THE FAITH OF NOAH

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Noah was born into the world as the son of Lamech (Gen. 5:30). He was the tenth from Adam through the lineage of his son, Seth. He had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Vs. 32). And like Enoch, it was also said of Noah that he walked with God (See Gen. 5:24 & 6:9). Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth (Gen. 7:6). And Noah lived after the flood three hundred years. And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years (Gen. 9:28-29). Between Genesis 5:30 and the end of Chapter 9, we find the complete history of Noah.

Wickedness filled the earth due to the evil thoughts and actions of mankind (Gen 6:5). But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Vs. 8). God told Noah He was going to destroy all evil men of the earth. He instructed Noah make thee an ark of gopher wood (See Vss. 13-14). God gave Noah specific instructions and dimensions he was to use to construct the ark. God told Noah that he would bring a flood on the earth that would destroy all flesh, ...but with thee will I establish My covenant. After obediently building the ark, God instructed him to enter, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy son's wives with thee, by which they were to be saved from the destruction of the flood (See Vss. 17-18). Not only Noah, and his family, was to enter the ark, but he was told by God to bring every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort ...male and female (Vss. 19-20), along with sufficient food for thee, and for them (Vs. 21). Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he (Vs. 22).

Obediently, Noah, his family, and all animals required by God, entered the ark on the day God told them to do so (Gen. 7:1-10). At God's command, the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights (Vss. 11-12). Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved on the earth (Vss. 20-21). And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days (Vs. 24). After this we find in Chapter 8 that the waters were abated, and the ark rested ...upon the mountains of Ararat (Vss. 3-4)). Noah released a dove into the air until it returned with an olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth (See Vss. 6-11). And God spake unto Noah saying, go forth of the ark, ...and Noah builded an altar unto the Lord ...and offered burnt offerings, and God was pleased (See Vss. 15-22).

When Noah, his wife, their sons, and their wives left the ark, they entered back into a world that was inhabited by only one family - their own. The world population, as we know it today, all descend from the godly and obedient family of Noah - the only family left upon the earth that remained faithful to their Creator, the God of the heavens. In Chapter 9 we find that God told Noah to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth (Vs. 1, See Vs. 7). God established a covenant with Noah, and all mankind that was to follow, that the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. God gave a rainbow as His token of the covenant (See Vss. 11-17).

Before the flood, Noah, by faith, walked with God, and found grace in the eyes of the Lord. God warned him of things not seen as yet - that is, the flood to come. Through His wrath God promised to destroy all evil from the face of earth. Being so warned, Noah's faith in God moved him to obedience. Noah was moved with fear; he had respect and reverence toward God. Knowing His warning to be true, and that it would assuredly take place, Noah, in order to save himself and his family from the flood, faithfully obeyed God's will, and prepared an ark to the saving of his house.Scriptures assure us that during his life previous to, during, and immediately after the flood, this one thing could be said about his relationship with God: Thus did Noah, according to all that God commanded him, so did he (Gen. 6:22).

Not only is Noah's faith an example for all Christians today, but also, by his obedient faith, Noah demonstrates for our learning the total folly of worldliness and disregard for the will of God. By his faithful conduct, Noah preached a great sermon that condemns unrighteousness and proves that salvation comes only through righteous faith that leads to obedience of God's will.Faith - so Noah had, and so should we!