Saved Through Faith (Genesis 6-9)
A long time ago, the world was full of people who had turned away from God. Based on population growth estimates from Adam to Noah, it’s possible that millions of people lived on the earth by this time, though the exact number is unknown.. Instead of living the good and peaceful lives God wanted for them, they were violent, selfish, and always thinking of evil things. This was the legacy of Cain, whose jealousy led him to murder his brother Abel. As generations passed, Cain’s example spread like poison, filling the world with violence and hatred. People hurt each other, took what didn’t belong to them, and ignored God entirely. Imagine what it would have been like to live in those days: everywhere you looked, there was cruelty, danger, and selfishness. It was a dark and frightening time, where no one cared about what was right, and life was filled with fear and chaos. It’s the stuff nightmares are made of.
This made God very sad. He had created the world to be beautiful and good, but now it was full of sin and destruction. So God decided He would cleanse the earth with a flood and start over. But even in judgment, God planned to show mercy.
In the middle of all this evil, there was one man who stood out—Noah. He was different because he listened to God and tried to do what was right. He has faith that God is good and a rewarder of those who seek his will. The Bible says Noah was "a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God" (Genesis 6:9). While everyone else ignored God, Noah stayed close to Him.
God’s Plan for Noah
One day, God spoke to Noah and gave him a surprising mission. He said, “I am going to bring a flood to destroy the earth because it has become so corrupt. Can you imagine hearing this terrifying news? But I will save you, your family, and two of every kind of animal. You need to build a giant boat, an ark, to keep everyone safe.”
God gave Noah exact instructions for the ark—how big it should be, rooms it needed, and even what kind of wood to use. It was a huge project! The ark would be about the size of a football field and an half and three stories tall. Scholars estimate that it could have taken Noah anywhere from 50 to 75 years to build the ark. But Good tells us that the flood came about one hundred years after the foretelling. Imagine the hard work, the patience, and the faith it took to keep going year after year, especially without all of the tools and machinery we possess. Also, think about how hard it would be as people around him likely mocked him for building such a massive boat.
Noah had a choice: he could ignore God like everyone else, or he could trust Him and obey. Even though Noah had never seen a flood before, he believed what God said. Day after day, Noah and his sons worked on the ark. They cut wood, hammered nails, and gathered supplies. It must have been hard work, and the people around them probably laughed and thought they were crazy. “What’s the point of building a boat? There’s no water here!” they might have said. But Noah kept going because he trusted God.
Noah is also called a preacher of righteousness in the New Testament. In 2 Peter 2:5, Peter writes that God "did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly." This shows us that Noah not only built the ark but also proclaimed God’s truth to the people around him. Even as he was mocked and ignored, Noah warned others of the coming judgment and pointed them to God’s mercy. He didn't hate the wicked people around him. He tried to save them. His life and message were a witness to faith in a dark and corrupt world.
The Animals and the Flood
When the ark was finished, God told Noah to bring the animals. Two of every kind—lions, elephants, birds, even insects—came to the ark. God also told Noah to gather food for his family and the animals. Once everyone was inside, the Bible says that God shut the door of the ark. It was a sign that God Himself would protect them.
Then the rain began. For forty days and forty nights, water poured down from the sky, and the springs under the ground burst open. The water rose higher and higher until it covered even the tallest mountains by 22 feet. Everything outside the ark was destroyed. The flood wasn’t just a random event; it was God’s judgment on a world that refused to listen to Him. But inside the ark, Noah and his family were safe because they had trusted and obeyed God.
A New Beginning
After the rain stopped, the water slowly began to go down. Noah sent out a raven, and later a dove, to see if the land was dry. When the dove came back with an olive leaf, Noah knew it was almost time to leave the ark. Finally, God told Noah and his family to step out onto dry land.
The first thing Noah did was thank God. He built an altar and offered a sacrifice to show how grateful he was for God’s protection. God made a promise to Noah: “Never again will I destroy the earth with a flood.” As a sign of this promise, God placed a rainbow in the sky. Every time we see a rainbow, we can remember God’s faithfulness and mercy.
But this new beginning wasn’t all rainbows. After the flood, Noah sinned by becoming drunk and uncovered in his tent. His son Ham disrespected him, leading to a curse on Ham’s descendants. Even after witnessing God’s great power and mercy, humanity’s sin persisted. Later, men became proud and defiant, building the Tower of Babel to make a name for themselves instead of glorifying God. This reminds us that even after judgment and a fresh start, the human heart still struggles with sin and rebellion. Yet, God’s promises and plans continue, moving us toward the ultimate solution for sin—Jesus Christ.
Lessons from Noah’s Story
Noah’s story is about more than just a big boat and a lot of rain. It teaches us some important truths:
- Rebellion Will Be Judged: God doesn’t ignore sin. He sees when people choose to do wrong, and He acts to bring justice.
- As we think about the flood, we have to consider the rebellion of people in our day. People don't want to believe that the flood happened because they once again want to rebel against God. Many scientists today believe the earth is millions or billions of years old, but they base their measurements on assumptions that the flood never happened. They ignore historical records and replace them with their own imagination.
- Consider how much this water would have changed the earth. The flood would have caused massive geological shifts—reshaping land, carving out valleys, and depositing layers of sediment rapidly. If we consider the flood to be an actual historical event—which is recorded not only in the Bible but also in the stories of many ancient cultures—then many geological dating methods which assume uniform changes over time would be flawed. This misinformation leads many to doubt the historical records of Scripture. Yet, Noah’s story reminds us that God’s judgment and power shaped the world, leaving a mark that points back to Him.
- Today there are multiple sights we can go to where sea animal fossils have been discovered at the top of mountains like the Himalayas, the Andes, the Alps, and the Rockies.
- God is Merciful: God was willing to give wicked men decades to repent before bringing the flood upon them. He sent out Noah to tell them, but they refused to hear. Even in judgment, God's mercy is seen as he made a way to save Noah and his family. This shows us that God always provides a way to rescue those who trust Him.
- Faith and Obedience Matter: Noah didn’t wait to understand everything or see the flood before he obeyed God. He trusted God’s words and acted on them.
- God Keeps His Promises: The rainbow is a reminder that God is faithful. We can trust Him to do what He says. He will never destroy the earth by flood again. But He has promised to destroy the earth again. In 2 Peter 3:3-7, Peter writes that scoffers will come, doubting God’s promises and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’ But Peter reminds us that just as the world was once destroyed by water, it will one day be destroyed by fire. This promise may be mocked, but we must hold to it with faith like Noah, trusting that God’s word is sure. The same God who kept Noah safe in the ark will also keep those who trust in Him safe in Christ.
Noah and Jesus
For both children and adults, Noah’s story points us to Jesus. Just as the ark saved Noah and his family from the flood, Jesus saves us from the judgment of sin. Jesus is our “ark,” the one who shelters us and brings us safely to God.
Jesus even talked about Noah. He said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” . Just like the people in Noah’s time ignored God’s warnings, many people today are unprepared for Jesus’ return.
Peter connects Noah’s story to salvation through baptism in 1 Peter 3:20-21. Just as Noah and his family entered the ark by faith and were brought safely through the waters of the flood, baptism now saves us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The waters of baptism don’t simply wash dirt from the body—they represent our faith in God's power to save. We enter them like Noah and make an appeal to God for a clean conscience. Baptism is a reminder that God’s mercy provides salvation for those who trust and obey, just as Noah’s obedience brought salvation to his family.
But only those who trust in Jesus will be saved, just as Noah was saved.
A Story for All of Us
Whether you’re a child or an adult, Noah’s story reminds us to listen to God, trust Him, and live faithfully in a world that often ignores Him. God is patient and gives people time to turn back to Him, but His judgment is certain. The good news is that His mercy is even greater. Just like He saved Noah, God offers salvation to all of us through Jesus.
And the next time you see a rainbow, remember: God always keeps His promises.