God's Grace To Noah

Portraits Of The Christian Faith

Throughout the history of the world people have rejected God's message of His impending judgment and man's lost condition.

God's Grace To Noah's

In Genesis 6:7, we read, "I will blot out man whom I have created..." Herein is the righteousness of God, but then comes grace. In verse 8, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." Favor in Hebrew means Grace. The word Origin is derived from the root (chanan), which means "to be gracious" or "to show favor." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries (charis) are often translated as "grace" in the New Testament, reflecting a similar concept of unmerited favor. The word in Hebrew, "chen," is frequently used to describe the unmerited favor and kindness that one receives from God. It was understood as a divine attribute that was not earned but given freely, and of their relationship with God, who chose them as His people not because of their merit but because of His gracious love.

God's Grace To Noah Enabled Reverence For God By Faith

"By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." Hebrews 11:7 The faith given to Noah by God's grace became Noah's very inheritance as an heir and received what belonged to another, none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who died in Noah's place, bore Noah's sins and set Noah free to serve God. God always enters into a covenant relationship with those He chooses to save by His grace, not according to any inherent righteousness of their own as if they had any, but based on His Son's sacrificial love offered upon a Roman cross in time and always effectual in eternally.

God's Grace To Noah Became Noah's Message That Condemned The World

"Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years" "Genesis 6:3. Man was said to be flesh. Jesus said in John 4:23-24, "... the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Noah worshipped God in spirit, and except for those who began to call upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 4:26), all others were living in the flesh and were condemned to judgment. Humanity in Noah's Day had an expiration date of 120 years. Noah proclaimed and warned the descendants of Adam that their days were numbered, but his message went unheeded.

The person who walks in the good works prepared by God walks in their identity in Jesus Christ and not themselves. Prayers in The Valley Of Vision speak to the Puritans' understanding of their sin. They continued to humble themselves before God, so it must be with us today. It is the cross of Christ and only the cross that enables us to follow in Noah's steps, and we must do so, weeping for ourselves and our brethren as we go.

"...who for the joy set before Him endured the cross..." Hebrews 12:2. Jesus' joy was to hear well done from His Father. Our "well done" comes only from being found in Jesus' obedience. We must step aside and die to ourselves so that the Holy Spirit can live out Christ's obedience within us.

God's grace to Noah must become our grace from God.