Summer Hebrews Series 2012 – Study 3

Heroes in Hebrews – Noah

Text: Genesis 6:1-8, 7:5, 8:6, 20-22, Hebrews 11:7

Noah was one of those faith-filled heroes, who trusted God, was redeemed by God, and was rewarded out of God’s gracious hand!!  Let us examine what the Hebrew writer has to say about Noah…

1. Noah Was Given a WARNING!  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet

We read about this warning in Genesis 6:13-14.

• The Cause of the Warning!  There was a reason why this threat, this warning was given.  There was corruption; there was prevalent sin and godlessness on the face of the earth. Genesis 6:12.  But what was the real reason for God’s judgement?  The basic underlying problem was that society had REJECTED GOD!   
• The Nature of the Warning!  It was God himself who issued this warning for God does not overlook sin.  Noah had a divine revelation of a great and severe judgment, such as the world had never yet seen, and of which there was not yet any sign..
• The Incredibility of the Warning!  Now here was the difficulty.  People who are living in sin do not see their condition.  Hebrews clearly tells us that the warning was about THINGS UNSEEN as yet.  God chose to warn the world through the voice of a preacher!  Matthew Henry comments, “God usually warns sinners before he strikes; and, where his warnings are slighted, the blow will fall the heavier.”

2. Noah ACCEPTED the Warning and Acted Accordingly!   moved with fear, prepared an ark

Now, let’s see what way Noah reacted to God’s awakening and warning:-

a)       Noah BELIEVED what God told him!  It firstly affected his MIND – his intellect. Noah’s mind was awakened to the fact that the warning came from God.  His faith led him to believe that God’s Word was true, and that faith was the basis upon which the whole structure of his later life was based.

b)       Noah was moved to FEAR!  This is the next step.  When God opens the mind of a sinner to his eternal plight, his next reaction is an emotional one.  He will fear! Now there are two different aspects to THE FEAR OF THE LORD.

1. a.        To Fear God is to REVERENCE HIM!  In NT times, those gentiles who came to the synagogue and worshipped the One True God along with the Jews, were known as ‘God Fearers.’  Acts 10:1-2.  Don’t mistake a FEAR OF GOD in this sense for conversion!  However, if some ungodly people have enough insight to be able to give reverence to the Lord, how mush more should those who know Christ as Saviour!
2. To Fear God is BE AWARE OF HIS HOLY WRATH!  Noah was right to fear.  It is very important that we do not mislead people about the danger of going into eternity without Christ!  Luke 12:5.  The Hebrews 10:31

There are all sorts of FEARS in this world.  How many psychiatrists spend countless hours dealing with people’s fears!  Many fear what man can do to them but not what God will do at the judgment day if they do not repent and turn to Him in faith.  But Noah FEARED THE LORD in both senses of the word.  He knew the might and the ability and the Holiness of God, and he did not trifle with God’s warnings, and so he was moved to respect God and to obey him in reverence.

c)        Noah OBEYED God’s voice!  This is the next step in Noah’s experience of God.  God opened his mind and made him aware of his situation, opened his heart, and prepared it to receive the Saviour, and led him to obey God’s Word!  His faith influenced his practice.  Genesis 6:14.  He did not dispute with God why he should make an ark, for his faith silenced all objections, and set him to work in earnest. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. Genesis 6:22. 

See what effect this interaction with God, this tremendous experience of conversion and salvation had in Noah’s life:-

3. Noah was REWARDED for his Faith.   to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. There were immediate effects of Noah’s faith and belief in God:

1. 1.       There was  A SPIRITUAL RESULT
   1. Noah condemned the world! There is something very convincing in a life of strict holiness and love of God; it commends itself to every man’s conscience in the sight of God, and they are judged by it. M Henry said, “This is the best way the people of God can take to condemn the wicked; not by harsh and censorious language, but by a holy exemplary conversation.”
   2. Noah became a partaker in RIGHTEOUSNESS! Hereby he became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith.  He was possessed of a true justifying righteousness; he was heir to it. 
2. 2.       There was A PERSONAL RESULT!

• Noah’s life was spared! Noah himself survived!  What a great promise for people who have this experience of God today!  To know Christ and Him Crucified, to have faith in God and to be living in obedience to his Word will bring great blessing in life, and that blessing will go with us into eternity!  Heaven awaits!
• Noah’s family were preserved! Noah and his house were saved, when a whole world of sinners were perishing about them. Obviously they shared his faith, and obeyed the Lord as he did.  So God saved his family for his sake; it was well for them that they were Noah’s sons and daughters; it was well for those women that they married into Noah’s family; perhaps they might have married to great estates in other families, but then they would have been drowned.  We still have this promise of household salvation today! Acts 2:39.

It is in claiming this promise in living faith that we sign our children with the seal of the Covenant, the sign of baptism, which is why baptism must be restricted only to those who know and love the Lord and are saved by grace through faith alone and their children!