Noah’s Work of Faith
Heb. 11:7
Introduction
Perhaps the most popular Old Testament story is the story about Noah and the Flood. From the very young, the teen age, the adult, and the old, it never fails to captivate the imagination of the people. Religious as well as scientific minds even until now continue to talk and discuss about Noah and the worldwide flood. Movies, television program, jokes, and cartoons, shows how popular this event is. Adding to the very interesting story is the controversy about the ark. The sightings of people, archaeological evidence as well as satellite photos only prove one thing. The Bible story is true.
I. Noah
Noah means rest, and the name Noah is found 53 times in 46 verses. His name was first mentioned in the Bible when he was 500 years old (Gen. 5:32). His great grandfather Enoch was a man of character as we have seen last week. The Bible tells us that only Enoch and Noah “walked with God”. His grandfather Methuselah was the oldest man who ever lived (969 years old, Gen. 5:25-27). Grandfathers play a very important role in the life of their grandchildren. His father Lamech is probably a Godly man who gave him the name which means “rest” (Gen. 5:29).
II. The moral state during his time. (Gen. 6:5, 11,12)
The Bible tells us that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gen. 6:5). Men have become evil in that time. Corruption, violence, all sorts of bad things we can think of is in the heart of all men. In Gen. 6:5 the word “heart” is first mentioned teaching us that the heart is the “deepest seat of men’s emotions and decisions,” as we can see also in the rest of the scriptures (Mt. 15:19, Mk. 7:21-22, LK. 6:45). Verse 11 clearly tells us that the earth is filled with violence.
III. Noah’s Warning (Heb. 11:7)
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear… (Heb. 11:7) The difference between Noah and rest of the people was simply faith. Noah had the faith to believe God and take Him at his word. Noah listened and obeyed.
God makes it clear that Noah was a man who believes in God, trust God, fear God, and obeys God. The final description about Noah is found in Gen. 6:9…Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God”. Being “just” is to live by God’s righteous standards, “perfect” makes him beyond compare to people around him, and “walked with God” puts him on the same level as Enoch who has intimate relation with God. Noah was the only righteous man in his time.
IV. God’s coming Judgment (Gen. 6:7)
Total destruction of earth and all its inhabitants was the final judgment. Global flood which would kill all men, all animals, creeping things, as well as all the fowls in the air. (Gen. 6:17)
V. Noah’s Work (Heb. 11:7)
The ark would be the means for which Noah and his family will be spared from the flood.
By faith Noah… prepared an ark. (Heb. 11:7). Noah’s work was hard work. But even in the midst of difficulties and opposition Noah’s faith moved him to do the work for God. In Genesis we read, And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him. (Gen. 7:5). This is the key to success for all Christians. Simply obey God. Obedience is not always easy, God’s will for all of us is to obey Him. It is always a matter of “thus saith the Lord”.
From a human point of view, the building of the ark seems to be impossible job to do. The difficulty and the greatness of the task assigned to Noah have seldom been fully recognized by men. He apparently had never seen rain and flood. He was in the midst of mockers, scoffers, unbelievers, who would insult him and laugh at him. His faith, (Heb. 11:7) patience, hard work, and diligence, and persistence in many years spent in building the ark to obey God’s command for me is beyond compare. If every Christian were like Noah and did according unto all that the Lord commanded him, we would once again see revival sweep our land, and Godliness will abound.
VI. His Price
To the saving of his house; (Heb. 11:7) This is a reference to Noah’s family. The whole world laughed but he continued and finished the work. Why? Because the lives of his love ones are at stake. He couldn’t lead others into the ark but he could lead his family. Noah’s wife, his three sons and three daughters in law were saved as a result of Noah’s faith to the God who saves. Salvation is a personal matter and every sinner must come to Christ for forgiveness. Because Noah believed God, his family believed also and they got saved from the flood.
VII. His Word
… by the which he condemned the world, (Heb. 11:7) Noah’s faith in God condemned the lost world around him. When Noah believed and obeyed God, his life became a condemnation of those who didn’t believe and obey. This is why the world hates true Bible believing Christianity.
When a believer lives as the light he is supposed to be, his life exposes the sinful deeds of those around him. This is why the world hated Jesus.
The Christian who lives for God will always be a condemnation to the world. The believer’s life ought to always be lived in such a way.
VIII. His Walk
… heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Heb. 11:7). Peter called him a preacher of righteousness. (2 Pet. 2:5). Righteousness is a part of the believer’s life. There is a positional righteousness that every believer enjoys. Everyone who comes to Christ by faith is declared to be righteous. There is also practical righteousness. This is daily dying to self, forsaking sin and living unto the Lord. Because Noah, by simple faith, took God at His word, he became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. God justified Noah because of his faith in Him. Such a faith characterized Noah’s life.
IX. Spiritual lessons
1. We can walk with God (Gen. 6:9) even in the midst of ungodly people around us.
2. True faith can be shown by our obedience to God’s commands (Gen. 6:22, 7:5).
3. One person’s faith can lead to salvation of many (Gen. 7:7).
4. Evil deeds will never go unpunished.
5. God’s patience and longsuffering has an end. Noah preached for 120 years (Gen. 7:10), and there was seven days final warning before the flood.
6. What the Lord closes, no one can open. (Gen. 7:16). The Lord himself is the one who closed the door of the ark.
Illustration/Application: Seven Day Waiting Period
Noah and his family had no doubt spent years building the ark. Now Noah and his family were inside the ark and the Lord Himself had closed the door. The waiting now began. For seven days Noah and his family waited. And waited.
I wonder what went through the mind of Noah during these seven days of waiting? Did Noah wonder whether God would be faithful to His promise? Did Noah ever fear his labor had been in vain? These seven days of waiting must have seemed like an eternity! But finally, any questions Noah might have had were answered as the sky began to grow dark and the rain began to fall. The waiting was over!
As Christians today we too are in a period of waiting. According to 1 John 3:2, “. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” Yes, someday we are going to see the One who walked up Calvary’s hill for us. We are going to be changed as the “mortal puts on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:53). We do not yet know what we shall be, but we know “we shall be like Him.” We then shall be taken to that “city of gold” whose “builder and maker is God” (Rev. 21:18; Heb. 11:10). But this is something for which we must wait! We must also sometimes wait for God to answer prayers in our lives. Sometimes He responds to our prayers by saying “yes,” at other times “no,” and then sometimes “later.” But whatever the answer, we must be willing to wait for the Lord to bring about His will in our lives.
“But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary.
They shall walk and not faint” (Isa. 40:31).
Noah was a man who waited on the Lord and so must we! Think about it. Have Faith.
(Heartwarming Bible Illustrations)
X. Conclusion.
Noah by faith in God build the ark, saving himself and his family. There will be a coming judgment that is more severe than the flood. You can escape that judgment by repenting from your sins and receiving Christ as your personal saviour. The choice is always yours.
