Noah

Photo CR: Ark Encounter

There are benefits to being connected to a righteous, God-fearing man of God who lives ONLY by the commandments and standards of God. There are blessings for those who are connected to a man or woman of God that is living a pure, righteous, and holy life. Why?
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Now, keep in mind there is a clear and distinct difference between one that praises and declares they know and have a relationship with God from one who lives it, one who breathes it, one who is purely a servant of God. There is a difference. Case in point. 
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the benefits of connections

During the events of the Pre-Flood era, God made this statement about Noah. “… Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8). Now, if we go through the geological records of the people right up before The Flood – The Great Deluge, we will discover that all the people Noah witnessed to, the ones he warned about the coming destruction, were all relatives of Noah. (Compare to Genesis chapter 5). Noah eventually marries and has kids of his own – Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 6:10). But even after getting married and having children, there still was a distinct difference between Noah and all the people in his nation – that is including his family. Noticed the description God gave Noah when He spoke of Noah in comparison to the description God considered the people of Noah’s nation and even Noah’s family. 

God said concerning Noah:

• Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD (Genesis 6:8)
• Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9)

God said concerning ALL the people living during Noah’s day:

• God saw the wickedness of man was great and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil CONTINUALLY (Genesis 6:5)
• The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth and He was grieved in His heart (Genesis 6:6)
• I am sorry that I have made them (mankind) (Genesis 6:7)
• The earth was corrupted in the sight of God and the earth was filled with violence (Genesis 6:11)
• God looked upon the earth and it was corrupt, for ALL flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth (Genesis 6:12)
• The earth is filled with violence because of them (mankind – peoples’ choices and decisions) (Genesis 6:13)

​Despite all this corruption going on in the world. Despite the fact that ALL men, women, and children had become polluted and infested by corruption – evil. God still found favor in the sight of one man – Noah. Therefore, God established His promise, a covenant relationship with one man whom God saw as good among the massive of evil, corrupted people. God said to Noah, “I will establish My covenant with you” (Genesis 6:18). And because of this covenant arrangement God established with Noah, Noah’s life was going to be spared when God allowed judgment to strike the land for the peoples’ evil hearts, for the corruption they have allowed to invade the land. 

So, as we know, as a symbol of this covenant relationship, God instructed Noah to build an ark (Genesis 6:13-22). See, we have to be mindful, when God establishes a special relationship with you, you do not get to sit back and take your ease. No! God has His part and we have our part to do. There is some work on our part involved. Outside of living by God’s holy standards and keeping ALL God’s commandments, Noah was required to preach about the coming judgment and to build an ark. The very ark that will spare his life during the coming judgment that was placed upon the people of his day. When we look closely at this situation, this coming judgment, this ark was being made specifically for Noah because God had found Noah to be a favorable man. A man that was upright and holy and that God could trust to do EVERYTHING – TO FOLLOW EVERY WORD, TO FOLLOW EVERY SINGLE LETTER, TO FOLLOW EVERY INSTRUCTION that God gave Noah to do. Not only did Noah built the ark exactly the way God instructed him to do so, but he gathered every animal and all the necessary edible foods that God told Noah to collect, AND WHEN God told Noah to collect them. Noah never went ahead of God’s instructions, nor did Noah lag behind God’s plan. He followed them explicitly. 

And because of Noah’s obedient heart, Noah’s family reaped benefits directly from Noah’s personal relationship with God. They directly benefited from the blessings God was pouring upon Noah. Their lives were being spared ONLY because of their connection to Noah. Noticed God’s wording when He spoke directly to Noah concerning his relationship with Him. God said to Noah, “I will establish My covenant with you” (Genesis 6:18). Not a covenant with Noah AND HIS FAMILY. But a covenant with only Noah. AND AS A RESULT OF NOAH’S COVENANT WITH GOD, God also said to Noah, “you shall enter the ark.” And God continued, “you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” Noah’s wife, his three sons, and his three son’s wives were only granted access to enter the ark was because of Noah. Their connection with Noah allowed them access, a special privilege they otherwise would not have had if they were not connected to Noah – a man who had favor in the eyes of God. 
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the flood

God will never allow those whom He favors to be swallowed up along with evil – evil people of this world. And let’s just set the record straight what God means when He says “evil.” Evil is just not someone who commits evil deeds like incest, murder, child abuse, rapist, serial killer, etc. God considers evil anyone who is willing to step outside of His standards, His laws, His decrees, His principles, His regulations, His holiness. For example, Proverbs chapter 6, verses 16 through 19 lists seven of the things that God hates – that are considered evil in the eyes of the LORD.

1. Haughty eyes
2. Lying tongue
3. Shedding of innocent blood
4. A person that devises wicked plans
5. A person who is quick to run to any forms of evil
6. A false witness
7. One that spreads strife 

Another list you can refer to that notates what is evil in God’s eyes is listed at Galatians chapter 5 verses 19 through 21.

1. Immorality
2. Impurity (something that is impure or being obscene)
3. Sensuality (gratifying the flesh)
4. Idolatry (worshipping of gods of any form other than God Almighty)
5. Sorcery (magic, witchcraft)
6. Enmities (animosity, grudge, feud, hatred, conflict, discord, unfriendliness, ill will)
7. Strife (bitterness, disunity, division, infighting, hostility)
8. Jealousy
9. Outburst of anger
10. Disputes
11. Dissensions
12. Factions
13. Envying
14. Drunkenness
15. Carousing [orgy, drunkenness (this includes different forms of drug abusers)

To make sure there are no misunderstandings about God’s standard concerning what constitutes evil, let’s do one more – 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

1. Fornicators
2. Idolaters
3. Adulterers
4. Effeminate (unmanly mannerism, a male having feminine qualities untypical of a man)
5. Homosexuals
6. Thieves
7. Covetous (craving what another person has)
8. Drunkards
9. Revilers
10. Swindlers (to rob by the use of trickery or threats)

​I think you all get the point. And this is only the short list of what all God considers to be evil. 

The point is, Noah, a man of righteousness certainly did not practice nor participate in any of these. Therefore, God favored him because of his faithfulness, because of his dedication, because of his devotion toward God. Therefore God, upon the completion of the ark, instructed Noah to “enter the ark” (Genesis 7:1). But Noah did not enter the ark alone. God told Noah, “enter the ark, you and all your household….” Noah’s family was granted access because of their connection to Noah. This was also the case concerning Rahab the harlot. Rahab’s and her entire household lives were spared because of their connection to Rahab, who in a moment, changed her entire life trajectory and the lives of her household by her honoring two fearless men of God. Without Rahab's willingness to be obedient to what she felt was right in her eyes concerning God, and choosing to go in a different direction from the people of her nation concerning God, Rahab’s story may have been written differently in God’s word the Bible. Maybe it would not have been written at all. She and her household could have ended up as another tragic story we never hear about. Just another family life that was tragically taken due to the bad decision making of those who were leading their household. But instead, Rahab’s actions spared her life and the lives of her entire household. (See Joshua 6:22-25).

Your connection does matter, especially in this season. For there is an inevitable judgment that is coming upon this nation. A judgment that is in the distant future that will impact every family, every household, and every person on the face of this earth. And like the days of Noah, there are a few men and women that do found favor in God’s eyes. These ones like Noah, God will instruct and these instructions will be the key in sparing the lives of these ones and anyone that may be rightfully connected to these ones. I say rightfully connected because Noah’s family also had a role to play in preparing for the coming judgment during their day. They helped to build the ark, to gather the animals and the food, and I am sure they also played a role in witnessing to all those people as well. Either way, when God told Noah and his family to enter into the ark, notice the clear distinction God made concerning Noah and Noah’s family. God said to Noah, “enter the ark, you and all your household, FOR YOU ALONE I HAVE SEEN TO BE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE ME in this time” (Genesis 7:1). Noah was the only righteous soul during his era in God’s eyes. Therefore, God made provisions for Noah. But Noah’s family only benefited from those provisions because of their connection to Noah. So, they too enter the ark. And on that day, they enter the ark, then the earth experienced something the people had never seen before – rain – so much of it that it eventually led to the greatest flood this earth had ever seen. But Noah, a righteous man who found favor with God was spared and those that were connected to him were spared as well.