Noah

1. Introduction

Noah was a prophet who lived in an age similar to our own: an age of greed, gluttony, drunkenness and sexual license. An age when marriages were entered into and dissolved with impunity. Food, drink and sex were foremost in people's minds: and violence filled the earth. The Saviour described Noah's day in the following words:

Matthew 24:38

"For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark."

Onto this scene came Noah, a man who feared the Most High and kept His commandments, even though the vast majority of souls were blatantly sinning. The name Noah means "rest from labour." Yes, Noah obediently rested from his labours as Yahweh had done at the creation of the world.

Genesis 2:1-3

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

These facts link Noah's message with our own.

2. Noah's Generation

Consider for a moment the society in which Noah lived. Angels and human had gone way beyond the bounds the Creator had ordained. We are told that angel beings were cohabiting with human women and mighty freaks (giants) were being born as a result.

Genesis 6:1-13

"And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD ... The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth."

Divine Punishment

For those monstrous sexual sins the evil angels (called here the "sons of God") were consigned to the Abyss, an angel penitentiary where they are being held till the Day of Judgement (1 Peter 3:19-20, 2 Peter 2:4-5, Jude v7). The progeny of these illicit sexual unions became the giants of old: tales of whom are found in the mythology of every nation. Evidence of Noah's flood exists in virtually every continent. For proof of this, purchase one or two of the Creation Science Reference Books listed here.

3. Noah the Man

Noah had faith in the Almighty and he demonstrated his faith by keeping Yahweh's commandments. Though by no means perfect, Noah sought to obey the law of the Most High in a day when millions blatantly broke it. Because of this attitude Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Genesis 6:8-9

"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord ... Noah was a just man and perfect (tamin) in his generations ..."

The Hebrew word 'tamin' means without blemish, and is a word describing physical purity not moral perfection.

4. Noah's Task

Noah was given the task of warning mankind about the coming flood. To demonstrate his faith in Yahweh's message Noah was commanded to build an ark for the salvation of all who would care to believe. It was tiring work which, nevertheless, he faithfully performed.

Noah Builds The Ark

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."

A Preacher of Righteousness

Righteousness is doing right: it is obedience to the Almighty's law. Unrighteousness is doing wrong: it is disobedience to Yahweh's law. Noah preached the need for obedience. He boldly exposed the sins of his day: illicit sex, violence, gluttony and drunkenness. The Bible says:

2 Peter 2:5

"... Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness."

5. Yahweh's Covenant

Yahweh's covenant is based on His law. Indeed the Most High actually calls His law His covenant. Carefully note these words.

Deuteronomy 4:9-13

"Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone."

God also made a covenant with all mankind that He would never again wipe out the human race as He did in Noah's day. Even in the worst of circumstances, Yahweh will always spare some people. You could be one! This is His promise.

Genesis 6:18	"But with thee will I establish my covenant ..."
Genesis 8:22	"And the Lord said: I will not curse the ground any more for man's sake ... neither will I smite any more everything living as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

6. The Flood

Noah's flood was the greatest catastrophic this old world has ever seen - so far! The oil, coal and diamonds buried deep in the earth are all evidence of the flood. Mountain ranges like the Himalayas and the Rockies are also evidence of the flood. Fossil remains of millions of sea creatures - some found on the top of the highest mountains in the world - are also evidence of the flood. So let no one foolishly suppose that the flood never took place. If possible purchase the book: The Genesis Flood by Henry Morris Ph.D. & John C Whitcomb, from Master Books PO Box 1606 El Cajon, California 92022 USA. In it you will see how true this fact is.

7. Universal Destruction

The flood, though a literal event, was also a prophetic drama, a literal demonstration and object lesson to the heavenly host of the final destruction of sin throughout the entire universe. It tells in the most dramatic and awesome way how Yahweh will one day destroy this present universe and save only those who, like Noah, trust and obey Him.

Matthew 24:37-41

"But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark. And knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be."

8. Yahweh's Promises

After the destruction of the present universe Yahweh has scheduled Himself to create a new heavens and a new earth in which will dwell righteousness. Iniquity will never again raise its ugly head. The following passage is the Almighty's guarantee of this coming event.

Revelation 21:1-8

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Points of special note are:

The Almighty will create a new universe and dwell with His people for all time.
There will be no more tears, sorrow, pain or death in that place.
All who want to be there are freely invited to come: for salvation is the gift of God made possible through the death of His only begotten Son.
But the unbelieving and wilfully lawless will be excluded.
These things are guaranteed. They will all occur.

9. Final Warnings

The Most High has not changed in any way since Noah's day. He remains the same. He says:

Malachi 3:6

"For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

God still abhors the evils which were popular in Noah's day: unbelief, greed, violence, sexual licence and the breaking of marriage vows. All these are as loathsome to Him today as they were in the days of Noah. These are the sins which call down His vengeance. To ignore these divine warnings is a foolish pastime, as the people of Noah's day learned to the cost of their lives. Those who wish to be spared in the days ahead will do well to remember warnings such as:

Ezekiel 14:14

"Though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord."

10. Summary

Noah lived in an evil day - just like we do.
Illicit sex, greed and violence were popular.
Evil spirits led mankind into the vilest forms of sexual excess.
God has already consigned many evil angels to the Abyss where they await their judgement.
Throughout it all Noah was faithful to the Almighty and obeyed His law. He found grace in God's sight.
Noah preached righteousness, which is faith expressed in obedience. Unrighteousness is unbelief expressed in disobedience. No amount of argument will change these basic spiritual facts.
As promised, the Almighty who wiped out the ancient world saving only His servant Noah and his family, is about to do the same very soon. Yes, the same fate awaits the unbeliever and disobedient in our day.

How about You?

How are you behaving in this evil hour?

Are you following the ways of the world in unbelief and disobedience?
Or are you faithful and obedient like Noah was?

The choice is yours: make it with care, because the results will be exactly as predicted. Millions are scheduled to die and comparatively few will be saved. I pray that you will be amongst the saved.

MLC Sermon Notes

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