Genesis 8-9 The Flood (3)
Some lessons from the flood
- Read Genesis 6:9, 8:1-9:29
For several weeks now, we have looked at the Flood, the deluge in the days of Noah. This morning I would like to wrap that up with a few items, a few lessons we can learn from Noah and his family’s encounter with God.
I. YOU CAN WALK WITH GOD REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE WORLD DOES
You can walk with God regardless of what the world does.
- Genesis 6:9
. . . Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God.
These are some sad days in our country and around the world. These can be some difficult days.
This past weekend, Christians holding worship services outdoors in Portland Oregon, were attacked by members of Antifa. Children and adults were pepper sprayed by the mask-wearing thugs, and the church’s sound equipment was thrown into the river.
Discouraging.
Pastors and church-planters in Afghanistan have received warning letters from the Taliban taking over the country as US troops withdraw, saying, “We know who you are and where you are.”
These can be difficult and trying days to be a Christian as we so often see the values that we have long treasured being mocked and attacked.
I imagine things were a bit tough in Noah’s day as well. The Lord says several times, in the count of the flood and the years of preparation leading up to it, that mankind’s thoughts were on evil all the time”. Yet, in spite of this, the Bible records that, “. . . Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God.”
My friend, you can walk with God regardless of what the world does. Don’t you let them get you down. Don’t you let them discourage you, or get you to throw in the towel and quit.
And look, even when you come here, or if you attend other churches, Jesus warned that there will be wolves in sheep clothing and tares among the wheat.
Don’t let the world out there, nor imperfect, or pretend saints in here keep you from walking with the Lord and keep you from being who God has called you to be.
At a time when all the world had turned its back on God, the Bible records, “Noah was a righteous man and walked with God.”
The Bible doesn’t say that Noah’s wife was a righteous woman, though that would have made his walk and his life easier. It doesn’t record that his sons and his daughter-in-laws were righteous, though that would have been encouraging. It records, Noah was a righteous man and walked with God.
You see my friend, where you are in your walk with God is dependent on you and no one else.
You can walk with God regardless of what the world does.
Second, walking with God isn’t always pleasant.
II. WALKING WITH GOD ISN’T ALWAYS PLEASANT
- Read 7:11-13; 8:13-16
When we think of the Flood, and of the ark, we often remember that it rained 40 days and 40 nights. What we don’t often think of is that even though it rained for that long, Noah and his family were stuck on that boat for a year or more; from the 27th day of the 2nd month of Noah’s 600th year, to the 27th day of the 2nd month of Noah’s 601st year.
A year. That’s a long time to be stuck on a boat.
Gladys and I recently had that Covid stuff. Thank the Lord we weren’t too terribly sick, but we were locked down for a while.
Now the first 2 or 3 days we were sick enough we didn’t really feel like doing anything, but after that, I had to get out of the house. I couldn’t get around people, but I had to get out of the house. I came down here and worked some. I got on a few roofs, but I had to get out of the house. There is only so much sitting around a person can do.
Now, imagine that you’re stuck on a boat for a year. Any we’re not talking about the love boat. We’re not talking about a cruise ship with a casino and a buffet 3 times a day. We’re talking about a place where there are chores to do each day, where there are animals to feed, and poop to shovel.
Those of you who grew up on a farm, have you ever been in a barn the first thing in the morning when all of the animals have woken up and gone to the bathroom for the first time of the day? Kind of aromatic isn’t it?
These folks lived in the world’s biggest barn, doing chores everyday for a year. I imagine there were times when that could get old. I imagine there were times when the chores would get tiring, and the smell overwhelming. Can’t you imagine Noah walking through the boat and saying to himself, “This would be a good place for a stickup.”
Look folks, nobody said serving God was going to be easy. No one ever said that being a Christian and following the Lord would always be pleasant in this life. Hey, “I beg your pardon, He never promised you a rose garden”.
No one ever said serving the Lord was easy. Do you think Daniel enjoyed being an outcast in Babylon, with only 3 true friends in the whole nation, always looking over his shoulder because of people, out of jealousy, trying to figure out ways to get him thrown into a lion’s den?
Don’t you think Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego got a little tired of being the only 4 in that whole nation who did what was right and faithfully followed the Lord?
Do you think Paul enjoyed being beaten, or stoned, or imprisoned? No. But, he was living for a God the world did not recognize, with values contrary to the people living around him, and it cost him.
We need to grow up, and pull up our big boy pants, and remember this world is not what we are living for. This world is a training ground, a bootcamp, a battlefield, and those places are not always pleasant.
Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Well, storming gates requires work. And serving the Lord requires work. A delivering folks out of the hands of the Devil requires work.
Walking with God is not always pleasant. Is it rewarding? Yes. Is it exciting? Yes. Is it fulfilling? Yes. But, it is not always pleasant.
You rejoice over the ones you see come to know the Lord. You pray over the seeds that are sown. You cry over the ones who turn away. You lick your wounds when those you have loved hurt you. But, you get up and go again, because the stakes are too high.
Walking with God isn’t always pleasant.
III. THE IMPORTANCE OF MAN
- Read 9:1-6
Things have changed since the time in the Garden of Eden. In the beginning man was only to eat plants. Now, God says that man can kill and eat animals. But, notice one thing that did not change.
- Read 9:5-6
God says, “If you kill a human, then you are to be killed.” Did you see the reasoning behind God’s command? “For God made man in His image.”
God made you and I different from every other living thing in all of His creation. How? He created us in His image.
That’s one of the reasons so many try to push evolution. They want to say that humans, that mankind is just like the animals. Wrong. We are not like every other create thing for we were created in the image of God. And because of that, God holds those who take human life to a higher standard, and their punishment is greater. They are to forfeit their own lives.
How sad is it, that in our “modern society” we have forgotten the sanctity and value of human life. From our abortionists, to our drug dealers, to the murders who roam our streets; we make excuses for their behavior, and delay their punishments, and allow the outrage to continue.
In some of our states they have done away with the death penalty, and in states where it remains, they delay carrying out that sentence for a decade or more.
> Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil"
My friend, we need to understand that God does not place trees on the same level as men. He does not place animals on the same level as women, for we alone are created in the image of God, and we need to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Together we have seen that you can walk with God regardless of what the world does. We have been reminded that walking with God isn’t always pleasant, and we have been reminded of the importance of man. I would like us to remember also this morning that the Devil will pervert.
IV. THE PERVERSION OF SATAN
- Read Genesis 9:12-17
God made a vow, He made a covenant with Noah and with all mankind. He said, “I will never again destroy all life with the flood. And, here is the sign of My promise, I will place a bow in the sky.
As a sign of God’s promise, He made a rainbow. If you remember, before the Food there is not recorded any rainfall. The Bible tells us the place was watered by a mist from the ground.
Now things have changed. There is rain, and God has given us the rainbow as a sign of His promise. Every time we see the rainbow we are reminded of God’s promise. The rainbow is a good thing.
But, as so often happens, the devil perverts what God meant for good.
I remember the first time I saw the rainbow used improperly. I was a college student in Monroe, LA, and Jessie Jackson came to speak at our campus when he was running for president. He spoke then of his rainbow coalition, his unity of all kinds of people to support his campaign. I’m thinking to myself, that’s not what the rainbow represents, and you being a “minister” should know better.
Later, Tim Cain told me how the natives he worked with in South America took the rainbow as a bad sign. They were frightened by it.
Now, we have rainbows placed all over the place, celebrating what God calls a perversion.
My friends, we must be careful, for the devil will often take what God created and what intended for good, and twist it and make it ugly.
God created sex. It was his idea. He created it for procreation, and for intimacy. Look how the Devil has twisted and perverts what God intended for good.
God gave us food for energy, and for pleasure, and for fellowship. Look at how the Devil has twisted that natural desire in so many health destroying ways.
God gave us friends and fellowship.
> Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
> Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.
God gave us friends, and intended for us to help and encourage one another, but how often has the God-given gift been twisted by the Devil where instead of encouraging and helping one another we tear each other down or through peer pressure lead one another astray?
God gave us standards. The Bible says,
> 2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you.
So the Devil twists, distorts and perverts our calling to be different into a bunch of self-righteous rules.
> Colossians 2:20-23 If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. Although these have a reputation for wisdom by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.
God places a calling on our lives to be different than the world, and then the Devil twists and destroys that into, “Well, if you follow all of these rules you’ll be ok.”
My friend, you need a daily walk with the Lord, a daily encounter to determine how He is leading you, because if possible, the devil will distort and pervert the Lord’s calling on your life and make it into something He never intended.
There is another item we notice in this passage, and that is the importance of watchfulness.
V. THE IMPORTANCE OF WATCHFULNESS
Ok, the Bible tells us that in spite of what the rest of the world was doing Noah was a righteous man and walked with God.
We know that Noah served faithfully for around 100 years building the ark. For 100 or more years, Noah would go out, and in spite of what the world thought of him, he worked on that boat. In spite of still having to make a living and provide for his family, Noah worked on the boat. I imagine the whole time he’s thinking to himself, “I’m pleasing God and protecting my family. I’m pleasing God and protecting my family. I’m pleasing God and protecting my family.”
Oh Lord, give us more men like that. “I’m pleasing God and protecting my family. Give us men who will live Godly lives thinking to themselves, “I’m pleasing God and protecting my family.” Give us men who faithfully pray thinking, “I’m pleasing God and protecting my family.”
For 100 or more years he did that. Then, for another year, he lived on a boat and took care of animals. Now, not long after getting off the ark what does he do?
- Read Genesis 9:20-21
Noah got drunk and lay naked in his tent.
Folks, we can never let down our guard. Until Jesus comes again, we cannot sit and rest on our laurels, thinking we’ve got it all figured out and let’s coast on into heaven.
The Bible says,
> 1 Peter 5:6-8 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.
The devil is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. There is no place this side of heaven where the battle stops, where the need for care stops, where we can let down our guard.
We walk with the Lord each day, and never stop.
One other item I’d like us to notice before we go. I’d like you to notice the importance of choosing wisely.
VI. THE IMPORTANCE OF CHOOSING WISELY
- Genesis 9:22-23
Did you notice what happened in this passage? 1 of Noah’s sons acted foolishly, and 2 of them acted wisely. One of them went in his father’s tent, saw him naked and drunk, and went and his brothers about it.
The other 2 backed into the tent, with a cloak over their shoulders and covered their dad.
Now, these 3 boys all grew up in the same home. They had the same mother and the same dad. They went on the same vacations together. The shared the same meals and shared the same holidays together. 1 delighted in embarrassing his dad and the other 2 did what was right.
3 boys in the same house, in the same family. 2 did right and 1 did not. I wonder sometimes if we parents don’t sometimes take too much credit when our children turn out well, and perhaps too much blame when they do not do well?
I remember well the first church I pastored. My worship leader and his wife had 2 children. The first-born, a girl, turned out well. The second-born, a boy, was unruly from the time he was born. The last time I saw him, years after leaving there, he was a drug using addict, hollering at his crying mom on the side of the road.
I remember her coming into my office one time and telling me, that if they had only had 1 child, they would have thought they had parenting figured out and that folks who couldn’t control their children weren’t parenting properly; but, after the birth of their son, her attitude on the matter changed completely.
Oh, we parents have a great deal of influence on our children. We have a responsibility to rear our children in the fear and the admonition of the Lord. We have a great opportunity and a great responsibility; but ultimately, what our children do in response to our teaching and our example is their responsibility. It is a decision they have to make.
> Ezekiel 18:20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A son won’t suffer punishment for the father’s iniquity, and a father won’t suffer punishment for the son’s iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous person will be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on him.
What is true of our children, is also true of you and me. I can prepare and teach. Mark and Bindu can lead the music, but ultimately, whether you worship or not is up to you. Whether you follow Jesus or not is up to you.
1 family. 3 boys. All heard the same things. They all saw the same example in their dad’s life. 2 chose wisely, and 1 did not. 1 church family with many members. You all have different backgrounds, and histories, and families; but this morning you have all heard the same gospel.
What will you do with Jesus?
