The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Genesis 7:1,
"The Lord then said to Noah, 'Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.'"
This amazing story of Noah, his family, the ark, the animals, the worldwide destruction of the earth all happened as recorded here in Genesis. We are told in the first verse of chapter 7 that the Lord found Noah to be "righteous in this generation." What was it about Noah that caused the Lord to find him righteous - unlike all others that lived at that time?
In verse 5 we read, "And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him." Is that what caused the Lord to find him righteous? In the previous chapter, in verse 8 we read, "Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." And later, in 6:22 we find a similar statement to 7:5, "Noah did everything just as God commanded him."
There was something very remarkable about Noah that the Lord saw in him. He was a righteous man, as we read in 6:9, "blameless among the people of his time" and that he walked "faithfully" with God.
Perhaps something we read about his descendant, Abraham, provides us some insight here. In Romans 4:1-5 we read, "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness."
Here is the basis for the righteous standing Noah had before the Lord: he placed his faith in the Lord. When Noah did everything the Lord commanded of him, he was expressing the faith that brought his righteous standing before the Lord. James speaks of how what we do expresses the faith God looks for in us in James 2:14-26.
Paul goes on to explain something about Abraham, "Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Romans 4:20-25.
As Abraham, Noah found favor with the Lord, a standing of righteousness with him, by embracing him in faith. It was his faith in the Lord that prompted him to do all the Lord asked of him. And, we, as Abraham did, can find that standing of righteousness with the Lord by embracing him in faith as well.
This amazing story of Noah, his family, the ark, the animals, the worldwide destruction of the earth all happened as recorded here in Genesis. We are told in the first verse of chapter 7 that the Lord found Noah to be "righteous in this generation." What was it about Noah that caused the Lord to find him righteous - unlike all others that lived at that time?
In verse 5 we read, "And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him." Is that what caused the Lord to find him righteous? In the previous chapter, in verse 8 we read, "Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." And later, in 6:22 we find a similar statement to 7:5, "Noah did everything just as God commanded him."
There was something very remarkable about Noah that the Lord saw in him. He was a righteous man, as we read in 6:9, "blameless among the people of his time" and that he walked "faithfully" with God.
Perhaps something we read about his descendant, Abraham, provides us some insight here. In Romans 4:1-5 we read, "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness."
Here is the basis for the righteous standing Noah had before the Lord: he placed his faith in the Lord. When Noah did everything the Lord commanded of him, he was expressing the faith that brought his righteous standing before the Lord. James speaks of how what we do expresses the faith God looks for in us in James 2:14-26.
Paul goes on to explain something about Abraham, "Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Romans 4:20-25.
As Abraham, Noah found favor with the Lord, a standing of righteousness with him, by embracing him in faith. It was his faith in the Lord that prompted him to do all the Lord asked of him. And, we, as Abraham did, can find that standing of righteousness with the Lord by embracing him in faith as well.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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