Genesis 6
March 6, 2010
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Bible Passage: Genesis 6
All aboard!!
Welcome onboard Noah’s Ark! Made with the finest gopher-wood, finely covered with pitch both inside and out.. Standing (or floating) at an impressive 300 by 50 by 30 cubits, it has enough rooms to fit a whole zoo in it! How d’ya like that? Three decks, and with a window and a door. Now that’s a ship. Forget about those superstar cruises and speedy yachts.. This ark doesn’t just float.. It saves!
*Warp back to reality*
I’m sure we’re all very familiar with this incident..
The world had become increasingly evil to the point that the people were committing sins that were really atrocious (e.g. Taking any beautiful daughters of men for wives, and any other kind of nonsense, you name it, they probably did it..). It was so bad to the extent that God said this:
I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them. – Verse 7
His judgment was about to fall upon all of them. All of mankind. Except for a certain man and his household.. Cue to Noah..
Noah was a just man and had found grace in the Lord’s eyes (verses 8-9). God then told him to build an ark that could hold him, his household and two of every animal. But God didn’t just tell him to build one just anyhow. He gave him specific instructions and blueprints on how the ark was to be built (Editor’s note: Flashback to alternate reality warp.. Paragraph 1 and 2.. Need to switch to decaf to avoid such scenarios..). And Noah obeyed without question, for I’m sure he knew that God’s way would save him and make the ark float.
Now how has this incident got to with us?
If we look around, like that time, the world now is also becoming increasingly evil. Not evil in the sense of a rising number of madmen planning to take over the world in grand visions of total world domination.. But rather, and probably more seriously, the proliferation of sin over the face of the earth. New and different kinds of sin are sprouting with each passing moment, and sin is growing too.. Just like during the time of Noah.. The world is definitely doomed for God’s judgment..
Fortunately for us, we have an ark too.. And what is that ark?
That ark is the true church, the church that we are in.. Noah followed the very specific instructions that God gave to him in order to have the ship save them. Likewise, as the true church, we follow the very specific instructions and commandments that God has given to us through His teachings in the Bible, so that we may be saved in the last days. This ark will float when all else sinks…
Funny when I typed the word “sinks”, hymn 376 came into my mind.. And with it came this verse (Well.. Not in my mind but on the hymn book):
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” – Matthew 7: 24
As a church, and as individual followers of Christ, we have to built our house on the solid rock. We have to not just hear the commandments and teachings of Christ, but also really follow accordingly and do them, just like what Noah did. Imagine if Noah hadn’t done that, and who knows… The ark might have sunk too, killing all onboard (Time paradox alert!).
Likewise, if we don’t do this and not build our house on the rock, then as the hymn describes in the chorus, we sink in all other ground that is sinking sand..
When Christ comes again, will we be floating above the waters, or will be under the sea? No doubt, the true church really is the ark in the last days.. But as individuals, probably we can see ourselves as our own arks. Are we building up ourselves according to the teachings and instructions of God? Will we be able to be saved?
This is something we all need to ponder as we are hammering in the nails building up that hull in our ark..
Here was another man who walked with God (Gen 6:9). Seems that despite the impending flood where swimming may be the better exercise to indulge in… walking was still the best form of exercise… [ok... upon reading what I just wrote.. it is a vain attempt at some humour]
Godly exercise = walking with God (1 Tim 4:7-8)
People my age have begun to talk about the need to start exercising and increase our level of physical activity so that we can ‘combat’ our ageing process. But upon reading what Enoch did and what Noah now is doing, it reminds me that I must indeed put in more effort to exercise myself towards godliness.
It does not require from us much to start exercising in this way. You do not even need to invest in expensive jogging shoes, tennis gear or join a gym. Just pick up the Bible and read everyday. Memorise a verse each week. Give thanks to God daily or sing His praise.
We just need to begin where we are, with what we have, right now.
Noah was considered to be a perfect man in his generation…. and it was because “… Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” (Gen 6:22).
I know I am very far from being called a perfect man. And I know I have failed more often that most. But I pray that I can be just like Noah too…. to be able to walk with God day by day. (:
Gen 4:23-24 Then Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech!
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man for hurting me.
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy sevenfold.’
Was this the voice of the son of men?
“Then men began to call on the name of the LORD” in Gen 4:26. God gave His Spirit to live in their hearts (Gen 6:3 strive wth man forever is recorded as “永远住在他里面”). They walked with God as His sons.
Soon the sons of God fell bec of lust of the eyes.
Violence filled the earth (may be bec the sons of men were more productive and the sons of God backslided and fell from the grace of God). Gen 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil contunually.
God saw the intent of the thoughts in a man’s heart!
Gen 6:8 Noah found grace in the eyes of God. Gen 6:9 Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
Noah was just a man but the bible described him as “found grace in the eyes of the LORD, a just man, perfect in his generations” and “Noah walked with God.”
How many of Noah’s conditions do we have today?
At least 2:
(i) we in the true church have indeed found grace in the eyes of God,
(ii) the Holy Spirit is in us to walk with us.
Count our blessings and continue to walk with God. God will add on to us.
(The Chin bible describes ark as方舟ie cuboid 300 by 50 by 30, a squarish bottom to float)