Faith and Divine WARNING

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet 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.

The World in the Days of Noah (Genesis 6:1-7)

Mankind was multiplying on the face of the earth.

They were eating and drinking.

The daughters of men were beautiful.

They were marrying and giving in marriage.

The sons of God took wives of whomever they chose.

The institution of marriage had become defiled by mixture.

Giants (“Nephilim”) were on the earth and were filling the earth. These were mighty men on the earth with great fame.

The earth was corrupt before God.

All flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

The earth was filled with violence.

The wickedness of mankind was great.

Every intention of the human heart was on evil continually.

The Lord was sorry that he had made man upon the earth.

The Lord decided to destroy both man and beast whom He had created from the face of the earth.

The Divine Warning (Genesis 6:3, 13)

God determined to judge the earth with the earth, i.e., a worldwide flood.

God, in His longsuffering, allowed one hundred and twenty years for that generation to repent.

1 Peter 3:20 NKJV

who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

The Grace of God (Genesis 6:7-9)

Noah found GRACE in the eyes of God.

In a wicked and perverse generation, the grace of God is still available.

Noah was a JUST man.

Noah was a BLAMELESS man in his generations.

Noah WALKED with God.

Noah was a man of FAITH

Noah believed God

Noah believed God’s warning

His faith moved him with godly fear.

His faith moved him to obedience.

His faith moved him to warn others.

2 Peter 2:4–5 NKJV

For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

The Reward of Noah’s Faith

The LORD showed Noah a way out, a way of escape, a way through.

The LORD spared Noah and his family.

Noah condemned the world of his day.

Noah became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (right standing before God)

A Divine Warning for the Last Days

Matthew 24:37–44 NKJV

But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

2 Peter 3:1–18 NKJV

Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 NKJV

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Revelation 14:14–16 NKJV

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Response to the Word

Do we believe God’s warning of approaching judgment?

Are we moved with godly fear?

Are we actively heeding God’s warning to prepare our families, friends, and church?

Are we bearing witness against this wicked generation with our words and with our lives?

Are we calling sinners to repent?

Acts 2:40 NKJV

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”