“And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.”
2 Peter 2:5 NLT
We read recently the passage in Genesis 6, where there is an account of angels having a “liaison” with women on earth and producing the giants of the ancient world. God spoke out in Genesis 6:3, “Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years””. In Genesis 6:5-6 we then read, “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“. Those last words poignantly describe what God thinks about sin. And He pronounced judgement on the world at that time, “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”” (Genesis 6:7). That would have been the end of the human race but… We thank God for His buts! Genesis 6:8, “But Noah found favour with the Lord“.
In Genesis 1, God created the Heavens and the Earth, and we read in Genesis 1:31, “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day”. He was pleased with His creation, exclaiming that it was “very good”. An understatement, I think we agree. But as Peter wrote, God did not even spare His beautiful creation when evil and sin blighted what He had made. God had Noah’s ear, and He shared His plan with Noah, a plan that involved the destruction of all living creatures, except for those that He was going to save. It took Noah 100 years, or thereabouts, to build the ark, because he was 500 years old when he became the father of his three sons (Genesis 5:32), and he was 600 when he populated the ark and the flood came (Genesis 7:6).
In a generation, a society, that was inherently evil, Noah stood strong in his faith in God. Imagine the abuse and ridicule he received for 100 years, as he built that ark and populated it with all the animals. We must consider that the building of a structure that large would have been too much for one man and his young sons, so he must have employed local craftsmen to help. We must also consider that the people of that day were not familiar with a large expanse of water, and therefore wouldn’t have known what a boat was for. But Noah stood strong in God anyway, and in so doing warned “the world of God’s righteous judgement”. And in return Noah had God’s protection. After the Flood, God made a promise to Noah. “Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth”” (Genesis 9:11). So instead of destroying His creation again for their wickedness, God introduced Jesus to the world. Surely they will believe in Him and turn to Me? Was that His thought?
There are many discouraged Christians around in the West these days. They observe much that is going on in Christian denominations that is directly against Scripture, and they grieve dwindling numbers attending church services. But we can take heart because God always has a “but” up His sleeve. Jesus said that He would build His church, and that will truly happen. In fact, we know that in the last days many will fall away from the faith – Jesus Himself warned us that this would happen, “And many will turn away from Me and betray and hate each other” (Matthew 24:10). We pilgrims therefore must shine even brighter in this dark society, where even churches are embracing the wickedness that God hates.
How are we shining for God to those around us? For a start, do they know that we are believers in Jesus? Are we behaving in a way that reflects our faith? One thing I believe God said to me recently was that some people are so worn down and depressed in their lives, that even a cheery word is enough to lift them. We have a message of hope, and the Holy Spirit will help us communicate it to this sad, sombre and sinful world.
Dear Father God. Please help us to share Your loving heart to those around us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 