Noah: Solitary Obedience to God.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Genesis 6:9

Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

NKJV

Genesis 6:9 tells us that Noah was just and perfect in his generations.  However, the generation of Noah was hardly one that was just and perfect.  Genesis 6:6-8 tells us that God looked saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and as such vowed to blot out man and all animals in His creation.  However, one man, Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.  For this reason, Noah became God’s choice to save the human race from total extinction. 

God’s plan for rescuing the human race through Noah involved the construction of an ark (Genesis 6:14).  The Ark God told Noah to build was massive (Genesis 6:15-16) and not something one could easily keep concealed.  Therefore, I believe it is safe to assume those living close to Noah would have asked what he was doing.  Since we also know Noah as a righteous man, we know he would have answered these questions honestly.  Since we also know nobody other than Noah and his family entered the ark, they did not believe him and most likely scoffed at him.  However, Noah persisted in building the ark out of solitary obedience to God and him, his family, and all humanity were saved. 

Romans 12:2 tells us not to conform to this world but to instead be transformed through the renewing of our minds.  Even though the book of Romans was not written at the time of Noah, Noah demonstrated nonconformity to the world and was renewed by obedience to the calling God placed on his life in spite of the fact this meant living a life of separation from those in his community. 

Today, unlike any other time in our lives, we are beginning to see the world turn against Christians even in supposedly free countries like the United States.  Today a Christian baker can be fined and lose his business, not for breaking some law, but simply for not baking a cake for a gay wedding out of support for his deeply held, and constitutionally protected, Christian belief in traditional marriage.  (1)  Each Christmas nativity scenes depicting the birth of Christ are ordered taken down due to the fact they offend someone.  Interestingly no one is ever concerned about Christians offended at the removal of the nativity scenes, which are simply an expression of their belief in Jesus Christ.  During these times of increased persecution of Christians in the United States, it is easy for us to feel isolated and alone, as Noah must have felt at times. 

Jesus commanded all His followers to go out into all the world and share the Gospel (Matthew 28:15-16).  Therefore, just like Noah, we have a calling, and must exercise solitary commitment to our cause.  However, unlike Noah, we are not alone for Jesus promised to always be with us (Hebrews13:6).  We also can know we are not alone by gathering regularly each week with others that believe as we do (1Thessalonians 5:11). 

However, even the knowledge that Jesus is always with us and the knowledge there are many others sharing our values does not prevent us from feeling alone at times.  It is at these times we must serve the Lord in solitary obedience as Noah did when building the Ark. 

Noah’s solitary obedience to God resulted in all humanity being saved.  Our solitary obedience to God will also result in many others being saved through the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I therefore, out of solitary obedience, want to take a moment to offer an opportunity for anyone reading this that has not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior to pray with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

If you prayed this prayer, you have now entered the ark of God’s protection.  You no longer need fear judgment from God for you have now been judged righteous by God because all your sins have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John1:7).  This, however, does not mean we have become perfect and is why John goes on to remind us in 1 John 1:9 that when we become aware we have sinned, we can confess it to our Lord and he is faithful and just to forgive us. 

I encourage everyone reading this to be like Noah, obedient to God’s calling in your life even if it means we become isolated from others in our society. 

1. Smith, Samuel. Oregon christian Bakers Ordered to Pay $135K After Refusing to Work Gay Wedding; Told to Stop Speaking About 'ObeyGod, Not Man'. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, July 3, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2015.] www.christianpost.com/news/oregon-christian-bakers-ordered-to-pay-135k-after-refusing-to-work-gay-wedding-told-to-stop-speaking-about-obeying-god-now-man-141137/.