Very early in the scriptures there is an account of three hearts:-
GE 6:5 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
The first heart we encounter is the heart of man.
Man’s heart is wicked – so wicked that the writer of Genesis tells us that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
This is the situation with your and my heart – the heart of the fall.
The second heart is the heart of the Lord:-
6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain .Here we have the heart of God which is filled with pain because of the wickedness of our hearts.
The third heart is the heart of Noah 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
GE 6:9 This is the account of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
So we have three heart conditions revealed here in Genesis chapter 6.
The first condition is the corrupted heart of humanity – corrupted by the sin of the world.
The second heart is the pained and broken heart of God which is indicative of the depth of corruption the fall visited on the human heart and also indicative of the love God feels for people.
Then there is the mysterious condition of the heart of Noah.
There is something radically different about the life of Noah.
Noah was so different that his life persuades God to stay his hand and rescue humanity even though most of them are destroyed in a massive flood.
What is it in Noah’s heart that stays God’s hand?
We need to discover that, because if we do then we are on the pathway to discovering how to live the Christian life at a whole new level.
Let us consider the heart of Noah in three different ways.
The first question is was Noah’s heart subject to the fall?
When we read these words – Do they apply to Noah?
GE 6:5 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.
Noah was a descendent of Adam.
As a descendent of Adam he was subject to the condition of sinfulness which is in fact rebellion against God and His purposes.
What then, had Noah done that no one else on earth had seemingly done?
In Genesis chapter 4 we get some insight into what Noah must have done.
This passage of course is not about Noah at all but rather his ancester Cain :-
4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
GE 4:6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
What Noah had done wass to master the sin that we all are afflicted by.
Was he perfect – No?
Later on we find Noah acting unwisely in a state of drunkeness but overall we are told:-
GE 6:9 This is the account of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
The first thing then we learn is that:- sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Nothing has changed – sin crouches at our doors and we must master it.
The interesting thing about Cain in Genesis is he finds it difficult to understand what he has done wrong.
The situation was that both he and his brother had offered sacrifices to God.
God was happy with his brothers sacrifice but was unhappy with Cain’s.
Why?
sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
4:3-4 Cain brought some of the fruits . . . But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The contrast is not between an offering of plant life and an offering of animal life, but between a careless, thoughtless offering and a choice, generous offering (cf. Lev 3:16). Motivation and heart attitude are all-important, and God looked with favor on Abel and his offering because of Abel’s faith (Heb 11:4). firstborn. Indicative of the recognition that all the productivity of the flock is from the Lord and all of it belongs to him.
I believe that God is wanting us to know and recognize the sinful potential of our hearts and he is insistent that we nmust conquer it.
The last couple of weeks I have been preaching and teaching sermons that have been encouraging us to raise our faith up to a new level.
But we will not do that unless we have conquered it.
When God says:- sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it. :- He is telling us that this major area of weekness that all of us inherit – wait for it.>>>>>>>>
We need to get this.
Is able to be beaten.
There is no need for sin to triumph in my life and your life.
True, it is the blood of Jesus Christ that deals the fatal permanent blow to our sin, but we are able to Master it.
I am not saying we will not need to struggle against sin in our lives.
I do often and constantly.
Paul did.
Romans chapter 7 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
In his famous discussion about the war that rages within him Paul says this:- For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
I believe Noah was like that.
He delighted in the law of god after the inward man but, like us, had to face the regular, constant struggle against sin.
People are capable of terrible things.
I found this little story on the internet.
It is about a New York Tailor Onofrio Avvinti.
He had been issued with a parking ticket and was so upset that he had a heart attack.
Witnesses allege tailor Onofrio Avvinti begged the woman warden to call an ambulance as he collapsed. But she just walked off, saying to the bystanders: ’Just tell him to pay his ticket.’
Now the Avvinti family, from Brooklyn, New York City, are suing the female traffic enforcement agent, a colleague who was with her and the city authorities for $100million (£56million).
Onofrio, 61, was double parked when he returned to his car to find the warden, identified only as L Hinkson, issuing him with the £115 ticket.
He started having a heart attack, but Hinkson refused to call in the paramedics.
His brother-in-law, Antonio Leto, said yesterday: ’We’re very hurt. I can’t even talk, I’m so upset.
’Onofrio’s wife is dying right now. She can’t walk, she can’t talk, she’s on tranquillisers every hour.’
Onofrio’s son, Vito, 32, said: ’He was angry about the ticket.
’He started to feel sick and complained that he wasn’t feeling well. ’He told the agent she should call for an ambulance. ’The witnesses said she walked away and told them, ’Just tell him to pay his ticket.’ ’ The parking ticket was issued at 12.07pm and an ambulance was called by a member of the public at 12.16pm. Onofrio’s family claim he might have survived if the agent had called for help. A New York newspaper quoted a police source as saying: ’This was a cranky old man with health problems. ’I think the message is, if you have a bad heart, park legally.’
What is the problem here?
The hard heart of a parking warden.
Look how many people are hurt.
The wife ’Onofrio’s wife is dying right now. She can’t walk, she can’t talk, she’s on tranquillisers every hour
The son – the bystanders and many others. Why because one person allowed there heart to harden - No wonder god says to Cain. sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Moses mastered it. I am not a betting person:- but I wouldn’t mind betting that that Parking Warden went to bed that night either having forgotten about this incident altogether or by justifying it to herself saying – “Well it is his own fault – silly man for parking illegally.”
We all can be like that we justify the most horrid things with child like reasoning like – well they had it coming – or everyone else does it – or I deserve this!!!!
If we refuse to confront these things personally we will limit our spiritual growth and usefulness to God.
Don’t forget if we are filled with God’s Holy Spirit we are not alone.
LK 11:9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
LK 11:11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
DT 4:39 Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. 40 Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.
This introduces the second thing about the heart.
God is on your side – he wants you to win.
How much does God love you? Max Lucado says, "If God
had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart... Face it, friend. He’s crazy about you."
The second heart is the heart of the Lord:-
6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain .
What a contrast there is between God’s heart here being filled with pain and in the creation account you can see God’s heart glowing with pride when we read –
GE 1:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day.
God constantly reveals his compassion and love for humanity all through the scriptures.
But his predominant act of love is found in the New Testament.
RO 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
This compassion of God towards us should greatly encourage us.
If we allow that love of God to infiltrate our lives there is no limit to what God can do.
So what we learn about God’s heart is it is for us and because his heart is for us we can take great encouragement from that.
Take heart.
Thirdly we learn about the heart of Noah:-
WE find that Noah finds a special place in the heart of god.
Genesis chapter 6
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
If God were not on your side he would not have sent Jesus Christ His only son.
John 3 verse 16 “For God so loved the world!!!”
For I have loved you with an everlasting love.
I think there is something vital for us in seeking the heart of our God.
At the end of the day we need to feel His pain.
We need to set our hearts on what god has set His heart on.
There was a King called Rehoboam who led Jerusalem but his heart was wrong – Listen to what it says about him.
2CH 12:13 King Rehoboam established himself firmly in Jerusalem and continued as king. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. 14 He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD.
14 He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD.
We need to set our hearts on seeking the Lord.
Someone who set his heart on seeking the Lord was
31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit.
That ark was a picture of Christ. There are three (3) arks mentioned in the Word of God. Each was a place of refuge, shelter, and safety.
Noah’s ark secured those who were in it from the vengeance and violent wrath of an angry God: That is the Ark of Christ, our Substitute.
The ark of bulrushes protected God’s chosen one, Moses, from the murderous designs of a wicked ruler, Pharoah: That ark is Christ, into whom we had been placed by our loving Father from eternity.
The ark of the covenant sheltered the two tables of God’s holy law, and being covered with blood, was the place of atonement, mercy, and acceptance with God for sinners: That ark is Christ our Mercy-seat.
Put it all together saints and you’ll discover that from the beginning there has been but one place of refuge for sinners, only one way of salvation. And that is Christ! If you want to be saved, you’d better get in the ark! “It’s Noah’s Time All Over Again, It’s Time To Get In The Ark!”
I’m going to my seat, but I have to ask you a question: Are you in the Ark?
– There’s safety in the ark!
– There’s salvation in the ark!
– There’s peace in the ark!
– There’s joy in the ark!
– There’s love in the ark!
I hear the Lord saying:
“All Aboard!!!”
“All Aboard!!!” “It’s Time To Get Into The Ark!”
No wonder those old saints sang: “Tis the old, ship of zion. Tis the old ship of zion! It has landed many a thousand!” Tell your neighbor, you’d better get on board! Now slap three people a high five and tell them, “I got my ticket and I’m ready to sail!”
“It’s Noah’s Time All Over Again, You’d Better Get In The Ark!”
EPILOGUE
The Door is open for all who will to enter in and be saved! If you perish, it’ll be because you despise the Ark and refuse to enter in.
Are you in the Ark?
If you’re in it’s because the Lord put you in:
In election - In redemption - In regeneration.
. . . And if you ask Him so, the Lord will put you in and keep you in! In the Ark, all is safe!
As there was but one ark in the days of Noah, there is but one way of salvation for poor, helpless, guilty sinners. The whole world was drowned under the flood of God’s wrath, except for those eight happy souls in the ark. Even so, the whole world shall be destroyed in the everlasting wrath of almighty God, except those happy, blessed men and women who are in Christ. Christ alone is the Savior of men. "There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved." If you would be saved, you must come into the Ark, Christ Jesus!
William Wilmore Junior.
To Know a Noah Like Faith
Genesis 6-9
“Everything I need to know I
learned from Noah”
What can we learn from the life of Noah before, during, and after the call to build the Ark?
I. Before the Call’s Inception:
A. He stood out among a wicked people (6:5):
1. Lust led to unholy unions (6:1-4)
2. Hearts bent towards evil (6:5).
3. Grieved God (6:7).
B. He found favor in the eyes of God (6:8):
1. The Bible says that Noah was
righteous (6:9).
2. Noah, like Job, was said to be
blameless (6:9).
3. The Bible also says that
Noah “walked with God” (6:9).
II. During the Call’s Period :
A. Noah listened to God:
1. The Ark was his God-given vision.
“”Spiritual Vision”
2. Built the ark to God’s
specifications (6:14-22)
3. Loaded it as instructed (7:1-5)
4. Stayed until God said to leave
(8:6-19)
B. Noah didn’t listen to his mind:
1. He pursued the vision without a
second recorded thought.
2. “Principles of Vision”
C. Noah didn’t listen to his critics:
1. “God told you to do what?”
2. “Rain”
3. “Flood”
4. “How many animals”
5. “Out here?”
III. After the Call’s Completion:
A. They were spared from the demise suffered
by others (7:17-23).
1. The people died (7:23).
2. The animals died (7:23).
B. They were given the world and everything
in it (9:1-3)
C. They were given accountability (9:5-6).
D. God put a rainbow in the cloud (9:8-17).
1. Where do you stand among a wicked nation? Finding
favor in the eyes of God? (Romans 12:1-2, 1 Peter
13-16)
2. What are you doing about the will of God for your
life?(Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 7:15-20)
3. How do you respond to “nay-sayers” in your life?
(2 Thessalonians 2:13-15, 1 Timothy 4:11-12)
4. What rewards are you expecting from God?
(2 Timothy 4:6-7, 1 Corinthians 3:5-8)
DT 4:25 After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time--if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and provoking him to anger, 26 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. 27 The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. 28 There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. 29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
GE 6:5 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the
earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
The first heart we encounter is the heart of man.
The second heart is the heart of the Lord:-
6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain .Here we have the heart of God which is filled with pain because of the wickedness of our hearts.
Thirdly we learn about the heart of Noah:-
WE find that Noah finds a special place in the heart of god.
Genesis chapter 6
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
