The Flood

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 95

Psalm 95 ESV

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.”

Scripture Memorization: Genesis 50:19-20

Genesis 50:19–20 ESV

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:7 (Corey)

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.

Sermon:

Good Morning Church!

I was glad when they said to me let us go and worship in the house of the Lord!

1

Speaker 1

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Well once again, and as always, good morning church. I was glad when they said to me let us go and Worship in the house of the Lord. Well, this morning, we are tackling what may be the most famous story in all of Genesis. It's definitely up there. Noah and his Ark? The great flood of Noah! And as we get ready as we prepare our hearts for this story, I want us all to do something. I want you to take whatever picture is in your mind of Noah and his Ark, especially if you're like me, and you just hear no one's Ark, and you picture little paintings right on cute little faces of Noah, maybe his wife gray-haired waving with, you know, the heads of some giraffes and elephants sticking out of an ark?

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It's sunny and bright. The water is peaceful and calm. I want us to take that picture and get rid of it. And hear and read from scripture. Truly what God has said and what is going on. In this story, the story of Noah's Ark. Is one of? The most important stories in all of scripture. And to boil it down to a cute Sunday school story. It doesn't quite do it justice. It is in fact Noah in his narrative is the longest single continuous story in all of scripture. It's important. It's chapter 6, chapter seven, chapter eight, and chapter nine.

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All cover Noah. The Ark, the after effects of the flood Noah. Fall in many ways. Hero status is. Changed a little bit to villain status if we're going to be honest. And yet, Noah. As we read earlier this morning was a man of F. And God blessed Noah. He preserved the life of all mankind, and ultimately blessed us through Noah. And so, as we go through this story, it's important. I think that we sort of put aside. Our preconceived notions and allow this story to speak to us. And when we come back around, what we will see is there is.

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Goodness! Enjoy! But the journey to get there may be a little more difficult as we read this story. Our text for this morning is long. It's Genesis, chapter 6, verse 9. All the way through Genesis 7, verse 24, so that's the majority of chapter six in all of chapter seven. This is the the longest section we've preached in Genesis so far as well. And so, instead of reading it all at once, what I want to do, especially because most of us are familiar with the story of Nola and the art. Is? To walk through the development of the story.

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So that we can truly see what's happening and feel the weight. Of this narrative. So, as we prepare our hearts for that, we're going to open with a word of prayer. Let's pray. Dear Lord, we do thank you for your grace and mercy given to us when we were dead in our sins and trespasses. We thank you for your favor that shines upon us for your goodness and Grace. The kindness that you have shown us that leads us to repentance. But we also praise you. For your grade and greatly to be praised. The high King of Heaven, Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth.

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Who knows all things and controls all things? Who is wise and just and righteous and holy? So, we asked this morning that you would open our eyes to see, teach us according to your word. Give us ears to hear all that you have said. Speak to our hearts. May your word dwell richly within? As we Glory. And all that you are. It's in Jesus name that we pray. Amen. And amen. As we walk through this story. Again, My Hope Is that that we can see the story of of Noah and the flood, and I think that's more right, right? When we hear Noah and his Ark.

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Really, Noah and the flood is probably the better way to approach this story. My Hope Is that we can sort of hear it with fresh eyes. Our text opens Genesis 6, verse 9 with an introduction, a re-introduction. We've noticed a phrase that's appeared a couple times, and we'll continue often through the Book of Genesis. These are the generations of right in chapter five. These are the book of the generations of Adam in chapter.

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Sorry, rather in chapter two. These are the generations of the heavens and the Earth Genesis chapter 6, verse 9. We're we're starting with this generations language here again, but it's not a new one. It's a continuation of last week's early two weeks ago's genealogy chapter six verse nine. These are the generations of Noah. But instead of hearing of generations and his sons and his son's sons and his son, sons, and all of these things instead were introduced to Noah. Noah. Was a righteous man. Blameless in his generation. Noah. Walked with God. Verse 10 and Noah had three sons Shem ham and japheth.

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We're first introduced to NOAA and told some very important things he's a righteous man. Blameless in his generation. Blameless in what might be the most difficult generation ever to be blameless in the generation where it was more true of them than any other generation that every intention. This was last week's sermon of the thoughts of their heart was only evil continually. This whole generation vile, Wicked evil, the Pinnacle of man's depravity, and here is Noah. Blameless in his generation, a righteous man. Noah. Walked. With God. No, it's not just some random character. Noah. Righteous and blameless, one who walked with God. He is, in fact, a hero.

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Of the face. We read about it in Hebrews. But here in Genesis, this is High Praise. Only two people we are told walked with God Enoch. We talked about him a few weeks ago, who did not see death and Noah here. A righteous man, a blameless man, a man with three sons. And so at the beginning, here we have this this comparison that's supposed to be drawn out in our minds. A wicked evil. Depraved generation. And Noah. So, what's going to happen? What we're going to be given the reasons? For the flood. Starting in verse 11.

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Now the Earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the Earth was filled with violence. And God saw the Earth and behold, it was corrupt for All. Flesh had corrupted their way on the Earth. And God said to Noah, I have determined to make an end of All Flesh.

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For the Earth is filled with violence. Through them, behold, I will destroy them. The. What are the reasons for the flood? Well on the face value. Right. Here's my number one trick for reading the Bible if the same words repeated many times. That's the important one. Verse 11, the Earth was corrupt. God saw verse 12, the Earth, and behold, it was corrupt for All. Flesh had corrupted the way on the earth. Why? What are the reasons for the flood? It is the corruption. Of the. This corruption is marked with violence. It's marked with. Rebellion against God?

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We have to think back to what we covered last week. This, this idea that that the sons of God and the daughters of man, they're they're procreating. There's sexual deviancy, however, we want to read that passage. This leads to violence. Just as a note? This is the pattern we see often in scripture. You throw off God's moral. Boundaries. Of sex and and what he is decree there. And violence. Is sure to follow. Sounds like a lesson that we might need today's day and age. But I'll just leave that there. The reasons for the flood? Ostensibly, the corruption of the Earth the Earth is corrupt. It's all corrupt. It's all corrupt. So, God says, I have determined to make an end of All Flesh for the Earth is filled with violence through them.

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Behold, I will destroy them with the Earth. The first reason is of corruption, but the second reason, the more important reason? God was done with it. The story of Noah and the flood is a story of God's Vengeance and God's justice. Mankind does not get to rebel for all time forever. In his sinful ways, God will repay. As the Earth fills more and more with violence, God's Wrath is kindled more and more. And so the way we think through this is before the flood that God is going to send that will destroy all mankind and the Earth. There's a different sort of flood that is occurring. It's the flood of corruption and violence and sinful evil that is occurring on the Earth.

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And so, God looks and says, I have decided to make an end of All Flesh, I'm done. This is like, I'm done, done. Okay, last week, we noted that the language God said, I'm going to blot out. Man, I'm blotting him out because of his sinfulness, because every evil we read that God regretted making man. And so here, then, is the solution mankind shall be destroyed? But wait. Verses 9 and 10 introduced us to. We remembered the generation, but here we saw.

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A righteous one.

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Will. Even. Remove the righteous blameless one. When God's Wrath is kindled as he is blotting out mankind as he is in many ways, the story of the flood is an un creation, right? Genesis 1 is creation. Genesis 6 is de-creation. When God decreates the? Will he also destroy this righteous one?

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There's a preparation. For the fly. God is speaking to Noah. Verse 13 said that this is what he says in verse 14. After saying, I'm going to destroy the Earth. He looks to know it. Verse 14 make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark and cover the inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it the length of the Arc 300 cubits. It's breath 50 cubits and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark and finish it to a cubit above and set a door of the argument side.

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Make it with a lower second and third decks. 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. But I will establish my Covenant with you. And you shall come into your argue and your sons, your wife, and your son's wives with you and of every living thing of All Flesh. You shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They should be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds of the animals, according to their kinds and of every creeping thing on the ground, according to its kind.

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Two of every sort shall come into you to keep them alive. Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten and stored up. It shall serve as food for you and for them. Noah did this. He did all that God commanded him. 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. 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 mates 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.

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For in seven days, I will send rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights and every living thing that I have made. I will blot out from the face of the ground. And Noah did. That the Lord? Had commanded him. God looks to Noah. And gives Noah. Some amount of time. To prepare. For the flood. Now many stories when you or sermons and teachings on Noah and the flood here will lead into this, and I there's some right leaning in here. Don't get me wrong on this. The amount of faith that Noah had Hebrews testifies about it.

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No, a man who probably never seen any sort of there's ways to read this. Maybe it didn't even rain before this flood came? Definitely no rain like this had ever occurred, because no rain like this ever did occur or will occur again. And God looks to know and says, go make for yourself an ark of go for wood. Now, I'll share with you what one of my commentaries said. We don't know exactly what gopher wood is. We don't know what species of tree this is. I was reading one commentary, and it said, though we don't know what gopher wood is, most people assume it was a wood particularly suited for building a boat.

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Go figure. God would tell Noah to build a boat out of wood that's good for making boats. The size of this boat is enormous 300 cubits. It's probably 450 feet. 50 cubits wide, about 75 feet 30 cubits high. That's about 40 feet high. So, a football field and a half? 75 feet. Was it 100? We'll round a little bit 100 by 40 feet. A long, wide and Tall ship Noah. Is called to make.

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Noah. Apply 500 years old.

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Go break, a huge bow. Now, you're gonna have to go Harvest all this wood. The amount of trees to cut down to make an art this big is staggering. Cut down the trees, turn them into Lumber, fashion a boat, get ready Noah. We have very particular direct. Here's, how wide. Here's how tall three stories tall, a lower, a middle, and a third deck cover the inside and the out with pitch. It needs to be waterproof, put a door in its side. You got to get in and out somehow. And then get ready for the animal.

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Some people. Complain. In chapter 6, as we read it, you shall bring two of every sword in the ark. And then in chapter seven. As we read the continuing preparations, Noah's told now bring seven pairs of the clean animals and the birds, and only one pair of the unclean animals. Are these two different directions? I would say no.

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To bring two of every kind that's inclusive, every kind. But then, as we get further, God gives more concrete and specific details. It's not just two of every kind, though. Two of every kind is true. There's more. In particular. Two pairs sorry, seven pairs. Of every clean animal. Well, what's going on? Why the clean animal? We'll get to that in subsequent weeks.

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But here, I'll just say. God knows. How he wants to be worshiped? And he will make sure Noah. Can do what God has called him to. For the most important preparation for the flood that I want us to see. Is the first appearance of a very important word? In scripture. Why does Noah? Get to survive the flood. Well, it's because in these preparations, we are shown. That God's the one who's preparing to save Noah? Genesis chapter 6 verse. Hey set, where is it? It's 18. But I. Will establish. My Covenant. With you. The most important part of the preparation for the flood.

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Is God's covenantal love set upon Noah? God is telling Noah, I have promised myself that I will be the one who will save and deliver you. No, you just go build a boat. I'll take care of the rest. Because God's redeeming love looked upon righteous Noah? And it saved him, and it delivered him. And it kept him safe, and it kept him secure. Did Noah have to step out in faith and build a boat? Surely he did? But it would not matter what boat he built had God not covenanted with Noah. It is God's covenant. Ultimately, that is the preparation, if you will, that saves Noah.

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And his family. I will Covenant with you, and you shall come to the argue when your sons and your wives and your son's wives and they will be delivered. Because of God's great love for that. And after the we prepare for the flood, then we get to the event. Of the flood Genesis chapter 7, starting in verse 6. Noah was 600 years old when the flood of waters Came Upon the Earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his son's wives with him went into the ark to escape the Waters of the flood.

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Of clean animals and of animals that are not clean and of birds and everything that creeps on the ground. Two and two male and female went into the ark with Noah as God had commanded Noah. And after seven days, the Waters of the flood Came Upon the Earth. In the 600th year of Noah's life in the second month on the 17th day of the month on that day. All The Fountains of the great deep burst forth and the windows of the heavens were opened. And the rain fell on the earth 40 days and 40 nights.

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On the very same day, Noah and his sons Shem and ham and japith, and it was wives and the three wives of his sons with them entered the Ark. They and every Beast, according to its kind and all the livestock, according to their kinds and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. According to its kind, Mary Bird, according to its kind every Wing creature. They went into the ark with Noah two and two of All Flesh in which there was Breath of Life. And those that entered male and female. All Flesh went in as God had commanded him.

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And the Lord shut him in. The flood continued 40 days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the Ark and it Rose high above the Earth. The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth and the Ark floated on the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole Heaven were covered. The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them 15 cubits deep. And All Flesh died. That moved on the earth, Birds, livestock beasts, all the swarming creatures that swarm on the earth and.

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All mankind. Everything on the dry land and whose nostrils was the breath of Life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heaven. They were blotted out from the earth only Noah. Was left. And those who are with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed on the earth. 150. Days. This is. The event of the flood.

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It doesn't sound that cute. Or fun or pleasant? Noah and his wives. Sorry, his wife. And his sons and their wives. Enter into the boats. Some important thoughts to know right again. We read it twice again, the point here. It's a reiteration and a showing of just how powerful. There's some literary things going on with the number of days and structure. Here's the, here's the point. The flood. Is a massively huge and tragic event. Those who are on the ark. Noah, his sons, his wife, and his son's wives. Are spared. Also. Pair by pair, right? This is when you in the ESV. They have this two and two of All Flesh, this two and two. It's sort of side by side pair by pair. Here they come marching.

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So the one sort of picture thing you probably have, right? We've all seen the picture of like Noah's Ark and you have, like the pair of cheetahs, and then the pair the pairs of animals. That's what the Bible is describing here. They walk into the art. Verse 16 of chapter 7. The Lord shut them in. It is God's hand that will seal and save and protect Noah and all of the inhabitants of the Ark.

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The flood is great and Powerful. God says it's coming in 7 days in seven days. It comes. We're given a particular day. Noah is 600 years old. 600 years. Two months and 17 days. If we wanted, you know, be specific.

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The waters that come. We read of the waters springing up from the teeth a great deep. The Fountains of the Deep burst forth and the windows of heavens are opened up. The picture here is of water from below and water from above. The Earth is being. As I mentioned earlier, de created. God is hitting the hard reset button. He's reformatting the hard drive. There is nothing left. God destroys. All Flesh. All Flesh is blotted out. Verse 22 everything on the dry land and whose nostrils is Breath of Life died. It's dead. He drowned. In a flood that rained for 40 days and 40 nights, and then the waters prevail on the earth for another 15.

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Days. For those of you counting.

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Some people think the 150 days include the 40 days of rain. Some people add them together. Either way. That's a long time to be floating on a boat full of animals. Why is this happening? Well, we gave the reasons mankind in his wickedness. What was prepared God's going to save some people? So, what happens here in the flood? God is both. Wrathful. And merciful. Oh, but the god of the Old Testament. He's just that wrathful God. He's saved and delivered through Noah. The event of the flood shows us that this is a great tragedy. With God's great wrath.

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And God's Great Mercy.

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Here then. Is the message of the flag? What's the takeaway from this? Well, one what I just said? The message of the flood. Before we get anything else and there's a lot else to get into here here, this God is a just righteous God. And his wrath is stored up against sin and sinners. And when he decrees, Justice will prevail. Simultaneously, God is a merciful god. Covenanting with? And saving a delivery and shutting in Sheltering and protecting Those whom he loves. That's the first message. This teaches us first and foremost who God is. But also.

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This story. In a beautiful and particular way. Teaches us that we must do what God commands. One of the difficulties of Christian Life and all this stuff is. What's the balance between sort of? We're saved by grace through faith alone, and we are called to live righteous holy lives. I believe the story of Noah and the flood pictures this perfectly. Noah is saved because of God's favor and God's goodness, and this is the point of verse 8, which we covered last week. But Noah found favor. Noah found favor, and then we read about him being a righteous just person.

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Are you guys favorite shines on Noah? It empowers him to live the life. And then, what does that life look like? Let me sum it up in a phrase. Genesis chapter 6, verse 22, Noah did this he did. All God commanded him. Genesis chapter 7, verse 5, and Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him. Genesis chapter 7 verse. 16. On those. All those and those that entered male and female of All Flesh went in as God had commanded him.

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And the Lord shut him in. A life lived in faith, a life, a righteous life, the life that we are all called to live a life like, know us. Is a life that God has saved and sealed and then. We do all that God commanded. Are you saying, David, that we have to live perfect lives? You don't have to. In fact, you can't.

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But that's the standard. The New Testament teaches us. We are to be holy as he is Holy First. Peter tells us that. And this, I will note. Noah, who lived in the midst of a corrupt and vile generation.

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Was able to do all that the Lord God had commanded.

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And so we should seek to serve him. And love him. Because he first loved us. His Covenant will save us and seal us and Empower it. The Lord will shut us in the Lord will keep us. We are hid safely in the palm of his hand. Live like it?

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God will preserve. God will protect God, will keep his people.

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The flood is a great tragedy. The greatest tragedy in the history of mankind, Bar None. The greatest. Natural disaster ever to occur on this planet.

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The greatest outpouring of God's Wrath on mankind to date.

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And yet, even in the midst of this. We see obedience and faithfulness. And Grace. And mercy. May we all live lives worthy? Of the calling we have received. Let's pray.