Noah: Foolish Obedience
Noah’s foolish obedience is summed up in the mirror Hebrews 11:7:
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
It takes a special type of person to believe in the impossible. It takes a special type of person to obey instructions for that which he has never seen nor heard about. And it takes a special type of person to walk in this type of “foolishness” with no apology. Noah was this type of special person. And it is to such people that God entrusts greatness.
The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on 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 favour in the eyes of the LORD.
This is the account of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
Genesis 6:5-9
Noah was not the type of man who was concerned with fitting in. In a world that zigs, Noah is the person who zags. So different was he, that he stood out of the entire creation of his time. While everyone else was gratifying their evil desires, Noah was walking righteously with God. And therein lies his secret.
Noah walked with God. God was not a figment of his imagination or just a tale he heard about. God was real to him. God spoke to him. He spoke to God and he obeyed the instructions he received. Noah did not have to rely on someone else to speak to God on his behalf. He had his own very personal relationship with God. And because of this real and personal relationship, he was used to rebirth creation.
Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
Genesis 7:22
We are living in a time when people are seeking for a greater purpose. We are a generation that wants more out of life, a generation that wants to impact others and leave a lasting legacy. Noah shows us the first step of doing exactly this. Walk with God.
Why do you need to walk with God if you are going to live out His vision for you?
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10
He created you. He knows you, even the parts of you that are unknown to yourself. He has the blueprint for your life. Doesn’t it therefore only make sense to stay close to Him?
[…] He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak of his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
John 16:13
because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Romans 8:14
The first key to walking FULLY in God’s vision for your life is to have a personal relationship with Him. And this is POSSIBLE for you and for me because we have Him, in the form of the Holy Spirit, within us. Noah did not have this privilege and yet he accomplished his purpose. How much more you and I ?
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
Your Turn
Will you walk with God?