Crucial Lessons from the Flood in Noah’s Time

Noah had been preparing the Ark and preaching for 120 years. Life went on as normal. Though there were accidents and chaos induced by man, that seemed normal. The Lord intervening drastically did not seem normal. Virtually everyone was shocked when the flood finally came- even though they should not have been. In the Gospel accounts of the New Testament, Jesus spoke of the flood in Noah’s time as a historical event and used this to give lessons related to preparing for His second coming (Matthew 24:35-39).

Noah separated from the corruption abounding around him and he kept God’s instructions faithfully. That was very hard and costly in many ways for him.

Genesis 6:5-12: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”

Do you think there weren’t people finding fault with Noah’s warnings of the coming judgment? Do you think there weren’t people telling him “God is love”- in the context of using this as an excuse to not forsake their sins since, they claimed, God wouldn’t condemn anyone? They eventually found out the hard way that God’s love does not mean that He allows anyone to get away with rebellion against His righteous authority. His love is rather seen in the escape which He provides for those who will turn from their sins and welcome His righteous authority over them (the only place where people can hope in His grace without mocking Him and hoping in vain). Noah and his ark in themselves are pictures of Jesus Christ and the salvation which He prepared and offers.

Genesis 6:13-22: “And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.”

Salvation from the flood in Noah’s time was founded upon Noah’s faithfulness and labor- but that did not profit anyone who did not actually heed and faithfully follow Noah (who was obviously a picture and a type of Christ in this). Christ’s personal righteousness will not be credited to anyone- though He will cleanse and justify through His atonement those who forsake their sins and come to Him to walk by faith in the light of His Word. We must actually obey Him and keep His instructions to be justified through the blood of His covenant- not just trust in what He has done. Imagine one trusting in Noah to be their personal savior from the flood while not heeding his righteous preaching and entering into the ark themselves. This illustrates the difference between the false doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ versus Biblical justification that actually saves.

In relation, we read in Luke 23:28-31: “But Jesus turning unto them (note- as He was being led away to be crucified) said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?”

This was specifically a reference to the judgment which came upon Jerusalem through the Romans 40 years later (which also foreshadows Christ’s return and Judgment Day like the flood in Noah’s time). Modern Israel supporters do not adequately account for and prepare for the return of Christ- since they do not adequately consider and account for the Lord’s judgment on the Jewish nation in AD 70. Otherwise, they would not support unrepentant, Christ-rejecting modern Israel.

2 Peter 3:10-14 says: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation (or, conduct) and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

Walking in a righteous, living faith before God has always necessarily involved putting aside distractions and foregoing momentary pleasure and ease which those around you are indulging in. Yet that was not always necessarily a constant relentless battle to the extent it is now. Satan has developed a vast system in which there is constant distraction from seeking the Lord and doing the things one must do in order to properly prepare for the day of the Lord.

It was always the case that being confronted with religious deception was inevitable. Yet this deception was not always constantly at one’s fingers and daily in one’s recommended videos on the internet.

There was always ungodly entertainment which those who would be faithful to the Lord had to shun and contend with the influence of. It was not always so that it was normal to have this available 24/7/365.

It was always the case that one had to recognize and renounce concepts and societal norms which are out of line with the truth of the Bible. It was not always the case that such things infiltrated just about every aspect of society and abounded like they do today (and that especially goes for the segment of society which is labelled as Christian).

People have always had carnal cravings which have tempted them to give themselves to instant satisfaction and the gratification of their own egos. People have not always been able to have these demands constantly fed through television, organized sports, the entertainment industry as a whole, the internet, the influence of social media, and the overall increase of technology and on-demand services.

Immodesty and seduction have always operated to some extent in certain ways on every level of society. They have not always been so normal, socially acceptable, and as blatant as they are now.

There has always been the need to beware of and on guard against moral degeneracy. Yet it has never taken as many forms nor become so normalized, socially acceptable, and celebrated as it is now.

The pursuit of mammon and the pursuit of the true God are rival pursuits. Attachment to money and perceived financial security have always been major stumbling blocks in every generation and every society which prevent people from faithfully serving the true God. Yet the standard of living, which is common in the first world for the average person, is unprecedented. Pressure to earn big, as well as entitlement mentalities, have increased.

If a faithful Christian life is not overall proper to describe as a swim upward against the stream, then that simile is inappropriate to ever use in regard to anything. And if anyone somehow did not notice, the chief reason for the increased temptation in our time is the internet and its accessibility to most people.

Many destroyed by the flood said that they loved God. Cain and King Saul offered sacrifices to God, but they were unacceptable sacrifices because they didn’t really die to themselves in order to actually follow His instructions. There are also always preachers on the internet, even many who preach relatively good sermons in comparison to many others, who still have corruption in their preaching which is sure to lead anyone astray who listens to them for very long. That is perhaps the greatest obstacle of all.

The people in Noah’s time found out the hard way, though they should have known better. They were certainly warned through Noah’s preaching. Those stories of Adam and Eve being kicked out of the garden for their transgression (over 1,600 years ago for them) seemed like distant tales to them from a backwards time which had no relevance. In the final years before the flood, it had even been about 600 years since Enoch was caught up into heaven. It was easy for them to believe they had progressed beyond heeding such stories- especially with their love of sin in the equation. They went to hell in a sudden judgment which they were not expecting and which they were unaware of beforehand. The same suppression of light which had caused them to live in the pleasure of sin securely enough to continue in sin also caused them to be shocked at the judgment for doing so when it finally happened. And that can be said of every other judgment of God recorded within the Bible and every other judgment from Him which has otherwise happened or will happen- most notably of Christ’s second coming that will mark the end of this age. Proceed in sin then at your own risk. Multitudes have taken the same risk and it didn’t end up well for them.

Job 34:21-22: “For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.”

Proverbs 29:1: “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

Psalm 92:5-9: “O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity (lawlessness) do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore. For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.”