Today’s Reading: Genesis 5:1 – 9:17
Unfortunately, like Cain, most of Adam’s descendants refused to do what is right and God did not miss a moment of their disobedience and sinful attitudes.
The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing – all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” But Noah found favor with the Lord. – Genesis 6:5-8
IN HIS SIGHT
God saw each decision made and every sin committed. God grieved over His creation and their lack of love for their Creator. He saw the selfish desires of their hearts and how quickly they gravitated toward evil. But He also saw the hearts of those who kept their eyes focused on Him, who chose to walk in close fellowship with God.
There are two men in the account of Adam’s descendants in chapter 5 of Genesis who were described as “walking in close fellowship with God” – Enoch and Noah. Even though their descriptions were the same, God’s response to their faithfulness was very different.
Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had many other sons and daughters. Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him. – Genesis 5:22b-24
In comparison to the lifespan of the other descendants of Adam, Enoch lived a very short life. If we put it in our terms today, it would be like someone dying around age 40. Enoch was faithful to God and lived in close relationship with Him, but God chose to take Enoch from earth early in his life.
Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time. Like Enoch, he walked in close fellowship with God (6:9). God had a 950-year plan for Noah (9:29) – a plan to keep him on earth to accomplish God’s purpose.
FOR HIS PURPOSE
Many times I have wondered why God took one of His faithful followers to be with Him instead of healing them or sparing them physical harm. God has different plans for different people and it is not always easy to understand His reasons, but we can always trust His heart. Both Enoch and Noah found favor with God, but His loving response differed from one situation to another – yet God remains the faithful. God was ready to bring Enoch home but He simply was not done with Noah.
Is there a loss in your life that you are still grieving? Perhaps this would be a good time to stop and give your pain and grief to God, trusting HIS plan and HIS love regardless of your inability to understand HIS reasons. Trust God’s heart, even when you don’t understand His plan. Know that God remains the same faithful and loving God no matter how difficult life becomes.
God chose to wipe all living creatures from the earth because of the violence that was everywhere. But, because of the faithfulness of one man, God created a plan to spare Noah and his family.
God told Noah that he was going to cover the earth with a flood. Noah had never experienced a flood but he trusted God. God told Noah to build a boat. Noah had never seen a boat but he trusted God. Everything God told him to do, Noah did exactly as God commanded him (6:22; 7:5). And everything God said He was going to do, He did – in His time.
IN HIS TIME
It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith, Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith. – Hebrews 11:7
Righteousness that comes by faith – Noah was no more righteous than the next guy by his own efforts. But He chose to have faith in God and from that relationship came righteousness. God told Noah what to do and Noah’s faith gave him the courage to respond in obedience, resulting in a life reflecting the righteousness of God.
It rained for 40 days and the floodwaters covered the earth for 150 days. After 5 months, Noah released a bird to see if the floodwaters on the earth had dried up. But the bird came back because there was no place for it to land. It was not God’s time. Noah sent out a dove, but again the bird came back. It was not God’s time. Seven days later, Noah released another dove and it came back with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. It was still not God’s time but it was a sign from God that the time was drawing near. Seven days later, Noah released a third dove and it did not come back. Still Noah waited patiently for God’s instructions, which came in God’s time. Noah and his family left the boat when God said to leave the boat (Genesis 8).
God told Noah before the flood that He would confirm His covenant with Noah (6:18). The first thing Noah did after emptying the animals from the boat was to build an altar to the Lord and sacrifice burnt offerings to Him. God then spoke His covenant or promise to Noah:
“I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things. As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” – Genesis 8:21-22
Just as He promised, God confirmed His covenant with Noah. He also gave him a sign of his covenant, a promise for all future generations to see and be reminded that GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES. God sent a rainbow – an image of peace after the storm and a reminder of God’s eternal covenant with us.
The life we choose to live is never outside of HIS SIGHT. Our faith grows as we choose to live our life for HIS PURPOSES and trust IN HIS TIME, believing that He is a God who keeps His promises. From that faith comes the gift of His righteousness.
Father God, thank you for having a plan and a purpose that goes beyond my own understanding. Help me to daily trust you enough to wait for your perfect plan in your perfect time. Thank you for today’s reminder that you are a God who keeps His promises, a God whose heart I can trust. Amen.