the world in which you live is totally corrupt and antagonistic towards God? Do you sometimes feel that no one else desires to live a Godly upright life? Noah must have felt that way!
The earth was full of wickedness. Violence was on every hand. How long had it taken the world to get into this condition? Assuming there are no gaps in the genealogies recorded in Genesis it would be 1,656 years from Adam to Noah. Estimates of the world population have been made of between 7 and 9 billion people.
In those years humanity had become incredibly degenerate. All they thought about and imagined was consistently and totally evil (Gen 6:5). Finally, it came to the point that the Lord was sorry he had created humanity in the first place. God determined that he would remove all people from the face of the earth (Gen 6:6-7).
What sort of things had been occurring that brought God to the point of divine indignation? Polygamy (Gen 4:19) a practice which is totally against God's plan for humanity was thriving. There was violence everywhere (Gen 6:13). For example, Lamech was an arrogant murder who displayed a belligerent and callused attitude related to his actions (Gen 4:23-24). There was also some sort of a mysterious but immoral relationship taking place that procreated a group of people described as the "giant Nephilites" (Gen 6:4).
There was however ONE man named Noah who "found favor with the Lord" (Gen 6:8). What a remarkable man he must have been. According to Scripture he was "the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God" (Gen 6:9). One man in 7-9 billion people. What moral and spiritual darkness blanketed the earth in those days!
However, because of this one small light of righteousness, God decided to preserve life through Noah, his three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth and their wives. Scripture does not specifically tell us who helped Noah build the huge boat (450' long, 75' wide and 45' high Gen 6:15). Yet, one would have to surmise it was his immediate family. Who else in those days would want to be associated with the Noah clan!
It is not hard to imagine the vicious words of ridicule, the contemptuous laughter and insinuations of insanity that must have been hurled at the builders as the construction of the boat preceded year after year far from any large body of water.
What was the reward for all the years of ridicule and labour? It was the preservation of Noah’s family through a world wide deluge. It was the opportunity to give humanity another chance to follow in the ways of the Lord. It was an opportunity to experience God's promises first hand and develop a deeper relationship with him.
Noah and his family were certainly counter-culture. They were willing to take a stand for God even though literally everyone was against them. The next time we are confronted with a situation that leaves us feeling totally alone REMEMBER Noah and his resolve to obey God in spite of the incredible opposition. God will not forsake you in the “aloneness’” of your life!
Copyright. Bruce November 2006
Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.
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