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Noah
Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord
Gen. 6:7-9 "And the LORD said,
I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the
earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the
fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made
them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These
are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect
in his generations, and Noah walked with God."
The above passage
is an amazing testimony of the grace of God. God had
determined to destroy man whom he had created for it had
repented him that he made them. Moreover, we read earlier
in the chapter the general condemnation of all mankind that
"every imagination of the thoughts of their heart was only
evil continually and that all flesh had corrupted its way
upon the earth. Since this was a general condemnation of
all mankind, it would have included Noah. Yet, later in the
above passage we read where Noah was a just man and perfect
in his generations, and Noah walked with God. How did Noah
go from being corrupted and condemned with all of mankind
unto being just and perfect and walking with God? The
answer is found in the statement "But Noah found grace in
the eyes of the LORD."
Some have thought
that Noah found grace because he was a just man and perfect
in his generations and that he walked with God. However,
had that been the case, Noah would have merited his
deliverance from the flood. His deliverance would not have
been by grace (unmerited favor of God) but rather by his
works. The fact is Noah found grace before he was just and
perfect and walked with God. It was only because of the
grace of God that Noah was just and perfect in his
generations and that he walked with God.
Man is by nature
totally depraved. This depravity was handed down from
generation to generation originating with Adam who
transgressed the law of sin and death in the Garden of
Eden. A man is incapable of delivering himself from this
state of total depravity. He dwells in this state and is
bound to his flesh nature of depravity until he is born of
the Spirit of God. The new or Spiritual birth is totally
and solely brought about by the grace of God through the
spoken voice of the Son of God: John 5:25 "Verily, verily, I
say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead
shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear
shall live."
Further, the only
way that any man can be just before God is that he has been
washed in the blood of Jesus. This too is by the grace of
God and not by the works of man. Noah lived a long time
before Christ came into the world, yet the blood of Jesus
was applied to Noah to make him just before a just and holy
God. This was brought about by the covenant of redemption
that God made with himself before the world began. This
covenant is stated in Rom. 8:29, 30: "For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also
called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom
he justified, them he also glorified." Based on the work of
God in this covenant we read in verse 33, 34: "Who shall lay
any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that
died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the
right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
It was because of this covenant work of God that
Noah was brought into a state of righteousness with God and
that he was able through the miracle of the effectual
calling of God to walk with God.
Later it is said of Noah that he was a preacher
of righteousness. This too is by the grace of God. God
calls whom he will to preach and he gives them the gifts and
ability to preach by his grace. He also has given them what
to preach by his grace.
Provision made for those on the Ark
Gen. 6:21 And take thou unto thee of all food
that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it
shall be for food for thee, and for them."
For Noah and his
family and for the animals on the ark God made provision for
the inhabitants of the ark during their journey. God does
likewise for his children. He makes provision for them to
have spiritual food for their journey here on earth. God
told Peter: John 21:15-17 "So when they had dined, Jesus
saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me
more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest
that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He
saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest
that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He
saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest
thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the
third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou
knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus
saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
Likewise, Paul instructed the
elders at Ephesus in Acts 20:28 "Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy
Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God,
which he hath purchased with his own blood."
Moreover, Peter commanded the
elders in 1 Peter 5:1-3 "The elders which are among you I
exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that
shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you,
taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but
willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being
ensamples to the flock."
It is one of the main duties
of a gospel preacher to provide spiritual food to the
children of God by preaching the word of God unto them.
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