Noah Narratives, Part 5

We’ll be putting some running application as we go through the text

Wrapping it up at the end

…in our last episode...

The earth was in cataclysmic chaos

Noah, his family and the saved animals were safe amid the storm

Being delivered; saved from sure and certain destruction

If at any time, Noah, any person or any animal decided to leave the safety of the ark, it was certain death

Over-riding thought: safe amidst the storm

If we are in Christ, we are safe

The Lord’s our Rock in Him we hide

A shelter in the time of storm

A not so well known music group—Karen Peck and New River sings

There's no weapon that can stand against the wall God built in our defense. We may not always see His face, but we're secure behind the Line of Grace!

Back to our text

One commentator (Derrick Kidner):

Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary The Awaited Flood (7:6–24)

the waters above and below the firmament are, in token, merged again, as if to reverse the very work of creation and bring back the featureless waste of waters.

That term “blotted out”

Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (I. מָחָה)

...erase, cancel, obliterate

All vestiges of mankind and his civilization had been obliterated

Only those delivered by the Hand of the Almighty survived

The Flood Continues

Situation is somewhat akin to the early creation account:

The earth was without form and void...

…and so it was for 150 days

The language suggests that the deluge was continuing; the fountains of the great deep still flowing

Chaos reigned

…and in the chaos, those God protected were safe

At the end of the year plus a few days, any remnant of man would have been fully destroyed or buried beneath the sediment as the waters subsided

The Flood Subsides

Into chapter 8

We see God as the active force

He remembered—an anthropomorphism, ascribing human traits to help us understand the nature or at least the actions of God

…not like God ever forgot a portion of His divine plan

He made a wind blow

Passive nature of what follows continues the active nature of God in the process

…waters subsided

…fountains and windows were closed; rain was restrained

The ark came to rest...

…hold on to that idea of rest...

The Flood is Over

…but the security of the ark remains

Noah waits on God

…still resting in the security, even with the uncertainly of what comes now

A lot of application there—even though the storm may be over, you may have to just rest on God for awhile

Look at the patience

First the raven…sounds like he just kept riding the thermals and never came back; as though Noah saw him out there everyday

Then the dove, then the dove again, then the dove yet again

…Maybe this one build a nest, laid the first clutch of eggs…maybe dove is just a catch all which includes pigeon —that would explain the proliferation of them

Once again, we see that there are specific periods of time that mentioned…we may not know the reasons; but there is some measure of importance to them

We certainly can see the gradual nature of the termination of the flood and setup for the repopulation of the planet

The Flood Teaches Us

Deliverance in found only in God

Only the hand of the Almighty...

…which had brought into existence the earth

…which had given life to man

…could, with one stroke of judgment obliterate all He had done

…and have a plan in place for the future

This falls nicely into some of the thoughts on Reformation Day

The Solas of the Reformation; sola = alone

Faith alone

Scripture alone

Christ alone

Grace alone

Glory to God alone

Only the Biblical account gives us an accounting of why we’re here—not an accident in the evolutionary journey of existence

Only faith allows us to grasp these realities, grants us the power to “walk with God”

Only Christ is the one in whom we can rest—be sheltered from the storm

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

It is within Him we find rest

Matthew 11:28 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

With that rest is peace

John 14:27 ESV

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Only by His grace may be come to a saving knowledge of Christ and turn from our sins

Only the the one Almighty God do we render honor, glory and worship

Revelation 4:11 ESV

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Our lives may be perfectly secure, safe and stable…or maybe not

Maybe these thoughts are for you to help another person through a storm in his/her life

…maybe it’s for you in your own life.

So many types of storms

…family instability

…financial instability

…job insecurity

…health crises

…fear of terrorism

…fear of civil unrest

....fear of our own government’s instability and direction

>>>all legitimate concerns, BUT

Our God is sufficient to deliver us from all those things

We must recall that

Philippians 4:19 ESV

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

It starts here

1 Peter 5:6–7 (ESV)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Noah humbled himself

Trusted God, obeyed God

Placed himself and his family under the care of God

He rode out the storm in perfect safety

Nothing there says you won’t have anxieties—KJV “cares”

But we must be humble enough to say we can’t handle them and cast—that’s throw—them all upon God

Single largest care is our eternal destiny

People relying on their own sense of responsibility—thinking they can save themselves

It didn’t work out for the population of the planet in Noah’s day—neither temporally nor eternally

Our first need is salvation, putting to rest the question of our eternal destiny, fear of Hell

Romans 8:1 ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

That takes a bit of humility—I can’t save myself

Then the humility to say—I can’t do this my way…then letting Him take up our cares

Noah was carried safely through the flood; to a new beginning

Will you place yourself in God’s care and be carried safely to your heavenly home?