By Faith Noah… The Obedience of Noah

Introduction Noah’s obedient faith is commended in Hebrews 11: “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (v. 7).

By Faith Noah Noah was a man of faith (Heb. 11:7). He found favor in the eyes of the Lord; moreover, he was a righteous man, blameless in his time. Noah walked with God (Gen. 6:8-9).

By Faith Noah In like manner, it is essential that we trust in God rather than in ourselves (Prov. 3:5-8; Hab. 2:1-5; cf. Rom. 1:16-17; Gal. 3:10-14; Heb. 10:36-39).

Being Warned by God about Things not yet Seen God warned Noah about things that had not yet been seen (Heb. 11:7). The flood was a unique, destructive force unlike anything that occurred before or afterwards (Gen. 6:1-21; 9:8-17).

Being Warned by God about Things not yet Seen Divine warnings are an expression of God’s grace and love (1 Cor. 11:32; Rev. 3:19). It is imperative that we take heed, and not foolishly ignore such warnings (2 Kings 17:7-18; 2 Pet. 3:3-9).

In Reverence Noah demonstrated godly fear (Heb. 11:7). The Greek verb eulabeomai, occurring only here, translated “fear” (KJV), “godly fear” (NKJV), or “reverence” (NASB), means “to be concerned about a matter, to be anxious or cautious.”

In Reverence Solomon emphasized the importance of divine reverence (Eccles. 5:4-7; 8:12-13; 12:13-14). So likewise, we must serve God with reverence and awe (Heb. 12:25-29, esp. vs. 28).

Prepared an Ark for the Salvation of His Household Noah was obedient, acting on God’s instructions, preparing an ark for the salvation of his household (Heb. 11:7). He found favor in the eyes of the Lord because he was a righteous man, conforming to the ways of God, and complying with the Word of God (Gen. 6:8-9, 22).

Prepared an Ark for the Salvation of His Household As a result, he and his family were delivered from the destruction of the flood (Gen. 7:1-5). In like manner, we are saved from the defilement of sin through obedience to the Lord’s will in baptism (1 Pet. 3:18-22).

By Which He Condemned the World Noah’s attitude and actions were a rebuke to the sinful men of his day; they also could have been saved if they had been similarly submissive (Heb. 11:7).

By Which He Condemned the World In like manner, first century scribes and Pharisees stood condemned by the repentance of the men of Nineveh, and the diligence of the Queen of Sheba (Matt. 12:38-42; Luke 11:29-32).

And Became an Heir of the Righteousness which is According to Faith Noah became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith (Heb. 11:7). There is no greater blessing than being counted as an heir of God (Rom. 8:12-17; Gal. 3:28-29).

And Became an Heir of the Righteousness which is According to Faith Yet, let us recognize that such hope is based, not upon personal merit, but rather upon Jesus’ perfect life and death, and His provision, pattern, and plan (Rom. 3:21-26; Phil. 3:8-11).

Conclusion Following the example of Noah and recognizing the certainty of divine judgment, let us walk by faith, striving to be prepared for that day when Christ will return in judgment (2 Cor. 5:6-11; 2 Pet. 3:10-18).