In the story of the flood, Noah blessed others through his obedience. Scripture gives us a description of Noah. Genesis 6: 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord… 9bNoah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God… 22bhe did all that God commanded him.[1]
Noah had favor with God and could obey Him because of his faith. Hebrews 11: 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. 7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. [2]
Obedient Out of Love
God did not give Noah an easy task. Building an ark would have been physically demanding and socially ostracizing. We don’t think it had ever rained to this point, so building an ark on dry land must have seemed ludicrous to Noah’s neighbors. Yet, through word and action, Noah told of God’s judgment to come even if no one listened. 2 Peter 2: 5bNoah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.[3]
Only Noah’s relationship with God could allow him to be obedient under these difficult circumstances. 1 John 5: 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.[4]
Noah blesses us by giving us a model of obedience. If we love God we will want to please Him and do what He says. 2 John 1:6 Love means doing what God has commanded us.[5]
Blessing Family and Beyond
It is evident that Noah saved not only himself from the flood but also his wife, his three sons, and their wives. I’m not sure Noah realized that he would save not only his family but humanity as well. Noah’s obedience saved you and me. Noah was not only a survivor of the flood, but he brought the promise of a new age.
Noah’s obedience allowed God to send Jesus as Messiah to save the world from sin. Romans 5: 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous…21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. [6]
Noah blessed others through obedience. How can your obedience bless those around you? To find out more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faith-in-a-faithless-world
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Ge 6:22). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
[2-6] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.