God’s judgment over the wickedness of man resulted in the great flood that inundated the whole earth, wiping out all living creatures. Gen 7:23 – Thus He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky, and they were blotted  out from the earth, and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark. The account of the flood is given in Genesis chapt6-9. The reading portion for today, Chapter-8, details the receding of water and resting of the ark on Mount Ararat and the events afterwards. The key verse reminds us of God’s loving kindness upon Noah, God’s chosen man who was favoured by God! (Gen.6:8)

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There are a few exemplary qualities in Noah, which would have been the reason why God loved him above all other people who lived on earth at that time!

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Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God – (Gen.6:9) Peter calls him a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5).  Noah was obedient: Gen 6:22 – Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded, so he did.  Noah believed God and in what He said: Heb.11:7 - By faith Noah, …. in reverence prepared an ark…   So God promised to covenant with Noah (Gen.6:18), declared His covenant (Gen.8:21-22) and established the covenant. (Gen.9:8-17)

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To understand the seriousness of Noah’s calling and God’s covenant with him, we need to understand the situation that prevailed in the world at that time. Gen.6:5- Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil.  Wickedness of man on earth had grown to such an extent that God’s heart was grieved that he had made man!! (Gen.6:6)

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Jesus further explains this in Matt.24:37-39. The indulgent attitude of the people are portrayed in their actions as Jesus lists them: eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage -  more than mere physical pleasure they  were not interested in anything. Gratifying the cravings of their flesh was their only motive. See Gen.6:12 -God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all the flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. The previous verse states that the earth was filled with violence (Gen.6:11).

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• Evil thoughts and intents in the heart manifested as wickedness

• Indulgent lifestyle

• Corrupt ways of living

• Violence

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About 2000 years later, Jesus quotes the same situation, and prophesies about our time that it will be the same!  When we look around, we can see that this generation is the same!!

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But God has prepared an ark to save us – Jesus Christ. The saving grace extended to every man on earth is available today for you! Will you accept and enter? In this generation which the Bible calls as perverse and crooked (Phil.2:15), will God find you distinct, having a different mark?

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Noah was righteous in himself and hence he preached righteousness, he had faith and so he believed in whatever God said – even when God said there is going to be a flood and that he had to build an ark things that he had not yet seen (Heb.11:7) he believed and his faith was manifest in building the ark!!!

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God, through Jesus Christ wants to establish a covenant with us (Matt.26:27). Can we prove our obedience by putting our trust in His promises?

Thought for the Day:

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."

Genesis 6:8