Good Morning and Happy Tuesday Bible-journal family,
Today’s readings is Genesis 6:1 – 9:17. (Noah)
Last week I asked my oldest son who Noah was? He said he built the ark and brought all the animals with him. I said that was a great start, and followed up with, Do you know why Noah was chosen for this? Why did God have this flood happen? Response… I forgot. So…to answer my own question and for his answer lets reflect on the life of Noah in these few chapters, lets dig deeper into his life as we will see who Noah was and why he was chosen by God to build the ark and why the flood happened.
Let’s look back at chapter 5 for a look at the creation of mankind. Genesis 5:1-2 says that, “when God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created.” This was God’s plan for how mankind would be. In the likeness of God! Verse 3 says, “When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.” Do you see the difference? God created Adam and Eve in His image. Once sin had entered the world, Adam’s son was made in his likeness, in his own image. This would include all the people that were on the Earth when the flood happened.
When made in our own image we can be very selfish. Personally, I daily pray about my own selfish battles. Many days have ended in repentance from a sinful worldly focus. I continue to ask for prayers to seek His will and not my own in all things!
So why the flood? Why Noah? Let’s get to chapter 6-9.
Genesis 6:1-3 When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with[a] humans forever, for they are mortal[b]; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.
God had seen how His beautiful, perfect world, and people change. He was hurt, and at the time sorry that He had made man. As I looked at the various population growth formulas its amazing to think of the number of people that were on the earth. Depending on the formula it ranged from 750 million to 4 billion people. Wow! At this moment is when God decided he was going to wipe everyone out. Well deserved with our sinful nature. Yet, God saw hope, he saw favor in someone that proved he was staying faithful and righteous for our Lord. Noah.
Verse 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord! Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.
Thank you Noah for your faithfulness. Through God’s grace, Noah was chosen, He found favor in the eyes of the Lord. I’m so thankful for this grace that God showed Noah then and the grace that God shows us in our flood of sins.
Ephesians 2: 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Still Noah’s obedience is amazing. I pray for obedience like this when God is telling us to follow His will. The work put in to build the ark is indescribable. 
Building, remaining faithful when I’m sure the onlookers thought he was crazy. From a worldly perspective doing everything Jesus asks can seem frightening. What will people think? I pray for boldness for us all to live like the righteous Noah God saw, in the face of others today. Be the example of kindness, love, joy, and thankfulness for all that God has given us.
Genesis 7:5 And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.
Noah, his wife, his three sons Shem, Ham, and Japeth, and their wives entered the ark in addition to all the creatures. They listened to the Lord. According to the Flood Chronology of my bible the total time on the ark was 370 days, from Genesis 7:1-8:17. Of course in that time was the 40 days and 40 nights of straight rain.
1 Peter 3:20 reminds us of Noah… God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (the above noted)
So after the 370 days what would you do?
Noah’s first action after exiting the ark was to give thanks. Build an alter to the Lord thanking Him for the Lord’s deliverance of him and his family. Thank you Noah for the reminder of how grateful we need to be for God’s deliverance every day. Will you thank God today. God has created us, saved us, and has promised a place for us to be eternally. So with our faithfulness, when the floods come, we can find peace that God will be there.
God thank you for your child Noah, who remained faithful. Help us to remain faithful in our doubts. To be obedient in following your will for our lives and not our own. We love you and are sorry for our selfish ways. Help lead us back to you. Amen