Genesis 6:9-22
Categories: Bible Study LessonsThe mind boggles at the task laid out for Noah. A structure of this size takes months to build with crews of men and machinery. We don’t know the resources at Noah’s disposal. Perhaps he was a wealthy man with manpower to draw on. However we know from the New Testament that God isn’t shy about giving big jobs to his people (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-47). Noah’s salvation from the water depended on his obeying God’s command to build the ark and assemble the appropriate animals and food. God’s requirement that man be obedient to his commands can rarely be seen more clearly in scripture. Survival of the race and of the scheme of redemption was on the shoulders of Noah.
I have often wondered (living in a world of violence and where every thought was only evil continually) how Noah finished the work. He preached righteousness, therefore his neighbors knew what the Ark was for. I wonder how many times he repaired the damage of vandalism or arson before it was finished.
Our survival, physical and spiritual, depended on Noah doing exactly what God directed him to do (Jer. 10:23). If Noah had understood obedience like many do today we would not be here. Noah understood that when God specified things to be done by a certain design with certain materials that he wasn’t authorized to insert his opinions. We should approach our understanding of the Scripture in the same way. Noah floated safely above the water on God’s design. He did not have to wonder if the water would stay out. Are you trusting in God’s design for salvation, worship, and doctrine and throwing out all else? If you’re not sure, go back to the Bible.
The Bible often reminds us that we are not go beyond what is written. See Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:5-6; 2 John 9; 1 Cor. 4:6; 1 Pet. 4:11.