Noah Found Favor

In Genesis, chapters 6-9, we read of the flood, Noah's Ark, and the covenant God made with Noah after the flood.

The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5-8) 

How did Noah find favor? The only people to survive the flood were Noah, his wife, his three sons (Shem, Ham, Japeth), and their wives. If he had God's favor, then he must not have been like the description above. Noah was not wicked, not evil, not causing grief, not causing pain. The Bible describes Noah as a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and one who "walked with God". 

The earth was corrupt in God's sight and full of violence (Genesis 6:11). The rebellious ways of mankind were multiplying, and this sin would only be stopped by Noah obeying God's directions. So, "Noah did everything just as God commanded him" (6:22). When Noah was 600 years old, the floodwaters came on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights. Noah and his family were safe inside the ark because "the Lord shut him in" (7:16).

After the rain stopped, Noah and his family waited in the ark. Noah sent out a raven, and it flew back and forth looking for dry land. Then he sent out a dove, but the dove could not find a place to set its feet because there was still water on the surface of the earth; it returned to Noah. After 7 days, Noah let the dove out again. It returned with a freshly picked olive leaf. After 7 more days, Noah let the dove out again, and it never returned. This was when Noah knew the land was dry. God instructed Noah and his family, and all the living creatures, to come out of the ark, to live, be fruitful and increase in number. Noah offered a burnt sacrifice from among some of the clean animals. The Lord smelled the aroma and said in his heart:

Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. (8:21)

Then God blessed Noah and his sons and gave them power over all the beasts of the earth and birds of the air, upon every living creature, "Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything" (9:3). But they were instructed to not eat meat with its lifeblood in it. God would require an accounting of life from every animal, including man, an accounting for the life of his fellow man.

God established a covenant with Noah and his sons and promised to never destroy the earth with a flood again. God said:

Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. (9:12-15)

Noah was 601 years of age when he and his family descended from the ark. After the flood, he lived 350 years. He died at 950 years of age. Noah's sons went on to have their own sons, and their descendents are listed among the Japhethites, the Hamites, and the Semites in Genesis 10.

Day 3 - Our Creator God

Our Creator God and the Supremacy of Christ in Creation

For this is what the Lord says--he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited--he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:18)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (John 1:1-5)

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  (Hebrews 1:1-2)

He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20)

From these passages of scripture, the Bible teaches…

1. God is the Creator of earth.
2. God is the Lord, and there is no other God.
3. Jesus is the Word of God.
4. Jesus was with God in Creation.
5. Jesus holds life and the light of mankind.
6. Those who know Jesus, have light to shine in the darkness of this fallen world.
7. Those who don’t know Jesus, live in darkness.
8. In the Old Testament, there are accounts of God speaking to mankind through other men, or prophets.
9. The Good News of the New Testament is that God has now spoken to us by His Son, Jesus Christ.
10. Jesus is the heir of all things and through whom God made the universe.
11. Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
12. All things visible and invisible, even thrones or powers, rulers or authorities were created by Him and for Him.
13. In Christ all things hold together.
14. Jesus is the head of the church.
15. Those in the church are called the “body of Christ”.
16. God was pleased to have the fullness of Himself dwell in Jesus.
17. God wanted to reconcile all things on earth or things in heaven to Himself.
18. God made peace with all things through the shed blood (crucifixion) of Christ on the cross.
19. Just as a perfect sacrifice was required in the Old Testament for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus came to this earth to live and die as the sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins for all mankind.
20. Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

What a blessing to believe in our Creator God and to have confidence knowing that the invisible God came to us in the visible form of Jesus Christ! His death on the cross and resurrection freed us from the bondage of this sinful world. Jesus is the light shining in the darkness, and through believing and accepting Him, we are reconciled to God. In so doing, we can have full assurance of our place in this world and gain a new identity of who we are in relation to our Heavenly Father. 

Further teaching by Dr. Charles Stanley, "In Touch Ministries":

http://www.jesus.org/is-jesus-god/names-of-jesus/the-lamb-of-god.html

Day 2 (Genesis 3-5)

Well, day 2 of my devotions has extended into another week! The topic “The Entrance and Extent of Sin” (Genesis 3-5) deserves much more study and treatment than a little blog entry. This lesson is very deserving of more time, but here are some thoughts about it in brief.

In the Old Testament, Genesis, Chapter 3, we read about the disobedience of Adam and Eve, often called the “fall of man”. Satan (a fallen angel) had already rebelled against God and was persistent to sell his “product of sin”. He made false promises to Eve, deceived her, and then she, gave the fruit to Adam, resulting in them both being guilty. I have heard sermons on this before, some believing that the guilt rests on Eve, while some regard Adam’s indifference as the cause of his wife being led astray. But, God punished and cursed all involved: the serpent, then Eve, and then Adam. Their disobedience and shame resulted in sin being passed down to the next generation. Cain became jealous of his brother, Abel, and murdered him.

This lesson saddened me, as I read painful words, such as: sin of the family, downward spiral, God’s judgment, wickedness of the world. Eve is finally comforted with the birth of another son, Seth, believing that God has appointed another son to replace Abel. Then Seth has Enosh, and finally we read, “Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:25).

Since I am a wife and mother, this account cautioned me to not be like Eve, led astray by my own imagination of what is “better” for myself, my kids and family, my home, my career, my time, and the list goes on and on. It is easy in this modern world to lose focus on what is really important in life. Who really matters. What really matters. I hope I can be one, “who calls upon the name of the Lord”.

Jesus was tempted. In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus is described as being led by the Spirit [of God] to the wilderness to be tempted. He fasted 40 days and 40 nights. He became hungry. The tempter came and said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” But He answered, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God.” He was then carried away to be tempted again; first, at the pinnacle of the temple, to see if he jumped down, if the angels would save Him. He repeated the Scripture, “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16). Finally, He is taken to a mountain top, and asked to bow down and worship the devil. He is promised all the kingdoms of the world; He quotes the commandment, “You shall worship the Lord, your God, and serve Him only” (Deuteronomy 6:13).

As Christians, we are to remember and strive to live by the example of Jesus Christ. The author (of this devotional guide) describes Him as being tempted by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. We are to do as James instructed in the New Testament, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (4:7). Only then can we find the perfect peace and will of our Heavenly Father, to live a life holy and blameless in Jesus Christ.