Genesis

Genesis 6

 Genesis 6:  Noah and the Flood 

When we come to the story of Noah, we once again find a character from the early chapters of Genesis who made it to the Hebrews Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11.

In verse 5 we read that God saw how great the wickedness was on earth. We are told in 2 Chronicles 16:9 –“ the eye of God run to and for upon the earth to show Himself  strong on behalf of those whose  heart is right toward Him.” There had been a population explosion but the two classes of people that the Lord described would be on the earth – the seed of the devil and the seed of the woman were disproportionate.  Those who were the seed of the devil (unbelievers) were many and the seed of the woman ( believers)- were few. The believers were in number- 8 souls. Noah and his family.

Let’s look at what is said about Noah:

“But Noah found favor (grace KJV) in the eyes of the Lord.” Grace is defined as unmerited favor from God.  It is by God’s grace we are saved thru faith. Who does God give grace to?  The humble- the one who sees himself as a sinner in need of the grace and forgiveness of God. The one who sees himself or herself completely dependent on God.

Now watch the three things produced in the life of Noah as a result of being the recipient of the Grace of God.

“This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous (KJV just) man, blameless (KJV perfect) among the people  of his time, and he walked with God.” Genesis 6:9. Noah was declared righteous or just; Noah is described as perfect(blameless or whole); and Noah walked with God- meaning Noah communed with God.

Hebrews 11: 7- “ By faith Noah, when warned about things not seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the  world and became heir of the righteousness that  comes by faith.”

God made Noah righteous because Noah believed God. Note the definition of faith we are given in Hebrews 11:1- “ Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Noah was warned of ‘ things not seen’ (the flood) but in response he built an ark as God commanded him to do. His faith moved him to build a boat where there was no water.

So was Noah righteous because of any works he did?  No. He became  the heir of righteousness by faith. That is always the case. For by grace are you saved thru faith and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God not of works lest any man should boast.

Genesis 6:11-12: Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.   Note this is in God’s eyes- this is what He saw when He looked at what civilization had become- corrupt and filled with violence.  This is always the direction a civilization will take when you remove conscience and a fear of the Lord.  In addition , man is by nature and creation a fully dependent being. Man must depend upon God for his life, his breath, his activity, his intelligence, his power of choice and everything. That is why Jesus said apart from me you can do nothing. But man deceives himself into thinking he has the ability to control his life and as a result soon gets into a state beyond control- completely out of control. “As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of man.”

When God looked down upon earth in the days of Noah- He saw open, flagrant sin and violence. Sin was not only flaunted but applauded. What we are seeing in the book of Genesis is how God deals with a society that has reached this stage of wickedness. We will see it here in the flood and we will see it in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah where homosexuals  demanded their rights. Know this about God and His unchanging principles:  Given the same set of circumstances, God acts in the same way He did before.

As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of God. As it was in the days of Lot, thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. The mayors and leaders of some of our great cities in this country have proclaimed a “ Gay Pride” week to honor homosexuals and lesbians.  Here is what Paul says of those: ‘ Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind to do what ought not to be done. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only  continue to do these very  things but also approve of those who practice them’ (Romans 2:32)

We see in Scripture- God sets a limit to human wickedness beyond which judgment is inevitable. When we warn society of this impending judgment- they are described by Peter as ‘scoffers’ – they ridicule us for our old fashioned morality. I do not know where the world is according to the limit God has set- but I  believe it is fast approaching  its limit as God looks down upon the earth and is grieved.

But then as always comes the good news, the gospel- the way of escape. It is found in the description of the ark. As we will see it all points to the Carpenter of Nazareth who provided a judgment-proof righteousness and perfect salvation for mankind. Atonement was assured. All who enter in by the one who is called The Way, who said of Himself- I am the Door, will be sheltered from the storm of God’s wrath.

God always makes a way of escape for His people- that is why Jesus said : I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father except by me.

This is not a mythical account. The instruction given are precise, matter of fact and explicit. In fact the story of the Flood is supported by flood  legends of primitive people all over the earth.

After I was saved on September 16, 1977- the Lord led me to His word. I can still remember reading the Bible sitting in a certain chair in my blue bathrobe in our little house on Beaver Cove. I was battling alcoholism and the desire and temptation to drink scared me to death. I was in my first 30 days of sobriety and was attending AA meetings often. Then reading in I Corinthians 10- I came upon a promise that had my name written on it.

This story of Noah and how God made a way for him to escape reminds me of this precious promise.

“ No temptation has taken you or seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted He will also provide a way out ( also make a way to escape KJV) so you can stand up under it.” (God can make a way where there is no way.)

AA was showing me others had suffered the same temptations that were common to me and they had learned how to resist them. It told me a God who was faithful would not allow me to be tempted above that which I was able to bear- and would provide me with a way to escape if I trusted Him and depended on Him.

Within days of showing me that verse- that promise of empowering to overcome- I was tested.  I prayed this promise back to God- I called upon Him to make a way for me to escape in a moment of strong temptation. I had not been trained in prayer- but I learned a great lesson in prayer thru that situation and temptation. It was the turning point in my life. I discovered the weapons that we have that are mighty not carnal.(principle of leverage)  I discovered the power of powerlessness.  The great principle that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.

Here is the story within the story of the ark. The ark is a symbol and a type pointing to something else. It is a shadow of the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. See how the details of the ark points  in that  direction.

First- God said to Noah I am going to put an end to man on earth. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.  Then in verse 14-16; God the architect gives Noah, the carpenter, the blueprint for the ark. It is detailed and specific- but also points to another carpenter who would build a judgment proof ark to protect believers from the wrath of God to come.

It was made of gopher wood- probably similar to cypress. Gopher wood  was the most incorruptible wood he could use. History tells us the gates of St.Peter’s at Rome was made of gopher wood . They lasted over 1000 years from the time of Constantine to the time of Eugene IV without any signs of decay or rotting. The ark contained rooms in it…the Hebrew word used for rooms is the common word used for ‘nests’- implying the ark was built  not only for protection but for rest and comfort.  It was to be coated with pitch inside and out. Pitch was a tar-like substance used to coat the wall inside and out to seal them and make them water proof. The word ‘ pitch’comes from the same root word used for atonement.

Noah is given the specific dimensions : 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. A roof was constructed with an 18 inch window in the roof. No windows on the sides – only the one  window in the roof- so Noah could look in only one direction- UP.

One door on the side.

Three decks.

These dimensions tell us of a vessel that had 3 million cubic feet. Making it comparable to modern ocean-going vessels. In 1609,the Dutch Mennonite, Peter Jansen, built a ship in Holland to the same proportions, only 1/3rd the size. It moved slowly- but it carried 1/3rd more cargo than an ordinary ship of that day with the same cubic space.

Noah was quite a carpenter. It is interesting how God provides our needs and often uses those who hate Him as well as those who love Him to accomplish His sovereign will.  Tubal-Cain, the son of Lamech, who followed the way of Cain and was indifferent to God is the one who developed the tools Noah needed to construct the ark.  Just as the Jews who hated Jesus and the Roman empire were used by God to put His Son on a Roman cross.

Or did you ever think of the gift of the Magi- the gold – etc.- probably financed Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus’ escape to Egypt.  My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

It all begins with God’s grace.

“Noah found grace in God’s eyes.”  Remember grace is the unmerited favor of God- Noah did nothing to deserve it. Noah found grace- he found grace because he saw himself a sinner in need of the grace of God.

Others living in that time we are told the Spirit strived with them- contending with them to convict them of their sin- but in their pride they resisted the Spirit of God, grieving and quenching the Spirit who contended with them for 120 years.

God looks down on us with an eye of favor for those who sincerely look up with an eye of faith.  That is why in the ark the only window was in the roof  looking up to heaven- expressing our complete dependence on God and His Marvelous Grace.

The verses in Ephesians 2 described the process of salvation – the prepositions there describe the proposition of salvation.  Watch the process: it is BY grace THROUGH

Faith- UNTO good works.  The good works come after salvation. We are saved by grace not works. Be we are saved unto good works.

There is only one door. In the ark- all entered by the same door- be they elephants or mice. Jesus said I am the door, by me if any man enter in he shall be saved. ( John 10:9)  He is the only way to the Father.

He is our atonement-His blood seals us and judgment proofs us from the wrath of God. He is the mediator of a new covenant.

He is our refuge- our strong tower- our shelter in the storm. The blueprint for this plan of salvation- the ark for lost mankind was created before the foundation of the earth. It was God’s love that drew up the plan- it was his grace that brought it down to man.

God tells Noah ´I will establish my covenant with you- and you will enter the ark- you and your sons and your wife and  your sons’ wives. Your are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female. You are take every kind food for you and for them.   And Noah did everything just as God commanded him to do.”

A covenant is an agreement between two parties- made by one party to another. One can accept the agreement or refuse the agreement- but you cannot alter the agreement. This covenant with God must be done exactly as God commands it to be done.

It was not merely the ark that saved Noah and his family. The ark was the means by which his salvation was accomplished. It was the promise of God, the word of God that saved Noah.  How are we born again?  Peter tells us how we are: ‘for you have been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible , by the Word of God, which lives and abides forever.” ( I Peter 1:23)  All of these OT saints whose names are recorded in Hebrews 11 we are told again and again they were counted righteous – not for their works but for their faith…their faith in God’s word- in His promises. God grants His Grace only thru the window of faith.

We not only are saved by grace thru faith—that is how we are also to live our lives- by grace thru faith.

Do you realize how dangerously close our pride brings us each day  we depend upon our selves to control our life. We depend upon our intelligence, our strength, our talents until the Lord sends a storm- that causes us to cry out like the disciples who said Lord – don’t you even care we are perishing?  The Lord rose and stilled the storms and the waters then asked them as He asks us—where is your faith?

Paul wrote in Romans 1:  I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed; a righteousness that is by faith, for from the first to the last, just as it is written : the righteous will live  by faith.

The Gospel is a simple specific message given by God. The Gospel is the instrument to save lives. It brings salvation to all who believe.

Paul writes again in I Cor 15.  “ Now brothers I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved..

The Gospel, the Good News- is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was buried and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures.

So it all comes down to do you believe the Word of God?  It is about a simple message and do you really believe…it’s still the Cross and the blood of Calvary.

It is about this amazing grace that Noah found…

Oh were it not for grace… I can tell you where I’d be- wandering down some pointless road to nowhere with my salvation up to me; I know how that would go- the battles I would  face; forever running but losing this race.

Were it not for grace.

So here is all my praise expressed with all my heart offered to the Friend who took my place and ran a course I could not start. And when He saw in full just how much it would cost – He still went the final mile between me and heaven so I would not be lost.

One of the greatest statements ever made about the Lord Jesus was made by those who despised Him..  In Luke 15- as the Pharisees and teachers of the law observed Jesus with the tax collectors and sinners they muttered:  “ This man welcomes sinners.”

Aren’’t we glad He does?  Oh were it not for grace!

Genesis 7

Peter told us over 2000 years ago after the Lord Jesus had ascended to heaven-but  promised He would return what we could expect from an unbelieving world. Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:  “ First of all you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, walking after their own lusts, and saying: ‘ where is the promise of His coming? For since  our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning  of creation.”  But Peter notes-‘ they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and the destruction of ungodly men.”

Surely in the days of Noah- during the 120 years of construction of the ark- Noah and his sons heard similar taunts- when is this flood coming- you’ve been talking about it since we were young and before we were born- our fathers have died and never saw this happen.

The unbeliever does not want to hear of pending judgment. They keep themselves busy with the pursuits of their own lusts, desires.  As the Lord Jesus told us: “ for in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered into the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” ( Matt. 24:37-39)

Before we turn back to the time of the flood notice that Peter actually gives us some insight into the study of the flood.

  1. He tells us this was not an ordinary flood. The account in Genesis tells of the springs of the great deep burst forth. The windows of heaven opened and the rain poured as from a spout.
  2. The effects of the flood were worldwide.
  3. This flood and its utter destruction points to a future destruction of earth by God by fire.

Genesis 7: 1 ( KJV) and the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all they house into the ark for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.  In Revelation 4- John tells us a door that was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me which said , “ Come up hither.”  Thus the account of the flood begins with an invitation. Come into the ark. The invitation the Lord would issue to his disciples- come follow me.  To the thirsty- come and drink- the tired- come you who are weary .. it is His invitation to mankind- come unto me, His invitation to the saints at the rapture—come up hither.

When we sing- take it to the Lord in prayer- it is our response to his invitation to come unto me you who are weary and heavy laden.

It is the call of a loving parent to their child to come in – it’s getting dark. Come in there is a storm coming.  Come in to my presence to safety. The wording of this invitation- implies that God Himself is in the ark and Noah and his family are invited to join Him there. Surely- they came as the hymn encourages us to ‘ come- just as I am.’

But don’t miss the basis for the call to come into the ark- the Lord tells us Noah and his family were not just counted as righteous- but also ‘ seen as righteous’. There was a demonstration of his faith by his actions- building the ark. Noah not only believed – his subsequent actions demonstrated his belief. Obedience that results in activity is the demonstration of faith. It can be observed by God – but also it can be observed by the world as our witness. We are saved by grace thru faith- not of works. But we are saved to do good works.  James said show me you faith by your works.    If Noah had believed God was going to destroy the world by a flood- but took no action to build the ark- would you not question the validity of his faith? In fact Noah and his family without the work necessary to construct the ark- would have died.  For faith without works is dead.

Just as it was in the days of Noah- it is also the same way for us today. Obeying God was not easy for Noah and his family. The world wanted to conform him just as it wants to conform us.

Noah was given detailed destructions to the number of clean animals to be taken aboard for sacrifices on the other side of the flood. I am not sure I completely understand about clean and unclean in the OT…we know that the NT makes clear there are no clean and unclean animals  for all creatures of God are clean. But since it has to do with sacrifice- I think it might have to do with approaching a Holy God and is teaching a spiritual truth about things of the flesh and things of the spirit- but regardless of the meaning- Noah understood what he was supposed to take in the ark for the purpose of sacrifice.
Then God announces in seven days He will send the rain upon the earth. No doubt the ungodly had a good laugh over Noah and his family and all the animals aboard the ark.  The late nite comedians would have had a field day with the antics of this ‘ crazy Noah’ character.  Those who thought themselves intellectually superior- soon would discover they did not have enough sense to get in out of the rain.  For seven more days the grace of God is available.

Then after seven days, the dawn of judgment came. The precise day upon which the rains came is carefully noted- perhaps in the ships log that Noah kept. But most certainly it was a day God dreaded with a holy dread. It was a precisely appointed day in the calendar of God. And just as sure- there is another one of His calendar when He once again will judge the whole earth with fire.

It was the six hundredth year of Noah’s life on the seventeenth day of the second month.  I want to advise you this was not the Hebrew Religious Calendar which God would give to Moses and the nation of Israel after the Passover and Exodus from Egypt. This calendar would have been the ancient Near East calendar. This civil calendar began its new year in the fall with autumn and traditional tilling and plowing of soil.  Its first month would be our September/October; 2-Oct/Nov;3rd-Nov-Dec; 4th – Dec/Jan; 5th –Jan/Feb; 6th- Feb/mar; 7th- March/April;** 8th- April/May; 9th- May/june; 10th – June/July; 11th – July/Aug; 12th – Aug/Sept.

Verse 16 tells us the Lord Himself shut Noah and his family in the ark. The last book of the Bible, Revelation 3 tells us He opens doors no one can shut and what He shuts no one can open.  The door is still open- the grace of God is still available. But who knows when it will be shut?  Jesus told his disciples His Father knew- but that we would know the time was near by the signs we would observe.

This is also a beautiful picture of what Paul calls the sealing of the Spirit. Those who enter our ark, the Lord Jesus Christ, are sealed by God and kept by the power of God safe and secure in Christ.

So in the story of the flood- we see so much:

We see the consequences of sin- of unbelief of the sureness of God’s judgment.

We see the story of grace that makes a way to escape.

This grace is available only to the righteous. And righteousness comes by faith in God’s word.

Faith – that is saving faith is demonstrated in obedience- in actions.

What we see is an Unchanging God with Unchanging principles when given the same set of circumstances will act in exactly the same way.

But let’s look for the next few moments at obedience.

We are to obey God and  leave all the consequences to Him.  “ now therefore, if you will obey My voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people for all the earth is mine.” ( Exodus 19:5)

Obedience is the bottom line in the Christian life. Obey means to follow the commands; to behave in accordance with. It is one who is a not just a hearer of the word but a doer of the word. Obedience is submission to God’s will.

  1. We must know what God’s will is- be familiar with His word, commandments and principles. (Study to show thyself approved..)
  2. We must tap into the source of power of the Holy Spirit to assist us in taking the right actions and the right course.
  3. Be ready for an attack when you set out to obey God. Be ready for temptation.
  4. When tempted to disobey- remember your faithfulness and devotion to Christ are at stake. ( AA Sponsor told me) {if you love me- keep ..}

Obedience always brings blessings.

Luke 11:28- He said more than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.

Background- when this occurred, etc.

Last week I mentioned an event that took place in the early days of the Lord’s ministry.  He had attracted a large crowd down by the Sea of Galilee and asked Peter if he would  allow him to teach from his boat from the edge of the water – kind of like a floating pulpit or platform where he could be seen and heard by the crowd. Peter and his crew had just finished the night fishing and were cleaning and putting up their nets and ready to go home to breakfast and get some much needed rest.

Just as the Lord finished teaching and Peter and his crew were finishing up their tasks – as the crowds dispersed- the Lord asked Peter to launch out his boats and let down your nets for a catch.

Peter was tired …he told the Lord, we have been fishing- toiling all night and caught nothing.  He must have thought- about saying no…after all what did this young carpenter/rabbi/teacher know about fishing—but something made him change his mind.  A careful reading of the KJV tells us Peter’s reply  – “ nevertheless at thy WORD I will let down my net.” ( want some real sound advice- that if you follow you will never go wrong?  It comes from Mary, the mother of Jesus, who told the servant at the wedding- ‘do whatever He tells you.’)

We know the rest of the story- a miraculous catch-so great – Peter called his partners to come help. A night that was a total loss ended up with two overflowing boatloads of fish.  Talk about a fisherman’s tale…this is the one about the ones that didn’t get away.

Saying yes to the Lord’s request  and obeying HIS WORD always brings blessing.

This event transformed the lives of Peter, Andrew, James and John and untold millions of  people thru the ages. For it was after this event- that very morning issued an invitation to these fishermen—come- follow me and I will make you fishers of men.  A call to obedience with a promise of blessing.

So as we see in the life of Noah how his obedience blessed his sons, and the whole world. We see :

  1. Obeying God in small matters is an essential step to God’s greater blessings.
  2. Obedience always benefits others.
  3. When we obey God we will never be disappointed in the long run.

The flood is a story of judgment- for forty days and forty nights the flood kept coming on the earth.

As the waters rose- you can imagine the people trying to find higher ground- only to see it covered with water. As even the mountains were covered and everything – everything that had breath died- except Noah and his family.

In Chapter 8- the story of the flood turns from a story of judgment to a story of redemption.

“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the live stock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth.”  This language does not imply God had absently-minded forgotten about Noah and the ark…it was on His mind constantly. The word is used to express concern for a loved one- as in remember me in your prayers.

The wind is a picture in scripture of the Holy Spirit. This is a new beginning as it was in the creation when the Spirit of God hovered above the waters. Noah and his family are the church. When they came into the ark- it was a picture of salvation- saved by grace thru faith.

So here we see in this factual historical account of Noah the similarities of God’s concern for His church in the world today.  Keep in mind- what must have been the conditions on the ark- physically. The smells- the noise- the ‘cabin fever’ and uncertainty Noah and his family were experiencing. Yet Noah was a patient man and the Bible tells us the testing of our faith develops patience and patience matures our faith.  Haste makes waste and waste makes want.  If Noah had exited too soon- if he had gotten impatient and ahead of God- he would have been stuck in the mud. Ever get ahead of God- get impatient and get stuck in the mud? People do a lot of foolish things acting out of impatience. Beverly Sills said there are not shortcuts to anyplace worth going to.

Now as I explained earlier God has a calendar in heaven that is the only calendar that matters. God has made careful note of the exact dates in this account of Noah and now you will see why. The ark came to rest on Mount Ararat ( Turkey) and is over 16,000 feet above sea level on a date we must take note of:  the 17th day of the 7th month. Turn to Exodus 12 where God inaugurates a new calendar for the people of Israel.  This month is to be for you the first month- the first month of your year.

The month God was speaking of to Moses was the 7th month of the civil calendar- whose first month was in the fall. God was making the month of Passover the first month in the Hebrew/Jewish calendar. So watch these instructions:  the Passover Lamb was to be taken in by the family on the 10th day of the 7th month(under the old calendar)- it was slain on the 14th day. The day our Lord was crucified. Crucified on the 14th day of the 7th month- raised on the 17th day of the 7th month- the very day the ark rested on the Mountain. God had made a way to escape. What did God do in Egypt on that fateful night? He passed over those who had applied the blood of the Passover Lamb to the door posts of their home. Noah and his family represent the church- they were the church and the church rested on the very day of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead…for if Christ be not risen- our faith is in vain.

Blessed are those who wait on the Lord. Noah as eager as he was to get out of the ark waited on the Lord to show him when he was to move out.

The raven Noah sent out is an unclean bird and represents our old nature, the flesh which delights in the things of the world- things that are questionable- things that are foul and dirty.

The dove represents the Holy Spirit or the spirit. It can find no rest in the filthiness of the world. Noah lets the Spirit direct his coming in and going out.

Finally the day comes- God says to Noah: “ Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife and thy sons and thy son’s wives with thee.”

Have you noticed something?  It was God who told Noah to build an ark. It was God who told Noah and his family to come into the ark and everything to bring with him. It was God who shut them in the ark. It was God who told Noah to go forth from the ark.

God’s word led Noah to do the right thing at the right time. For Noah there is nothing but simple acts of obedience.

God’s word led him. And God’s word will lead us-we must trust and obey for there is no other way.

Peter said- nevertheless at THY WORD I will do it.

Mary said- do whatever He TELLS you.

James said – don’t be a hearer of the Word only- be a Doer.(hearer only is deceived)

We are born again not of the corruptible seed but of the incorruptible- the Word of God which abides forever..

The Word of God is alive and powerful..

The Word of God is life-giving, life sustaining and life changing.

Man does not live on bread alone but on every Word that comes from the mouth of God..

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…
What happens to those who do not believe the Word of God?

Luke 16 – the rich man and Lazarus.  It is a place I come to often in my teaching- because this is the place life brings every one of us to- death and what lies beyond and whether or not we have believed  and in believing have obeyed.

2 funerals- 2 futures.  And what happens to those who do not believe the Word of God.

Those who did not get on the ark are left on the other side of the gulf with no way to escape.  They missed the boat.

Genesis 8-9 : After The Flood. Law and Order.

After receiving the command to ‘ go forth’ from the ark, Noah and his family and all the creatures come out to begin the work of replenishing the earth.

Genesis 8: 20-21.We are told the first thing Noah did was to build  an altar  to the Lord and take some of the clean animals and clean birds and sacrifice them on the altar. The smoke coming up from the burnt offering is a sweet smelling aroma to God.

As we come  to the close of chapter 8 and the story of the flood and the ark, God shares His thoughts with us thru the written word:

Genesis 8:21b-22 …“never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of  his heart is evil from childhood. I will never destroy all living creatures as I have done. As long as earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Ever since that time- nature has been dependable based on the promise of God. Seedtime and harvest, seasons, cold and heat have been reliable and man has been able to depend on nature to feed himself and others. If Noah and his sons are to replenish the earth – they must have an environment that will allow them to do so.

God has promised He would provide it- and so He has day after day for all these centuries.

Noah is a farmer. Think about it- a farmer plows his field, sows the seed, and fertilizes and cultivates- knowing all the while that in the final analysis he is utterly dependent on forces outside himself. He knows he cannot cause the seed to germinate, or can he produce the rain and sunshine for growing and harvesting the crops. He is dependent on God. And here in Genesis 8- God promises to provide what is needed.

Going back to Genesis 6:18, God established a covenant with Noah and his family that he would preserve them through the flood. What we are seeing is that, just as with the farmer, God is working in a partnership with man. Farming is a picture of the joint venture between God and the farmer. The farmer cannot do what only God can do and God will not do what the farmer should do. So it is in the Christian’s walk.

You see- this is the way it is with God. God does His part and we do ours. We have a responsibility. We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings – God has supplied all our needs.  Christ has defeated sin on the cross and given us His Holy Spirit to empower us to victory over sin. But like the farmer, like Noah, we must face up to our responsibilities. We are to obey God.

As we begin Chapter 9- we begin a new chapter the history of mankind.  God has made a covenant with Noah.  We must note this covenant is not only for Noah and his sons- but his descendants after him- which would include us. God establishes law and order.

  1. God in providing a way for Noah and his family to escape fulfills the first part of the covenant- to preserve mankind through Noah.
  2. God establishes the reliability of nature. Even though man is evil from childhood. Man is sinful by nature. But God says He will allow the rain and sunshine to fall on the just and the unjust.
  3. In Genesis 9-verse 2- God causes fear of man to enter into the animal kingdom. What before the fall, man ruled by love, after fall man rules by fear. This would protect both man from wild animals and wild animals from evil man.
  4. In verse 3-God changes the diet of mankind adding meat to vegetation. The subtle message in this change of diet: we are alive because other creatures or creation die on our behalf to sustain our life. If not animals, as least plants. We are dependent creatures. We have no life force of our own, it is all borrowed. That is why Jesus is the fulfillment of this truth at all points. He is the way, the truth and the life. In Him was life we read in the John 1. Now perhaps you better understand what Jesus meant when He said: “ Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. But whosoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” ( John 6:53-54). Of course Jesus did not mean this literally but spiritually. We are to feed on Him and draw from Him his very life. Until we do – we are spiritually dead- feeding our outward man with the things of the world- but leaving a dead spirit within.  So many Christians are suffering from malnutrition because they do not feed on Him thru the intake of His word. Man cannot live by bread alone- but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. ( two natures – ex: white dog and black dog)
  5. In verses 4-6, God establishes law and order as the fifth provision of the covenant teaches the sacredness of life. We are prohibited from eating flesh with blood in it. Why? Because says God, life is in the blood.(Remember God heard Abel’s blood calling to Him.) And life is the exclusive property of God. It is God who imparts life not man. And only God can take life way. And God tells us ‘whoever sheds the blood of man by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.’ This is the instruction for capital punishment under God’s guidance to government.
  6. The sixth provision of the covenant in verse 7, like the original commandments to Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply is given to Noah and his descendants- which I remind you includes us. You might think- I have no children- how does this apply to me?  We are to witness to others- to spread the gospel to bring others to multiply the family of God who is not willing that any should perish.
  7. In verses 8-11, God guarantees there will never again be a universal flood.
  8. In verse 12-16- God seals His covenant with man and gives mankind a sign of assurance- the rainbow.

Behind every activity of God on our behalf is love. God is love. And all that He does is motivated by love- a love that will seek to break that stubborn pride and bring us to an end of ourselves and to trust in the One who is our Ark. Who will show us how we ought to live.

MY THREE SONS.

Genesis 9: 18-19 :  “The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These were the three sons of Noah and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth.”

The Word of God by giving us this additional information regarding Ham is turning the spotlight on an episode in the life of Ham.

Genesis 9:20-21. Noah, the farmer, has planted a vineyard which in the course of time produced fermented wine. This event would have required at least 2-3 years to plant a vineyard, grow to a fruit bearing size, harvest it , and extract the juice from the grapes. Then time also for it to ferment to become alcoholic. This is the first mention of wine in the Scriptures. The first reference to wine ( fermented) and it is connected with drunkenness.

Noah is drunk, has passed out and is exposed- naked. Ham- who again we are reminded in verse 22 is the father of Canaan saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers. Ham’s actions revealed something about his character. He did not honor his father, as Shem and Japheth were careful to do in the manner in which they covered their father’s sin. ( Love covers a multitude of sin)

Genesis 9:24-27.When Noah awoke from his wine, we are told he found out what Ham had done and prophetically pronounced a curse on Canaan- the nation, not the grandson. This curse was on a nation , not a race. We know that some of the nations of peoples that descended from Ham were the Black peoples of Africa, but the nation of Canaanites were not black skinned people- they were Caucasians. The curse was on a nation that God knew would become wicked. Noah pronounced curses and blessing based on knowledge revealed to him by God. For all prophecy comes from the Spirit of God.   Noah also blessed the Lord, the God of Shem. Shem would be the one thru whom the line of the Messiah would come.

Noah also prophetically proclaims that the territory of Japheth will be enlarged or extended and may Japheth live in the tents of Shem.

As we end the chapter we are told Noah, who was the grandson of Methuselah lives to be 950 years old.
In chapter 10 we will see the nations that grew out of Noah’s three sons. We are looking at our family tree.

Let me share with you who those descendants of the Noah’s three sons are:

Shem:  Hebrews, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Persians & Syrians. Shem’s descendants were called- Shemites- later shortened to Semites. Included were : Abraham, David and the Lord Jesus.

Ham:  Canaanites, Egyptians, Philistines, Hittites and Amorites. They settled in Canaan, Egypt, and the rest of Africa.

Japheth:  Greeks, Thracians & Sycthians the peoples of India and Europe.

Shem’s descendants were responsible for three great religions- Judaism, Muslim, and Christianity.

Japheth was promised enlargement- this is what most of us are- Europeans.

It is interesting in the New Testament we see these three groups specifically coming to Jesus:  the shepherds- Hebrew; the wise men- from the East were from Arabia were of Ham’s descendants; the Greeks, descendants of Japheth, approached  Phillip in John 12 and said we would like to see Jesus; and Paul tells us the Greeks  looked for wisdom- so we see in the NT.. that all three people groups seek after Jesus.

At Pentecost, Peter preached to the Jews- “ Ye men of Israel..”

Phillip left a revival in Samaria to go down and preach to a single individual, in the desert, an Ethiopian man- a descendant of Ham and Peter was told to go preach the gospel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion- a descendant of Japheth.

At Calvary- all three groups were represented:  the Jews ( Shem) said let his blood be on our heads and our children’s; the bearing of the cross was forced upon one Simon of Cyrene(Ham); and of course the crucifixion was carried out by the Roman govt. ( Japheth).

Genesis 10:8. Once again God shines His spotlight on another character that He would have us take notice of…Nimrod, a descendant of Ham.

Mankind has now fanned out over the Middle  East like the spokes of a wheel. The Middle East is called the ‘cradle of civilization’ for this is where it all began. The three major divisions or families of man come from Noah’s three sons. The descendants of Shem given to religious endeavors.  The descendants of Ham with a talent for technical and the ability to adapt to the world they live in- very clever in building things. The descendants of Japheth were given intellectual enlargement plus the widest distribution throughout Europe and India.
Nimrod is called a mighty hunter. But remains somewhat of a mysterious figure in history. He is founder of Babylon and Nineveh, two great cities of old. His center of operations was on the plains of Shinar that we will read more about in chapter 11.

Now before we meet Abraham- there is an event that takes place on the plains of Shinar recorded for us in the first verses of  chapter 11. What we will see what happens when a society decides to leave God out of society.

 Genesis 11- The Tower of Babel.

“ Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other-‘ Come let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They used bricks instead of stone, and tar(slime) for mortar. Then they said , ‘Come let us build ourselves a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the earth.’

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The Lord said, ‘if as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse the language so they will not understand each other. So the Lord scattered them from there all over the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it is called Babel- because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world and scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

We see here in the foundations of the first Babylon what will be the same philosophies and godlessness in the last Babylon of Revelation.  There will be a one world government, one world currency, one world language and one world religion. All man made.

It will be a society from which God is included only on their own terms.This is not the real God, Almighty God- but a god of their own making- which behind the curtain is really man himself. These Hamitic people were talented people who when they combined their talents were able to make significant accomplishments.

Notice they build  with bricks instead of stones. God uses stone doesn’t He? They had brick for stone and slime for mortar. Brick is hardened clay- a fitting picture of a godless civilization whose heart is hardened to the Word of God. Slime is associated with filth and it is reminder of the Beast who will come at the end who is called a ‘man of sin.’

Notice this society was of one  language – which means not only did they have one language they all understood- it also means they thought alike.. their minds conformed by the society in which they lived and worked.  After all- you have to go along to get along.

Man was created with a desire to worship. Atheism is not a satisfying religion- nothing to worship-  too barren..too pessimistic that is why Communism fell. Nothing to worship.

To satisfy their longings they would build a city and a tower. The city appealed to their souls- mind, will and emotions. The city was the center of business and culture. But there was still that longing for something spiritual so they built a tower, a ziggeraut that even modern archaeology was impressed by their talents and intelligence. At the center of all this was the motivation to make a name for themselves.  In other words bring glory to themselves.

Glory to mankind is the motto of humanism. It is behind the fall of satan and the temptation of Adam and Eve- the desire to be like God. A desire that in and of itself is  not wrong- the desire to be Christ-like should be the desire of every born again believer. However, the desire to be like God by being completely independent by being a person of reputation- making a name for ourselves based on a fallen world view of what is important and worthy of admiration- wealth, talent, power, possessions, appearance,etc., is what is wrong. Man searching for significance and meaning by his own accomplishments is nothing new- it is as old as the tower of babel.

Now with the building of this tower- an architectural wonder that reached high into the sky with astrological signs on the top- they had their spiritual desires met by a religious icon that kept them in contact with God- or so they wanted to believe. A God they could control- a God in a box- or more accurately a god in a tower. Who was in reality not a god at all.

God looked down and saw how man was abusing the talents and creativity He had given them to worship self instead of Him. This is why He confused their language. Any society that leaves God out will be a confused society.

Almighty God will not allow man to build a lasting society from which He is excluded.

In His famous Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus’ teaching includes, in fact starts out with the Beatitudes.

Listen to the first beatitude:  “ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

When we realize how poor- void  and empty we are – that there is nothing within us we can completely depend on- that we are powerless. Then, the Lord tells us He can give us the kingdom of heaven.

These spiritually proud, self-sufficient people wanted a kingdom they had earned. A man-made kingdom symbolized by a tower.  But for those of us who have realized how spiritually poor and void we are and asked the Lord to fill that void—guess what – He has become our strong tower.

Look around the world today and what you see is mankind trying to create solutions to the problems of life and the world without even consulting Almighty God.

Not to be political- but the campaign theme that resonated with the majority of the population in the United States was   “ YES –WE CAN!”   I can imagine the people of long ago on the plains of Shinar being encouraged by Nimrod telling them there was nothing they could not accomplish once they set their minds to it and worked together.  Can you hear them shouting in unison…YES WE CAN!?

This philosophy actually sounds good to us, doesn’t it?

The truth is :  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  But apart from Him – I can do nothing.  ( That is of lasting value- eternal value.)

All of the things we accumulate and possess that the world says makes us significant and gives our lives meaning- are temporary. When the game of life ends- they go back in the box.

The only thing that lasts are the Word  of God, the eternal kingdom of God and the souls of men. Do not lay up your treasures on earth- where rust and moth and thieves destroy- but lay up your treasure in heaven. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also. (Matthew. 6)