Noah – Who was Noah?

Noah – Lesson 2.

Who was Noah?

Text:  Genesis 6:9ff

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Noah’s Walk.  Genesis 6:9 These are the generations of Noah:

This story is not just about the flood or even about judgement. It’s about how God saves a man out of a lost world. The message of Noah is the message of salvation.   So, what about Noah the man?

• Justified by faith. Noah was a just man. Now, remember what we have learned over and over again. There is no-one in this world who is JUST.  To be just is to be right in the eyes of the law – but in the light of God’s law, we all are unjust, and we all stand condemned.  The only way to be just in the sight of God was to be made just, by grace, through faith.
• Blameless. and perfect in his generations,   He had a living testimony. Not sinless, but then not part of the culture of the time either.
• He was in fellowship with God. and Noah walked with God.   Just like Enoch, who also walked with God.
• He was a family man. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
• A Gospel preacher 2 Peter 2:5

Now all of this points to the fact that Noah was a man of impeccable character. A godly man, with a testimony. But contrast Noah with his neighbour’s. He lived in an age which was totally inhospitable to him.

Noah’s Work.

• To condemn the world. 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.  Hebrews 11:7 
• To discern the will of God. 13 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.
• To build an ark. 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
• To put aside his own plans. 15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
• To await the Day of the Lord. 17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

Have you ever seen artist’s depictions of the ark?  Not the one in the children’s books, with lots of colours and a giraffe sticking out through the roof.  The ark was like a giant floating coffin!  A big box, with three floors, and a door in its side.

Immediately, the ark reminds us of Christ.  It has got a wound in its side!  The place where the door was a riven hole, through which the chosen ones could enter and be saved.  Christ had a riven side too.  It is only through the water and the blood that a soul may enter into Christ and be saved.  Remember how in the NT we are taught about being ‘In Christ?’  Paul wrote Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  So all those who were IN the ARK were saved!

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee; Let the water and the blood, From Thy riven side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure, Save me from its guilt and power.

Noah’s Warranty.

• The Covenant Established. 18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.  The Covenant of Grace!
• The Covenant Extended.
  • Pairs 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.  Now you may wonder how all those animals could get into the ark, no matter how big it was!  But remember, there was just two of each sort.  Two dogs, from which all the other dogs are descended.
  • Preservation. 20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
  • Provisions. 21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.

Again you see the ark as a type of Christ, for we are called into him, to be saved from terrible wrath and judgement, and in him we are preserved, and we live off God’s endless store of provision.

Noah’s Willingness.

22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.  Despite all his neighbours and friends, despite their mockery and jeers, Noah was determined to obey God, rather than men, just as the disciples did in the book of Acts.   We are not to be theoretical bible readers!  We are to practice what we learn and are taught.  The Scriptures are our rule of faith and practice.  James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

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How can someone be considered ‘just’ before God? ______________________________________

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How is the Ark a ‘type’ of Christ?  ________________________________________________________________

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A sceptic laughs when you say that there were two of every animal in the ark.  How will you answer him?

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Noah was willing to obey God, when men thought they knew better.  Can you think of any situation when you might have to obey God rather than men?

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