Fit For Service (Part 8-Noah)

This is week thirteen of our study: Fit for Service.  Today we will be looking at the life of Noah to see what made him usable by God.   

First, Noah was obedient. 

Genesis 6:22, So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him. (NLT) 

Genesis 7:5-7, So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him. Noah was 600 years old when the flood covered the earth. He went on board the boat to escape the flood—he and his wife and his sons and their wives. (NLT) 

Obedience opens us up to be used by God. We see here that Noah did exactly what the Lord commanded.  We know that at the time of the flood Noah was 600 years old.  Praise God, none of us will live 600 years on this planet, however, often in our culture we are taught that the older we get the less “useful” we become.  This mindset is definitely a factor in the retirement age set by most businesses and our government.   

I do understand that after working hard for 40+ years, raising a family, and engaging in the busyness of life we tend to want to slow down and “enjoy” life.  However, there is no retirement plan in the Kingdom of God.  We, like Noah, are called to walk in usable obedience until the day we find ourselves face to face with Jesus in Glory! 

Life is short, no matter how long we live on this earth. Time is fleeting, and the days of our lives are numbered and known by the Lord, alone. His purposes are good, and in a fraction of the entirety of our lives on this earth, He can move through us with the power of a flood.i 

Second, Noah walked in faith. 

Little rabbit trail: In Hebrew, Noah’s name means rest.  Our pastor gave a great definition for spiritual rest: supernatural faith!!  We can rest in God when we have supernatural (unconditional) faith in Him.  He always keeps his promises!  Spiritual rest, however, is not just sitting around and waiting on God to do the work!   

Genesis 6:13-4, 17-18, 22, So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!  

“Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior.   

“Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives.  

So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him. (NLT) 

Donald B. DeYoung from Blue Letter Bible shares that based on Scripture, he believes there was no rain before the time of Noah. “No mention is made of rain on the earth until the Flood (Gen. 7:4,12). The original earth and the Garden of Eden were watered by streams, rivers, and mist instead of by rain (Genesis 2:5, 6,10)."ii 

Although he had probably never seen rain, when God spoke about destroying the earth and all its inhabitants with a flood, Noah did not just sit around waiting to see if it would rain.  Noah worked out of his place of rest (supernatural faith).  He got busy building an ark.  He not only built the ark, but he did it to the exact specifications God had given him.   

To rest in the Lord, we learn from Noah, doesn’t always assume idleness, stillness, or lack of activity, but a calm, confident, and unwavering trust, faithfulness, and obedience to the Lord.iii 

The writer of Hebrews defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith, in this context, is a settled confidence of something as yet unseen but promised by God. Without faith in the promises of God, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).iv 

Faith begins where our understanding ends!!   

Third, Noah was righteous. 

Genesis 6:9, Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (NIV) 

John Calvin comments on this passage, “they are called just and upright, not who are in every respect perfect, and in whom there is no defect; but who cultivate righteousness purely, and from their heart.”v 

Noah’s personal righteousness explains why he is warned about the forthcoming deluge. Blameless conveys the idea of being without evident fault, though not necessarily sinless.vi 

Strong’s Concordance says that the Hebrew word for a righteous man is ṣad·dîq. He was, “just, lawful, righteous.” In the midst of a generation who was denying and rebelling against God, Noah chose to honor the Lord of his ancestors. He took a stance to live blamelessly and right.  

This causes us to reflect today. Sometimes we feel as if sin keeps getting worse and evil multiplies rapidly around us. However, when we look at Noah, he too lived in challenging times. The beautiful reminder to us is that just as God saw Noah in the time of outrageous immorality and wickedness, He sees those who are wholeheartedly seeking after Him today. 2 Chronicles 16:9a says, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” vii 

Fourth, Noah found favor with God. 

Finding favor means gaining approval, acceptance, or special benefits or blessings.    

The favor that human beings receive from God depends on his good pleasure and is often extended in response to prayer or righteous living. Those whose walk is blameless, such as Noah or Moses ( Gen 6:8 ; Exod 33:12-13 ), receive favor and honor from the Lord ( Psalm 84:11 ).viii 

God’s favor, or grace, is God giving us the ability to do something which is humanly impossible for us to do. For example, it is only by God’s undeserved favor that we can experience eternal life, and it is only by God’s grace that we have the ability to live for the Lord.ix 

Psalm 90:17, May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands. (NIV) 

In his own strength and wisdom, Noah never could have built the ark, however, as he walked in God’s favor, he was able to complete the task, thus saving his family and the animals God sent to him.   

Psalm 5:12, Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. (NIV) 

According to Answers in Genesis it probably took about 75 years to build the ark.  The Scripture does not tell us how the local people reacted to Noah and his family during that time, however, knowing that his day was much like ours it is safe to assume that he and his family were mocked, ridiculed, and persecuted for their faithful obedience. Yet, as Psalm 5:12 tells us, God surrounded them with His favor as with a shield and they were able to complete the work.   

In conclusion, we have learned that Noah was obedient, he walked in faith, he was righteous, and he found favor with God.  

Father, help us learn to walk in obedience, faith, and righteousness.  We know that your favor gives us the strength to fulfill the task you set daily before us. Grant us the wisdom to fulfill your purposes for our lives as we work for your kingdom.  We know that our life on earth is just a blink in the vastness of eternity.  May you use our brief time on earth, like a flood, to bring your kingdom to earth as it is in heaven!   

Works Cited:

i (https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/things-to-know-about-noah-in-the-bible.html)

ii www.biblestudytools.com

iii https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/things-to-know-about-noah-in-the-bible.html

iv https://answersingenesis.org/bible-characters/noah/noah-example-of-faith/

v https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/righteous-man

vi The ESV Global Study Bible®, ESV Bible® Copyright © 2012 by Crossway. All rights reserved.

vii www.biblestudytools.com

viii Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Edited by Walter A. Elwell Copyright © 1996 by Walter A. Elwell. Published by Baker Books, a division of Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan USA.

ix https://www.christianity.com/wiki/god/gods-favor-meaning-and-examples.html