Genesis 5-7

Why Noah? I asked myself this question this week. Why not, Enoch? Since the first time I ever read about Enoch, I was fascinated by him. A man, who has so few of verses in the scripture, yet the legacy of Enoch has had more impact by what he did than what he ever said. Last week ,we got a glimpse into the legacy of our first family. Legacy’s matter. They shape those that follow you. The legacy of my grandmother. While there are days I think my talking out loud to God in public places makes me feel cursed- I know its her legacy living on inside of me. I did hear someone say Corrie Ten Boom did it too- so I suppose I am in good company.

This week, I was asked to do an in depth look at Noah, asked to compile a list of strengths, weaknesses, victories, challenges, and a few others. Some, could say Noah, based on these sets of verses didn’t have a weakness, but did he? I mean, problem one was he asked absolutely no questions? Like who does that? Did Moses and God decide to omit those finite details? One thing did occur to me and it was Noah, didn’t have that one friend. You know, in life, you need that one friend would will walk through the most ridiculous of places with you all because they are just as out there as you. I have had a few in my life. The one I have now, she is older and she might even be more crazy than me. So us together could be dangerous- I think its safe to say its a really good thing we have God, to ground us.

Noah, was recorded as faithful. What is it to be faithful? Am I considered faithful? So often christians talk about their walk of faith. And perhaps I stand alone because I am not on a walk. I am on more of a never ending, slow moving marathon hike. I go into the valleys, i get lost, I trip over the stump in front of me, I hide in bushes, I fall into the hole, and sometimes I make it to the peak only to get distracted by its beauty, but failing to see God in it once again. I desire God to be my all day, every day, constantly and always aware of His presence. I do not just desire it as this lovely thing to achieve, I am often grieved by my lack of missing Him yet again because I have allowed the selfishness of my corrupted being to be misled. I go on squirrel tangents that lead me away from the spirit of God. But just like God sought Adam and Eve, Cain, Noah and numerous ones after them, God comes after me. He comes like the gentle breeze in the stillness, or the whispering sound in my ear… on rare occasions, He may need to shake me into compliance.

In this story of Noah and the ark, we get more than the picture of animals going on to ark for the whole Earth to be destroyed. We see limits, perhaps, to God’s patience? We do see Noah’s extreme obeidence. I mean its screaming at me from the pages of scripture. And it’s not my typical form of obedience- delayed, stubborn, and are you sure? This is my normal obedient level.

Genesis 6:5 “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the Earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” Sin. It’s the lure that entices us. Sometimes, we can call it sin, yet leave unchanged, as if to say that sin isn’t that sinful. Or what I said/did wasn’t that sinful. When we minimize our sin, we leave the invitation door wide open. It’s like inviting satan to sit at the dinner table with me. God was grieved. He was grieved by how, what He had created was now overcome with corruption. The effect of sin had overtaken, distorted, and changed their hearts. Sin leaves us in a condition no one wants to believe we are in.

What struck me about the ark? It’s a picture of salvation. God planned every inch of the Ark, it was not invented and planned by humans, but by God, the creator. There is one way to salvation, and only one door to the ark. God invites Noah and his family into the ark. God invites us into an intimate relationship with him. And once Noah’s family was inside the ark, God shut them in- God shuts us in. We are protected, marked, shown great mercy by God when we step into the ark. The ark saved Noah and family from destruction, God delivers us from the bondage of sin. The ark is more than animals going in and sitting for 40 days and 40 nights. Because if you believe or were told it was 40 days and 40 nights- that person didn’t really read their Bible. It rained for 40 days, but they were in the Ark for a little over a year! More on that next week. The ark is more than just Noah spending decades of time looking like fool building this for God. The ark is more than being inside with perhaps smelly animals, daughter-in laws, sons, awkward conversations, or lack of fresh air because I am pretty sure febreeze wasn’t available. The ark is God’s salvation to human kind. It’s a picture of God’s loving kindness. And when I read the story of Noah, I get a different glimpse into God. I get to see His protection, his faithfulness , and how God cares so deeply for His people. What a beautiful picture the ark represents to us when we stop and dive into the words, and immerse ourselves into God’s presence.