Noah

Connect Card Talk

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Love Stories...

Grew up with them

Stories about the heights to which a man would go in pursuit of a woman. The love the man has for the woman though is always because of how beautiful and awesome and perfect she is. That man is willing to go to whatever lengths and overcome all obstacles and bad guys to win her heart!

We are starting a new sermon series today called I PROMISE: GOD’S LOVE STORY. In these sermons we are going to be spanning the whole Bible and focusing on how God goes to crazy lengths in his love for mankind. He continues to pursue us overcoming all obstacles and all bad guys to win our heart.

The difference is, God’s love is not because of our beauty or our awesomeness or our perfection. In fact, the Bible portrays mankind as what we really are, big time sinners who keep turning their back on God time and time again. And in our story, the biggest obstacle and bad guy is not some mythical beast of the sea or an evil step mother. It’s us! We are the ones who stand in the way of God’s love most often!

What we will see through this series is that God continues to pursue a partnership with mankind, this is what the Bible calls covenants. However, it is not because he needs us! You see, the love story of the Bible tells us more about the heart of God than it does the beauty of man.

Today, we kick off this series by looking at the first time the word covenant is used in the Bible. It’s a story of a dude named Noah.

Let me read a few verses to set the context and we will dive in.

Genesis 6:5–7 CSB

When the Lord saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time, the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and he was deeply grieved. Then the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I created, off the face of the earth, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky—for I regret that I made them.”

PRAY

If you grew up in church, you are probably super familiar with the basic details of the story of Noah. You probably colored pictures of animals walking up a boat ramp 2by2 just like I did. Even if you didn’t grow up in church, you may have been aware that this was a story in the Bible. And it probably freaked you out a little!

Let’s all embrace that this story is dark and a little depressing, OK? But I want to show you today that there is great beauty in what we look into Genesis 6-9. God’s glory is shown incredibly!

Let’s start though, with the bad. If you are a notetaker, the first thing we see is...

1. Man’s MESS

In those verses I read earlier, we see a bleak image of the world! Honestly, this first verse can really catch you offguard. Every idea and thought was nothing but evil all the time? Doesn’t that sound a little bit exaggerated? Was mankind really in that kind of shape?

It can seem like a big jump to see the world in this kind of sinful place, but what we must realize is that we are coming into the middle of a story. This isn’t Genesis chapter one. It’s chapter 6 and a WHOLE lot has happened in the story. So, before we start any sort of practical thinking, we need to understand what has happened up until this point. This is called reading in CONTEXT. And it is really important for good Bible study!

So, first, God created all of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. He created everything on the earth and said that all of it was GOOD! (including human beings.) But these first two humans, though created good, choose to defy God’s plan for them. They doubted God’s goodness and care for them and did the very thing he had told them not to do. This action was an effort to define for themselves what was good and bad instead of trusting God’s plan.

This was the first sin. And eating fruit from the wrong tree may not seem like a big deal, but in this action, there is now in the heart of man a sinfulness that cannot be avoided or overcome without God’s help.

This sinful heart was passed on to their sons Cain and Abel. Maybe they could fix it? NOPE! It got worse. Cain got jealous of his brother Abel and murdered him. The sinful heart wasn’t overcome; it allows the sin of the world to escalate!

Then a few generations later in Cain’s family, Genesis tells us about a guy named Lamech who murdered so much he actually sings to his wife about his guiltiness with laughter.

Within just a few generations we went from eating from the wrong tree to mass murder being worthy of a song! This is how quickly sin gets out of hand, and from Lamech, the world continues to spiral towards more and more sinfulness! To the point that we see in Gen 6 that “human wickedness was widespread on the earth.” This perfect world that God had created was wrecked by the sin of mankind and God’s plan is to wipe mankind out! He is going to de-create so he can re-create!

There is some intentional language here that we need to take note of, however.

Look with me at verse 7. There are three words or phrases that should stand out if you were reading this text straight through as it was really intended to be read.

God says first I will wipe MANKIND off the face of the earth. What we don’t see because we have English translations of the original Hebrew is that this word MANKIND is the Hebrew word ADAM. That sound like a word you are familiar with?Then God uses two phrases “creatures that crawl” and “birds of the sky.”

You know the first time that all these words were used together? (maybe the last time too?)

Genesis 1:26 CSB

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”

We see Adam, birds and crawling creatures in both instances. It seems clear that God is using this to point back to something important.

Why when speaking of the sin that had become rampant would God bring up creation?

A reminder that God created everything good first off. The last time these words were spoken, sin wasn’t in the world!

But there is more here. In verse 26 of chapter 1, there is a calling or purpose given to mankind. What is it?

To bear his image! God called mankind to have dominion over creation and serve alongside God in the world! We were to point signs that point others to God!

And it seems here in the Genesis 6 text that God is pointing back to that as a reminder of our original purpose.

But we fell from that! That’s the importance in the story of Adam and Eve being tempted and led astray by a serpent. God had told them to rule over the serpent and listen to him. Instead they listen to the serpent and try to rule over God! They trust this serpent’s word over God’s! The first sin was a complete flip of the created order!

Do you see that?

So, there is something greater than just SIN going on here. I mean, yes sin was everywhere, but the accusation from God is that mankind has abandoned its God-given purpose. That’s why Man is in a MESS!

So, God intervenes. And in his intervention, we often see wrath and judgment. Those two are most definitely there. However, what should stand out more than those is...

2. God’s MERCY

That may sound out of place. God shows mercy by wiping out everything?

I get it! But let’s read the text first.

Genesis 6:8–9 CSB

Noah, however, found favor with the Lord. These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God.

That’s a big HOWEVER, there isn’t it? God was going to wipe mankind, creatures that crawl and birds of the sky from the face of the earth… HOWEVER, Noah found favor with the Lord.

We come to find out that God asks Noah to build an ark which he will use to keep Noah, his family, and some of every type of animal safe through the rains that God is going to send.

Then check out chapter seven...

Genesis 7:1–5 CSB

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. You are to take with you seven pairs, a male and its female, of all the clean animals, and two of the animals that are not clean, a male and its female, and seven pairs, male and female, of the birds of the sky—in order to keep offspring alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will make it rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing I have made I will wipe off the face of the earth.” And Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him.

So, this is a dumb question, but, Who got to go on the ark? Those God wanted to use to repopulate with right? If there were tigers on there, it’s because God wanted tigers to be a part of this new creation he was making. If there were mice, it’s because God wanted them to be part of this new creation he was making. If there were rabbits on the ark, then there were a whole bunch of rabbits by the time they got off. Can you imagine how many rabbits????? If rabbits got on it was because God wanted them to be a part of this new creation he was making.

And listen… If there were humans on the ark, it was because God wanted them to be a part of this new creation he was making.

Here’s the deal, God knew from before the foundation of the earth how evil man could become, right? When Adam and Eve sinned, he wasn’t like, “OH NO! You totally ruined my plan! Now what?” God knew they were going to disobey him before he created them, BUT he created them anyway!

And here, God has seen how truly terrible mankind could become over several generations. We’ve moved from eating the wrong fruit in the garden of eden to nothing but evil thoughts and actions all the time! Again, God wasn’t caught offguard by that! He knew it would happen before he created anything, and now here is this chance to just put humans away and not fool with them anymore, BUT he chose to save humanity and restart!

Church, we always look to all those who died in the flood and question God, “How could you continue to send flood waters as all those people were dying?” But, really, doesn’t a more pressing question linger? “God why did you leave human beings anyway?” You knew how bad mankind had gotten. You know the issues that lay ahead, WHY would you choose to continue to deal with us goofy humans?

You see, this is God’s mercy! A great definition of mercy is not giving someone what they deserve. At one of the heights of man deserving total and utter extinction in God had a different plan. He chose life when we deserved death! This is the merciful God that we worship!

Why!? Why would God restart with humans again? He would only do so if they had a great purpose, right?

3. Glory’s MISSION

God did have a very great purpose for mankind. But it wasn’t a new one. Look at

Genesis 9:1 CSB

God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

This is not a new command! This goes back to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1!

Genesis 1:26–28 CSB

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

In the beginning, God made mankind IN HIS IMAGE. A better way to think of this is that we were created to be IMAGE BEARERS. We are to reflect God in the world. That has been the purpose of every human being ever born.

When a human being reflects God’s image in the world, who gets glory? Man or God? God does, right?

So, God said be my image bearers so that others might see me and know me!

And then he said, Be Fruitful and Multiply Fill the earth.

That definitely is an encouragement to make babies, alright! However, that’s not the actual main point!

God said first, Bear my image. Then he said, “Bear Fruit.” The call is for human beings to be image bearers and encourage others to live up to that calling as well, whether that is by having children or by making disciples, the point remains the same! More faithful image bearers=more glory for God in this broken world!

So, after giving again this gameplan of multiplication now to Noah, God actually makes a covenant. A covenant is a way of making an official agreement. We would shake hands or sign some multi-page document, right? In the ancient days, they performed a covenant ceremony. This was a stating of particular promises in exchange for a particular commitment.

We see the declaration of this covenant in Genesis 9.

Genesis 9:8–15 CSB

Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, “Understand that I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you—birds, livestock, and all wildlife of the earth that are with you—all the animals of the earth that came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you that never again will every creature be wiped out by floodwaters; there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all future generations: I have placed my bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all the living creatures: water will never again become a flood to destroy every creature.

What’s interesting about this covenant? God promises never to flood the earth again in judgment like this. And what does God ask of mankind? NOTHING! He simply promises to hold up his end of the deal and doesn’t put any stipulations on man. Pretty sweet deal! Seems pretty MERCIFUL TO ME!!!

As a visual symbol and reminder of this covenant with humans, God hung his bow up in the clouds.

You and I immediately think about the beautiful rainbow. ROY G BIV. But does God say he has put his rainbow in the sky? NO! He has put his BOW there. This is the term one would use of a war bow used in battle.

God is using some imagery and metaphor here. He has just brought judgment on the earth and now he has “hung his bow in the clouds!” Do you see how that should change the way we view the rainbow?

We have a storybook that we have used since our kids were young called the Jesus Storybook Bible, I recommend it for all ages! But in the author’s description she mentions that their in the sky, God hangs his warbow up. She comments about how it is facing.

“No, God’s war bow was not pointing down at his people. It was pointing up, into the heart of heaven.” - Jesus Storybook Bible

The next time God brought judgment at such a level, it would not be on man, but on his very own son.

You see, the covenant that God made with Noah and with all of us really was unconditional because there was no way we could earn what he was offering. We would have had a million floods by now if that were the case!

But the Bible actually does speak of a judgment coming ahead for all of us. There is a day in the future in which God will judge all of mankind again. He will separate everyone into two groups: one group that gets to experience never ending pleasure in God’s presence and the other group that will experience never ending separation from the presence and beauty of God.

The reason I bring this up is because Jesus actually speaks of this day in the future and compares it to the days of Noah. He says that everyone will be doing their thing and then it will happen. He tells those he is teaching to be prepared for it. The same is true for us!

The good news here is that we don’t have to build an ark to get out of this one! In fact, there is nothing we can do to earn it.

However for the same reason God saved Noah, he will save you. It wasn’t because Noah was without sin, because he probably wasn’t. There are two things written about Noah that help us see why God chose Noah for this.

Genesis 6:9 CSB

These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God.

This is a term we have seen used twice in the text so far. It represents a relationship with the creator God. This relationship is accessible only by FAITH.

Hebrews 11:7 CSB

By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

You see, any righteousness Noah had was not his own. It was by faith in Jesus!

Today, I need you to know that there is a judgment coming! Noah worked on the ark for 100 years. I don’t know how long til the final judgment coming, but I can tell you this, don’t wait. Don’t wait to get things right with you and God. Because just as in the days of Noah, it will come when we least expect it, and then it will be too late!

Today, you can place your trust in Jesus and be saved!

You see our salvation is not in an ark of Noah but in the cross of Christ. Jesus died for your sins already. He has paid the debt. You can trust in him and receive the righteousness that allowed Noah to walk with God.

If you would like to talk with someone about what it looks like to do that, we have folks by the back door who would love to help you work through that. They will be back there as we sing one more song. They would gladly walk you right outside the doors here and have a simple and laidback conversation with you about how you can trust in Jesus today and know for sure that you are in Christ and have received God’s mercy!

I’m gonna pray and then we will sing and you can respond in any number of ways.