Genesis 8-11
Perhaps the hardest thing about living in the spirit world is being sure of what you are hearing. There are many spirits around us and not all of them are friendly. The ones that aren’t certainly are making no attempt to make life easier for any of us and their goal is not to clear the airwaves so that God can be easier to hear. So, what do we do with that? How did those in the Bible do that? What did Noah do?
We don’t have an incredibly detailed account of Noah’s experience before the flood but we have enough to be able to put together a fairly accurate picture of what would have been taking place. On the entire planet, which was filled with corruption and wickedness, Noah was the only man, the only one on all of Earth, whom God considered righteous. Walking with God, He told Noah that He had had enough of the evil in the human race. In 120 years there would be a great flood to destroy all mankind and begin anew with Noah. Along with that little tidbit, God gave Noah blueprints for a boat big enough to save him, his family and the various animals from their demise.
There is absolutely ZERO doubt in my mind that Noah heard (audibly, like turn on the eight track and crank it up heard) the voice of God. And that day, that voice said “I’m angry, but not at you. Build you a boat boy.” That’s exactly what he did. Over the next century Noah endured the questions, the laughing and the mockery of his neighbors and returned their criticism with the loving words “REPENT OR DIE!” It sounds really harsh and it is, but they really were out of respect and love for his neighbors. He preached that message for at least 100 years and how many people listened to him? That’s right, zero. Not one single person believed that God was actually talking to Noah. They thought he was InSaNe!! We don’t have the exact location where the ark was built, but it is generally thought to be in the middle east…..in the desert…….where there isn’t any water.
When I was a boy my dad built a sailboat in our garage. It was 16 foot long, made of wood and fiberglass and bright yellow. I don’t know how long construction was originally planned for but it took almost 5 years which was quite a bit longer than expected. Dad was also working full time, helping raise my sister and me (sorry Dad) and developing his relationship with God. In regards to the boat I don’t think he got a lot of support from Mom but I can’t be sure about that; I was only 9 when the thing hit the water. Ya know when you are a kid and the summers last forever and some times it seems like time drags on. I didn’t think that boat would ever get finished!! That was only five years! Imagine Noah’s friends and neighbors and family waiting for a century to see something completed that they had no desire for in a place where they couldn’t use it!!! I would not be surprised if in the short time after it was finished but before the animals came, they tried to put him in a straight jacket in a rubber room.
But Noah was faithful. He was confident that what he was hearing was the Voice and what he was doing was the Will of God. It lines up with the character of God. Sometimes you have to go against the flow of the world to get to God and that is exactly what Noah did. Regardless of what the world thought, Noah was working for the King. He might have been angry at those who didn’t listen. He may have been remorseful for those who laughed. But, what do you think they thought when the first husband and wife giraffe walked up to Noah and asked for tickets on the Flood Cruise? Probably nothing! Aren’t there enough signs today to know that the end is near? Yet how many listen? We are still a corrupt and evil people. God has promised that He will never destroy the Earth again but aren’t there far worse fates waiting for those who are laughing at the preachers when Christ comes?
We don’t have an incredibly detailed account of Noah’s experience before the flood but we have enough to be able to put together a fairly accurate picture of what would have been taking place. On the entire planet, which was filled with corruption and wickedness, Noah was the only man, the only one on all of Earth, whom God considered righteous. Walking with God, He told Noah that He had had enough of the evil in the human race. In 120 years there would be a great flood to destroy all mankind and begin anew with Noah. Along with that little tidbit, God gave Noah blueprints for a boat big enough to save him, his family and the various animals from their demise.
There is absolutely ZERO doubt in my mind that Noah heard (audibly, like turn on the eight track and crank it up heard) the voice of God. And that day, that voice said “I’m angry, but not at you. Build you a boat boy.” That’s exactly what he did. Over the next century Noah endured the questions, the laughing and the mockery of his neighbors and returned their criticism with the loving words “REPENT OR DIE!” It sounds really harsh and it is, but they really were out of respect and love for his neighbors. He preached that message for at least 100 years and how many people listened to him? That’s right, zero. Not one single person believed that God was actually talking to Noah. They thought he was InSaNe!! We don’t have the exact location where the ark was built, but it is generally thought to be in the middle east…..in the desert…….where there isn’t any water.
When I was a boy my dad built a sailboat in our garage. It was 16 foot long, made of wood and fiberglass and bright yellow. I don’t know how long construction was originally planned for but it took almost 5 years which was quite a bit longer than expected. Dad was also working full time, helping raise my sister and me (sorry Dad) and developing his relationship with God. In regards to the boat I don’t think he got a lot of support from Mom but I can’t be sure about that; I was only 9 when the thing hit the water. Ya know when you are a kid and the summers last forever and some times it seems like time drags on. I didn’t think that boat would ever get finished!! That was only five years! Imagine Noah’s friends and neighbors and family waiting for a century to see something completed that they had no desire for in a place where they couldn’t use it!!! I would not be surprised if in the short time after it was finished but before the animals came, they tried to put him in a straight jacket in a rubber room.
But Noah was faithful. He was confident that what he was hearing was the Voice and what he was doing was the Will of God. It lines up with the character of God. Sometimes you have to go against the flow of the world to get to God and that is exactly what Noah did. Regardless of what the world thought, Noah was working for the King. He might have been angry at those who didn’t listen. He may have been remorseful for those who laughed. But, what do you think they thought when the first husband and wife giraffe walked up to Noah and asked for tickets on the Flood Cruise? Probably nothing! Aren’t there enough signs today to know that the end is near? Yet how many listen? We are still a corrupt and evil people. God has promised that He will never destroy the Earth again but aren’t there far worse fates waiting for those who are laughing at the preachers when Christ comes?