Genesis 6:17-18
Verse 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.
There was a very special moment during God telling Noah about His plans about destroying the world and all He had made, that we often overlook. Let’s put ourselves in Noah’s place for a moment instead of looking at this from the distant future. God says He regrets making humans and is going to wipe them from the face of the earth, but we have found favor in His eyes and so He wants to use us to save part of His creation.
First off, we suddenly think of all the evil we know is around us. We agree that people have become horrible. Then the Lord’s words start to sink in, we have found favor in His eyes and He wants to save us and use us to build a boat, whatever that is. But what does that mean for everyone else? God was talking about a flood, so much water it would cover the earth. Then it hits us, all these people we know and even love are going to be destroyed.
We start thinking of specific people. Yes, they may be evil but those people include, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends. We don’t mind God ridding the earth of evil but it can be a little harder when we know the faces and names of those people and even harder if they are people we love.
Suddenly the faces hit very close to home, his wife and young sons. Noah was over 500 years old when he became a father (Genesis 5:32) and that means most of the time he was building the Ark, he was also raising young sons. By the time of the flood they were old enough to be married but this time of building the ark with them wanting to help him at every point had to be having him wonder about them. How was all of this affecting them? Would they know God or were they going to follow the ways of the world around them?
But God had made a covenant with Noah about his sons, wife and daughters in law, a covenant to save them. This must have been a comfort to Noah as he watched the rampant evil all around him. Of course a covenant is God keeping His part and Noah keeping his. Noah was continuing to be obedient to God’s instructions and God was going to keep His covenant by saving Noah and his family. We’ve made covenants with God too, are we being faithful to keep them?
Making It Personal
How concerned are you that some of your family and friends are living lives contrary to God? How concerned are you about the salvation of those you don’t love? What do you do to show that concern?
Making It Personal Kids
Are you concerned about those who aren’t following Jesus? How can you help them know Jesus? Who do you need to tell about Jesus today?
Closing Prayer
Father, we confess that we aren’t always as concerned about other people’s salvation as we should. Please give us the wisdom we need to show You to those around us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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