The Blessing of Faith (in God)

“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded…So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives…Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it…Then God blessed Noah and his sons…”

Genesis 8:1, 8:18, 8:20, and 9:1 (NIV)

As Genesis unfolds, the astonishment of God’s creative work and the promotion of mankind over every creature that dwells on the earth were quickly overshadowed by Adam and Eve’s betrayal of the Lord’s expressed command to not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In a fateful moment, humanity deviated from the boundaries that God had set forth. Similar to what took place with Satan and his angelic companions for their rebellion, Adam and Eve were subsequently cast out of God’s presence. And thus a world fraught with adversity, pain, and exasperating labor was ushered in. As time went on, some people chose to call out to God in a spirit of prayer and praise (Genesis 4:26). Others chose to ignore God’s holy character and exercised wanton, wicked hearts. There was a clear distinction between the two lifestyles for a while, but eventually the worshippers of God adopted the rampant evil practices and pursuits.

Eventually, the entire world was plagued with immorality and ungodliness. Hurt and appalled at the atrocities that were occurring without hesitation or shame, God determined to wipe out mankind altogether. It would seem that a world without mankind was a less painful notion than a world harassed by a sinful, disobedient mankind. We sometimes assume that God is somehow shielded from the disappointment or discouragement that humanity brings about. But this is a misconception. If anything, God’s all-knowing (omniscient) knowledge and rich love make Him ultra-sensitive to the mistakes we daily make. In other words, mankind’s mutiny grieves God on a severity scale like no other.

In Genesis 6, the human race was steeped in self-glory and continually neglecting its Maker, which was practically unbearable for God. So-much-so that God set out to eradicate the legacy of mankind. But Scripture records that one man saved humanity from extinction: Noah. Noah had not surrendered to the negative and horrid influences surrounding him. He was blameless in his behavior and diligently served God. Noah did not compromise God’s standards or bow to the pressure of self-indulgent conduct. His steadfast walk with God prepared Him to receive a divine word from God. According to Genesis 6:14, God told Noah to build an ark because the Lord was going to flood the earth. The demand to build an ark is unusual even in today’s maritime-infused culture, where both commercial and recreational water vessels abound. Modern-era boats are not viewed as an ideal vehicle to retreat to in times of emergency. But Noah did not balk at God’s message. Noah did everything God had commanded him to do, highlighting Noah’s abundant faith in God (Genesis 6:22).

Noah listened to God’s instruction and followed it exactly, teaching us that faith does not take shortcuts or side-roads. It chooses to journey God’s path, a path that is often arduous and perplexing. It does not ignore the hindrances or pitfalls in its way; it believes that God will help break them, or bypass them. The entire passage surrounding Noah and the flood speaks to the evidence of Noah’s great faith. By faith, Noah erected the ark. By faith, he entered the ark. And by faith, he exited the ark. Noah placed his life, as well as the life of his cherished ones, in God’s protective care. God fulfilled His promise and kept Noah and his family safe. Clearly, faith in God is a source of hope and encouragement. It is not wishful thinking; it is worshipful trust. It is not naïve; it is noble. In short, faith in God is a blessing to the person who chooses to exercise it, as Noah did.