Noah

Intro

Recap of highlights thus far.

Creation, sin entered, now sin multiplied.

The State of the World

So over the first 1500 years or so, there were 10 generations including Adam and Noah. The world grew increasingly sinful to a point unlike anything ever seen since.

The “sons of God” is a term that is commonly used to describe angels or “heavenly beings.”

Take Job 1:6 for instance:

Job 1:6 ESV

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

What we see is these are the created heavenly subjects of God.

Now, in Genesis 6, we see them coming to earth and having relations with the women of the earth. These women were giving birth to half-angel half-human babies. These were likely the Nephilim that are described as “giants” and “mighty warriors.”

So God looked down upon the earth and saw the evil that had grown and spread and was nonstop. The Bible says that the Lord regretted making man on earth and it grieved him to his heart.

This sentence is known as an anthromorphism, the applying of human characteristics onto God. We know that God is unchanging. God is not swayed one way or the other. So this statement of God’s regret and grief is merely a metaphor to illustrate how God responded to the brokenness in the world.

The Lord said that he will remove every living thing from the earth… “But Noah...”

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The Faith of the Man

Genesis 6:8 ESV

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Out of the thousands, maybe millions, of people on earth, Noah was the only one who was found faithful in the eyes of the Lord.

Which tells me two things,

The world was a horrible place at the time.

Even though it was that horrible around him, Noah was able to remain faithful to the Lord. Which means we can withstand the temptation.

If Noah could be faithful as the only person in the WORLD that was faithful, how much more could we remain faithful in a world where we are surrounded by others who are faithful?

Hebrews 11:7 ESV

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Noah’s faith made him righteous. Our right standing with God comes by faith alone. Noah built the ark as a result of his faith.

In the same way, we are not made right because of our actions. Our actions are a reflection of our right standing.

The Promise of the Lord

Once the waters had subsided and the ground was dry again, God commanded Noah to go out from the ark and multiply on the earth.

Genesis 8:20–22 ESV

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. 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. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Genesis 9:14–16 ESV

When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 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. 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.”

God keeps his promises.

God provides for his people.

God answers our faith with provision.

Closing