"As in the days of Noah...."

Heb. 11:7  By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

The phrases that strike me are:

"when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark"
"By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith."

Wow, what great insight into Noah's character and trust in God.

I'm trying to put myself in Noah's position.  Would I have obeyed God as he did?

Here is how Genesis 6 describes Noah:
"Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God."

Lets, just for a moment, insert our own names into this equation.  Would this be a true statement if your name appeared instead of Noah's?
"Kristin is a righteous woman, blameless among the people of her time, and she walks with God."

Boy, I'd really love for that to be what is written on my tombstone and what is said of me when I leave this earth.  I think the part I struggle with the most is "she walks with God."  I know there have been so many times in my life when I have chosen not to walk with Him.  Also, am I blameless among the people of my time?  I know that because I am in Christ, God sees me as holy and righteous--but it is a righteousness that comes from Him and is not my own.  Noah didn't have the Holy Spirit dwelling in him.  Yet, he made choices that clearly point to a deep and abiding faith in God.

For one, Noah was blameless among a people who were full of violence and lust.  Sound familiar?  I think our society can be described as violent and full of lust.  Do we partake in any of that in any way?
As for me and my family, we try very hard to keep the violence and lust that permeates TV, radio, and internet out of our home.  I firmly believe that if I am watching shows that promote and condone lustful behavior and violence toward others, I am indulging and participating in sinful behavior.  I used to be a huge fan of Law and Order SVU.  Now, I can't even stand to watch it.  It gives me a sick feeling.

I find that when I abstain from all of that, my thoughts are blameless.  When I watch things I shouldn't, my thought life is not blameless.  I think we as Christians have become far too accepting of what comes into our homes via the media.   Also, if I am watching a lot of TV and surfing the net, I am not walking with my God.

I believe that Noah was truly and totally set apart.  He was different than everyone else around him.
Can you imagine the ridicule he received when he started to build a huge ark?  Yet, he trusted God and kept going.  In fact, the scripture says that "Noah did everything just as God commanded Him."  He didn't just to some things, he did EVERYTHING God commanded Him.  Would I have done that?

I am so concerned about what others think of me---would I have ignored all the ridicule?  Would I have not only built the ark, but brought all the animals in as well?  What a task!!
This just makes me realize, even as I am typing this, that those who are totally trusting God and obeying Him will have amazing tasks to complete.   He is going to test our allegiance to Him.  I have a feeling that we, like Noah will have to endure some rejection and ridicule from those around us.  But, out of "holy fear", Noah obeyed every command God gave Him.

Holy fear and fear of man are two totally different types of fear.  The Hebrew word for "holy fear" means reverence and awe.   There are countless passages in scripture that refer to "Fear of the Lord".  This type of reverence brings wisdom, discernment, and obedience.  When we are fearing what others think and say about us, we are definitely not acting out of reverence--but out of doubt.   This type of fear results in disobedience.

I am ashamed to say that there have been way too many times when I have allowed my "fear of man" to take precedence over my "fear of God."  I have been praying so much lately about this tendency in me.  I do not want to be like that.  I do not want to put the opinions of others above God--but I have done it in the past.  This was not Noah's struggle.  We don't even see him question God in this passage in Genesis.  He just obeys all that God commands.  Wow.

Okay, here's another point that convicts me.  Can you imagine God coming to you and saying, "“I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth."  Would that change the way you live your life?  Would you then start begging those around who are lost to turn from their wicked ways and follow Christ?
I guess you all know where I'm going with this.  In fact, Jesus has told us this.  We know that the future for those who have not believed on Christ as Savior and Lord is eternal suffering and anguish.  Not only that, but Jesus Christ actually compares the last days to "the days of Noah" in Matthew 24.  Here is what Jesus says:


 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.  But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.  So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

I listened to a couple of sermons (via podcast) this week of Francis Chan.  The Holy Spirit used his message to really convict me of the fact that I am not anguishing over the lost like I should be.  I anguish over the little inconveniences of life more than I do those who are perishing.  THIS SHOULD NOT BE!  I am more concerned about how those people will respond to me than I am their eternal soul!   Needless to say I am begging God to change my heart and to bestow on me the deep love He has for those who are lost and dying in their sin.  2 Peter 2 also talks about the days of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, and other days of judgement.  Peter mentions that Noah was a preacher of righteousness before the flood, and that Lot "was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard" from the ungodly people around him.

I truly believe that many of us who claim to be followers of Christ ARE NOT preaching righteousness and we are not tormented in our souls about the lawless deeds we see and hear.  Heck, we watch Desperate Housewives and COUNTLESS other shows on TV that are full of lust and violence and talk about the episodes in our workplaces and classrooms and on Facebook without flinching an eye.

I might be stepping on some toes here, but please know that I am confessing my own sin too.  I don't watch those TV shows, but I also don't have holy anguish for those who are lost.    Francis Chan made the point that we have made the Noah story so cute and cuddly--"Aww look at the cute boat with all the cute animals in it."  He said that most people who paint  a picture of the Ark on their nursery walls don't include the people who are drowning and dying in the waters below.   The story of Noah is a story about salvation AND judgement!

We have been given such a great salvation---such GREAT news! Why are we not telling others about this good news?   For me, it all boils down to faith.  I am not trusting God's Word.  I am not trusting that he will deliver me from any shame and accusation when I speak His truth.  (See 2 Peter 2: 7-9).   There is a passage in Isaiah that just floored me when I read it.  It is our LORD God Almighty speaking to Jerusalem, i.e. His people--the Israelites (The Jews) and we who are in Christ, are also God's children, so we can apply this word to ourselves, I believe.  Oh, bride of Christ, read these words as though they were written for you---because they ARE written for you!  Read this slowly and soak in every word.

  “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.  For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.  “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.  For your Maker is your husband — the LORD Almighty is his name — the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit — a wife who married young, only to be rejected,” says your God.  “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.   In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.  “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.  Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.  “O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children’s peace.  In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.  If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you.  “See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.

God offers this promise to ANYONE who turns to Him in faith and accepts the gift of His Son.  This is what we should be telling those around us who are perishing.  This could be their inheritance--their future.  How can we keep it from them?  As believers, we have the promise that we have NOTHING to fear.


O God, please ignite my heart and bestow on me the kind of faith Noah possessed.  Give me holy anguish over those around me who do not know you or who have rejected you.  Help me to plead with them urgently and gently--pointing them to the true possessor of unfailing love.  Help me to enlarge my tents---to set my stakes wide, and reach all those around me who need you.  Impress upon me, and all your people the seriousness of your call to preach the Good News!  You are ready and waiting to offer your arm of salvation to anyone who turns to you in faith--anyone who believes on Christ as their savior and Lord.  You will lift them out of the pit---out of the floodwaters, and keep them safe in the palm of your hand.  O God help us overcome our unbelief!  Give us Holy Fear!  Help us to obey your call!  Help ME to obey your call!


Thanks for bearing with me through this one.  I know it was long and rather bold.  But, God has been convicting me this week and I do not believe it was a coincidence that Hebrews 11:7 was tonight's scripture.  He is so faithful.  I hope that the Holy Spirit will use the word he has given me to ignite a passion in you.

Think about those around you who you are pretty certain do not know Jesus Christ.  Call them, write to them, meet with them.  I am going to do the same!