So, let’s dive into this narrative laid out for us. The beauty of this story lies in the weight of this story.
During our devotion time last week at baseball practice, I asked the boys what they knew about the story of Noah and the flood. Answers I heard were: “A big boat,” “a lot of animals,” “a rainbow,” etc. Answers I didn’t hear were: “judgement,” “people sinning,” “people drowning,” etc.
This story, in its proper context, isn’t necessarily one you want to paint in your children’s room. In its proper context, it’s the furthest thing from happy and fun. Yes, it’s a story of grace and salvation. But it’s also a story of God’s judgment and wrath.
Some commentators have described the beginning of this story as the story of de-creation. And the end of this story is the story of re-creation.
It’s as if Noah will function as a second Adam. But, as we will see in a few weeks, Noah will follow in the footsteps of his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather Adam. Sin has mankind in a chokehold. In this story of de-creation and re-creation, we’re reminded of the corruption of mankind. We’re reminded of our need for a savior.
Now, kids, there are three big picture truths I want us to learn about God today:
God is just.
God is gracious.
God is faithful.
God here has seen the wickedness of man, and He is preparing to pour out His wrath on all of His creation. But, as he prepares to pour out his wrath on all of his creation, He makes a way for salvation. He saves a faithful remnant. In doing so, he has not abandoned the promise of redemption that he made back in Genesis 3:15.
So, yes, this is a passage about judgment and wrath. But it is also one of grace and salvation. As God regrets making mankind, leading him to change his course of action, his plan to crush the serpent through the line of Eve does not change.
So, as we work through this story, we will teeter back and forth between God’s judgment and His salvation. We will consider how He treats the wicked versus how He treats the righteous, how He treats those who walk away from Him versus how He treats those who walk with Him. In the midst of God’s great judgment, Noah found safety in the Ark. And, in the same way, we will find safety in Jesus from God’s great and final judgment one day.
GOD IS JUST
So, let’s first look at this story through the lens of the first point of God’s justice. We learned last week that there is nothing that God cannot see. There is nothing he is unaware of. He sees and knows all things. At the end of Genesis 1, we see the all-knowing creator looking out at creation, and as He is looking, He sees that everything He has made was “very good.” But now in Genesis 6:5, we see the creator looking out at his creation, and he sees “that the wickedness of man was great in the earth.” So, sin had infiltrated and corrupted the earth that God had once declared to be good. All of humanity was wicked; all of their intentions were evil continually.
Look at verses 11-12, “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”
In these two verses, the word “corrupt” is used three times to describe the earth. It can mean “to destroy” or “to be spoiled” or “ruined.” So, in this context, think about a jug of old, hot, and spoiled milk that’s been sitting out in the sun all day. The longer it sits, the more spoiled it becomes. Sin has so impacted the way of life that it’s perverted and destroyed humanity. Like a jug of milk in the sun, the longer they’ve been on earth, the more corrupt they’ve become. In the eyes of man, they might have been fine. But, in the eyes of God, they were corrupt. The earth had become filled with violence. They were morally ruined in God’s sight.
Now, there are a couple of things worth noting here.
First, when it comes to determining what’s corrupt or not, God is the only one who has a say-so. The creator gets to determine what’s right or wrong for his creation. The pot doesn’t get to say to the potter, “This is how I want to operate.” Creation never has the freedom to challenge their creator. As Psalm 100:3 puts it, “It is he who made us, and we are his.” Therefore, because God created us, He has authority over us. God has the right to determine how his creation should live. And we have no grounds to redefine the moral boundaries God has put in place for us. If God says, “Don’t do ______,” we don’t do it. If God says, “Do ______,” we do it. The creator gets to determine what’s right or wrong for his creation.
Second, we need to understand that God’s standard is much higher than man’s standard. We assess outward performances, but God assesses inward intentions. God weighs our actions, sure. But he also weighs our hearts. Going back to verse 6, “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of his heart was only evil continually.”
So, God cares just as much about what we think about as he does about what we do. Which leads to the third point I want us to take note of: sins of the heart hardly ever stay in the heart. Evil intentions lead to evil actions. A world full of sinful hearts (v.6) became a world that was corrupt in God’s sight (v.11). Selfish people will become violent people. Sin had become so rampant that the LORD regretted having made the earth. He was deeply grieved by the state of those whom he had blessed and called to be fruitful and multiply. His heart was sad, which led him to resolve to wipe out his creation. God says in verse 13, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold I will destroy them with the earth.”
God has seen the wickedness of man, and he’s prepared to bang the gavel. He is ready to render judgment. Because of their sin, God has announced that he will bring destruction upon them and upon the world they have ruined. This is strong language, language of total destruction. The same verb for “destroy” is the one used earlier to describe how humanity had “corrupted” the earth. So, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. In the same way that humanity had ruined the earth through violence, God will ruin humanity through judgment. God is just; He treats all people fairly in both blessings and curses. God’s judgment will always fit the crime.
Now, church, let me take a step back for just a moment. It likely took Noah between 55 and 120 years to build the ark. This means that for 55-120 years, God patiently waited to exercise the judgment he promised for the world. Therefore, there may be days when it seems as though God is delaying the judgment. You may look out into the world and ask, “God, where are you?” But do not mistake God’s patience for a lack of care. Do not mistake God’s patience for an endorsement of evil. And do not confuse God’s patience with injustice. God saw the corruption of the world and said He would bring destruction upon it. And, in his right timing, he did just as he promised!
Now, he said that he will bring judgment on the earth by wiping out all of the wicked through a flood. In verse 17, God says, “For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.”
Growing up, surfing was a significant part of my life. I’ve surfed the East Coast, California, Portugal, Hawaii, and Costa Rica. And there have been a few moments when, out in the ocean, I genuinely feared for my life. Even now, when I picture certain waves in Costa Rica, my heart starts racing. There is a kind of fury and power in the ocean that’s hard to explain. But when the sea decides to take hold of you, it does not easily let go. The strongest men, the best swimmers, all lose when they try to fight the ocean.
So, as someone who has tasted even a fraction of the ocean’s power, this verse shakes me. God promises a flood that will overwhelm the entire earth, wiping out all flesh that has the breath of life. No one will be able to stand against it.
God has promised to turn the earth into a graveyard. Judgment is coming for the wicked.
Genesis 7:17-24 says, “[17] The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. [18] The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. [19] And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. [20] The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. [21] And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. [22] Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. [23] He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. [24] And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.”
Judgment was promised, and judgment came. The waters rose, and the waters prevailed. All the flesh died. Everything on the dry land died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground. The earth was turned into a graveyard.
GOD IS GRACIOUS
Now, wedged in the middle of this terrifying story of God preparing to judge the world for their corruption, we find a man who lived very differently from the rest of creation. As you read a story centered around the depravity of what was going on during this time, you find a glimmer of hope in verse 8– “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”
The Hebrew word for favor here means undeserved kindness or grace. In a world full of rebellion and defilement, God’s grace rested heavily upon the shoulders of Noah. This means that God acted kindly toward Noah in a way that he did not have to. He looked upon Noah with gracious approval.
I want us to take note of the order in which Noah was described here! Favor proceeded blamelessness. Noah was described as a righteous and blameless man who walked with God because of God’s grace. In other words, God’s grace came first, and then obedience followed. Christian obedience is always a response to grace, not a means to earn grace. This has always been the economics of God’s kingdom. What’s described here of Noah is what is described of you and me, Christians. Grace comes first, and obedience follows— “We are saved by grace through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” So, the gospel invitation is not to get your life together to come to God; it’s come to God, and your life will start to come together.
So, God is just! But God is also gracious! God’s judgment and grace are running parallel to each other here in this passage! As God tells Noah that judgment is coming upon the world, He provides instructions for Noah, in which he will find safety— “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood.” He then gives specific instructions on how to do so— “Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. [15] This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. [16] Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.” Then he tells him why— “For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.” But then he speaks of a covenant he will make with Noah— “But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. [20] Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. [21] Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.”
A covenant is similar to a contract, but it differs from a contract. It’s a binding agreement between two parties that entails a relational bond, typically rooted in promises and obligations. In the Bible, God is always the one who instigates a covenant. Here God promises to save Noah and his family, and we will see later on that he covenants never again to destroy life on earth with a flood.
As we continue to read, I think verse 22 is one of the more beautiful verses in Genesis 6: “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” Similarly, in Genesis 7:1-5, God instructs Noah to enter the Ark with his family and all the animals. And verse 5 says, “And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.” We have no indication of Noah saying a word in this passage. He has silently and faithfully followed the guidance of his God.
Man, do I want this description to be true of my life. I want to be known as a man who listens and obeys. I want to be a man who walks in step with the Holy Spirit every day of his life. May we be silently obedient followers of Jesus. May we be willing to talk less and do more.
In chapter 7, we see things begin to transpire in the exact way God said they would. In verse 13, Noah and his family entered the ark, and in verse 16, God shut the door behind them. God was the author and perfector of Noah’s salvation. The work God began, he also completed. As the waters rose outside the walls of the ark, those in the ark were safe because God shut them in. As all flesh was dying outside the ark, those in the ark lived because God shut them in. Only those who were shut in the ark lived.
Friends, there is a great parallel for us today that I don’t want us to miss. In the same way that God promised judgment upon the wicked in Genesis 6, God has promised that a future and final judgment will come. In Genesis 6, God’s judgment came in the form of a flood. In the end, God’s judgment will come in the form of fire— “For behold, the LORD will come in fire… For by fire will the LORD enter into judgment.” But, in the same way that a greater judgment is coming, a greater ark is promised. Jesus is the greater ark who provides salvation from God’s coming judgment.
The New Testament repeatedly uses the phrase “in Christ.” Christ is in us, and we are in him. So, all who are in Christ are safe from God’s coming, eternal judgment. In the same way that the ark took the brunt of the wrath, Jesus takes the brunt of God’s wrath. In the same way that there was only one ark, there is only one Savior— “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him.” All who place their faith and hope in Jesus will be safe in Jesus. In him, we are safe from God’s coming wrath!
Have you entered the ark by faith? Have you surrendered your heart and life to Jesus?
Now, 2 Peter 2:5 describes Noah as a herald of righteousness. To herald is to proclaim, to shout a message. So, to be a herald of righteousness means to be a proclaimer of righteousness. This implies that not only did Noah silently obey God with consistent and ongoing obedience, but he also warned others of the coming judgment and called them to repentance. This makes sense, and we can see how it likely played out. Noah, over a long period, built this massive boat. So, you can imagine people would ask, “Noah, what are you doing?” You can imagine he was on the receiving end of a lot of jokes. Yet, out of reverent fear of God’s coming judgment, he remained faithful. He continued to build despite the world's violent mockery.
And as the world mocked, Moses warned. He preached. He invited— “Repent, brothers! I’m sure the Lord will allow you on the boat! Come and join me!”
Friends, if a day is coming when God will judge all of humanity rightly and fairly, and if true safety is found from this judgment, then we would be foolish not to go tell others about it!