NOAH – Do or Die
Pastor Fred Calkins
Midland SDA Church
February 20, 2021
Age at birth of children – 500-Japeth, 502-Shem, 504-Ham.
Don’t jump to conclusions (he may have had other children!)
NB these three were born after the prophecy!
Must assume he was strongly influenced by His godly ancestors
When Noah was born:
Adam had been dead for 120 years,
Seth had been gone for ten years,
Enoch had been translated 70 years before Noah’s birth,
Methuselah was very present in his grandson’s life!
Similarly, Lamach lived to within 5 years of the flood.
Appreciate the record in Hebrews 11:7
Notice the theme of righteousness by faith!
We read in Genesis 6:8
“Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD”
We are not given details of how wicked things were,
Simply Genesis 6:5
‘every thought of man’s heart was only evil continually’
still true today!
II Timothy 3: 1-5 – typical sins of the age
Remember, we are not blessed to
hear, read or see wickedness.
We must -
Guard the windows of the soul.
Focus the life on good and right themes.
Refuse to look at evil.
Noah Believed
– contrary to Science.
This is typical of the faithful.
God said a flood is coming.
Rain had never fallen.
The sea kept to its boundaries,
but God said the water would break forth
and destroy everything – and did it ever!
God told Noah just how to build the ‘boat.’
Antediluvian wood was extremely hard
Apparently harder than anything available today.
It worked much like stone.
Preparing the ark was extraordinarily hard work.
Family helped
– fathers, Methusaleh, Lamech
– sons Japheth, Shem, Ham
likely hired labor too
Noah invested all he owned in project
– no reserve for ‘if this plan fails.’
– There is a lesson here for us today!
Live Ready – While we ‘occupy’ till Jesus comes.
Wife and boys believed him.
Boys found godly wives – where?
Three races of people on earth today.
Sing: Red, Brown, Yellow, Black, and White
Oriental, Negroid, Caucasian
Each has been stigmatized at some time and way.
People were not persuaded
even in the face of several miracles
1. Methuselah died ‘right on time’,
just weeks before the flood.
2. Animals and birds came to be housed
– without fuss and in amazing order
NB One pair of every unclean species
Seven of every clean species.
None of the amalgamated (mixed race species)
3. The Door was shut
gloriously, miraculously, with Divine (angelic) light!
Still they scoffed!
7 dry days proved their unrepentant attitude!
Jonah & Ninivah prove that
If the people had repented,
God would have spared them.
Remember: All God’s prophecies are conditional!
I believe there were
religious leaders who claimed to serve God truly.
Yt declared Noah to be a fanatic.
They said ‘God is too good to destroy.’
Exalting nature above the God of Nature!
They said rain is impossible.
The same challenges arise today.
Read: II Peter 3:3-7
A man convinced against his will
is of the same opinion still.
Conversion is a miraculous process.
You can’t ‘fake it till you make it’.
Yes, you can smile and that will help you become happy,
but we personally choose to believe God’s promises.
We must let go of self and let God work in us.
There was/is benefit in the mourner’s bench.
Take time to get serious with God.
God invites us to test Him – Malachi 3:10
Easiest in monetary aspects of life.
God does answer prayers – let Him!
Conditions were not pleasant inside the ark.
But deadly outside it.
Only by the power of God did they live through the flood.
Angels held the boat together through the storm.
When they exited the ark,
Noah made thank offerings.
NB out of his scarcity, he gave an offering.
Yes there is a lesson for us.
Make God first, last, and best in all of life.
God recognizes, respects and honors our gifts to Him.
Treasure the Rainbow!
It was never seen before the flood.
Now it assures us of God’s faithfulness.
God invites us today to trust Him with our lives.
This is the only way to be truly safe.