THE MAN, NOAH, AND HIS MISSION (Part 1)
Genesis 6. Verses 5-8:
And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
As we commence a new series today, we want to consider the life and mission of the man, Noah. According to the bible, his father’s name was Lamech, and the name, Noah, means rest or repose. At the birth of Noah, Lamech made this prophetic statement, “This one shall bring us relief and comfort from our work and the grievous toil of our hands due to the ground being cursed by the Lord.” Refer to Genesis 5 verses 28-29. Indeed, Noah’s life brought some respite from the dominance of evil upon the earth.
At the time of Noah’s emergence, sin and evil were very prevalent upon the earth. Scripture says that the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of men were continually corrupt and opposed to the ways of God. This situation caused grief to God, and he was sad that he made man. His goal was that man would follow his will. Unfortunately, men were flouting his will and way with impunity. The Lord decided to destroy men together with all animals from the face of the earth. This was God’s judgement for the sin that was upon the earth. It is important to note that judgement is unavoidable where sin has pervaded to uncontrollable measures.
In the wake of all these, scripture says that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” This statement distinguishes Noah from all other men of his generation. For Noah to find grace at a time of the condemnation of all men means that his ways pleased the Lord. It also means that he lived according to the dictates of God in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation. He was the sole light in the time of gross darkness. Beloved, we happen to be living in times when evil has so permeated the world and overtaken the lives of multitudes. In the wake of this, can we be counted among the minority who will find grace in the sight of the LORD because we uphold the light of God in the midst of darkness? Men who find grace in the eyes of the LORD become avenues of God’s salvation to their generation.
SHALOM 🙏🙏🙏 🙏🙏🙏🙏,