God will never destroy the earth again with a catastrophic flood. While there may be localized flooding, there will never be a world wide flood like seen in the times of Noah.

Today, we are given a promise too. That we have an everlasting covenant that God has not forgotten. We can escape the final judgment of God as long as we are still living and turn to the promised seed, the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Just as the flood reminds us of God’s judgment, the rainbow reminds us of His promise.

Closing

There is coming a day where the earth will reach this same level of evil and corruption. In the end, destruction of the earth will be the only option to cleanse the sin. God has promised this! There is a difference between the time of Noah, and the time of Revelation. There was not a total cleansing in Noah’s day, but instead a vigorous washing. There was still sin present, and as a result, the world remained corrupt. But there is coming a day where there will be a complete cleansing by fire. A destruction of the sinful world, and the regeneration of a new world.

Revelation 21:1 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

God did not forsake Noah and his dear family. There may have been times over the long days of the terrifying judgment when they feared what would happen to them. But God was faithful: the day came when He completed their long awaited salvation and deliverance. What a lesson for us! We should never despair, never allow a trial or temptation to overcome us. God will always deliver us if we will only trust and patiently wait upon God. Our redemption—our glorious salvation—draws near. God is faithful; He is going to complete our salvation and deliverance from this sinful world and the terrifying judgment to come. God is going to complete our redemption. He will keep His promise. IF we remain faithful to follow Him, just like Noah.