TEXT: By faith Noah — Heb. 11:7.
INTRODUCTION: Faith is to trust God without terms. For when God has a big job to be done, faith gets the contract. A person can never be a hero unless he is first a hero in faith. For we do not test the resources of God until we try the impossible. Even faith can stifle science. It is faith that expects from God that which is beyond all expectations.
Noah knew that there was no better way to show his trust in God than to bury himself in the thing God had asked him to do. For he found that faith was the key that unlocked the cabinet of God’s promises, and emptied the content of its treasures into his soul. Noah walked with God in a day and age when “all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth” (Gen. 6:12). This verse should be of special interest to all of us living in these days. Jesus told us, “As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matt. 24:37).
God said a flood was coming. Noah’s faith was demonstrated by his building of the ark. As the hammers echoed, they were preaching a warning of coming judgment. The unsaved world had ample evidence of Noah’s faith by his daily testimony that he believed God, in a coming flood, and in the need for a refuge. We see first the –
I. FOUNDATION OF NOAH’S FAITH Being warned of God — Heb. 11:7.
A. A WORD FROM GOD: Noah’s faith rested upon the truth of God’s Word. God had spoken! Could God lie! It never occurred to him to doubt the authority of divine revelation. In all probability, the people of that day told Noah he was mistaken in thinking God would send a flood. Some probably reminded him that God was a God of love, and would not do such a thing. Still others insisted that the flood was just figurative language, and could not mean literal water. Nevertheless, by faith, Noah believed God, and in the literal fulfillment of the predicted flood. NOT ONLY A WORD FROM
B.A WARNING FROM GOD…. THE FLOOD — TYPE OF GOD’S JUDGMENT: Noah had warned the people of the coming judgment even to the very day. “For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights” (Gen. 7:4). God kept His word. Judgment came. Jesus said, “they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark” (Luke 17:27).
C.A WAY FROM GOD… ARK — TYPE OF SALVATION: God directed Noah in the construction of the ark — even to the minute details. Interesting it is to note the dimensions. It was engineered to be 6 times longer than its width. Incidentally, we are told that even today, all ocean going ships are engineered, designed, and built in the same proportions.
The ark became the salvation of Noah and his family. Our salvation is in Christ — the Ark of Salvation.
PITCH: By faith, Noah followed God’s instruction to — “pitch it within and without with pitch” (Gen. 6:14). The pitch was necessary to keep out the water — water of God’s judgment. “Pitch” means “atonement.” The ark of safety our salvation is “pitched” within and without with the “atonement” of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Next we see the –
I. FOUNDATION OF NOAH’S FAITH
II.FOUNTAIN OF NOAH’S FAITH Things not seen as yet — Heb. 11:7.
History was against the flood. Natural law had remained unbroken for centuries. There had been no divine intervention, no spectacular interruption, or violent arrest of this natural law. The sky was clear. The heavens were silent. Present appearances were contrary to a flood. Nothing Noah could observe with the natural eye could confirm his faith in a promised deluge.
Yet, he believed God. All evidence was that up until now it had never rained upon the earth. “But there went up a MIST from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground” (Gen. 2:6). Strong faith was necessary to accept the seemingly contrary evidences. This Noah did. His acceptance of the unseen became the strength of his faith. How strong is your faith?
HE HAD FOUNTAIN OF FAITH TO DRAW FROM ON THE INSIDE…REMEMBER OUT YOUR BELLY SHALL FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER
I. FOUNDATION OF NOAH’S FAITH
II.FOUNTAIN OF NOAH’S FAITH
III.FORCE OF NOAH’S FAITH Moved with fear - Heb. 11:7.
A. NOTICE WHAT THIS FORCE BROUGHT….CONVICTION His was the kind of faith that brought deep conviction. This conviction moved him to action. Self-preservation is the first law of nature and Noah obeyed it.
B. NOTICE WHAT THIS FORCE TAUGHT…..FEAR Fearing destruction in the flood, he resolved to save his life. He was motivated and moved by this fear. Why should we not be moved by fear? It is natural and wise. The greatest danger sinful man can face is the wrath and judgment of God upon unbelievers. Subsequently, wise is the person who will fear God.
C. NOTICE WHAT THIS FORCE WROUGHT…A WAY OUT Noah would have been among the drowned ones, if he had not built an ark through fear. Wise and urgent it is, today, for us to let the fear of judgment lead us to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the Ark of Safety. Demonstrated to us are the
I. FOUNDATION OF NOAH’S FAITH
II.FOUNTAIN OF NOAH’S FAITH
III. FORCE OF NOAH’S FAITH
IV. FRUIT OF NOAH’S FAITH Prepared and ark — Heb. 11:7.
BUILDING: Noah’s faith was demonstrated by the actual constructing of the ark. The ungodly world saw concrete evidence of his faith by his daily activity. Every sound of the saw and every blow of the hammer preached a warning of
NO PUMPS: Another evidence of Noah’s faith was the absence of pumps aboard the ark. No need for them though. It was prepared under the explicit directive of God Himself. It could not - it would not leak. Neither will the Ark of Salvation.
NO RUDDER: Additional evidence of Noah’s faith was that there was no rudder to guide the ark during its floating journey. God was its pilot. As to the Ark of Salvation, we can sing, “Jesus Saviour Pilot Me.” Does anyone see the evidence of your faith?
WINDOW: At the end of the forty days, Noah opened the window of the ark. Some think this window was in the top — and opened toward Heaven. It is surmized that Noah opened it often to look up and talk with God in prayer
Noah built a boat of refuge that was to carry him across to his inheritance on the shores of a new world. He accepted by faith the great fact God had told him of the new age that was to follow the flood. He landed safely. IT IS VERY SIMPLE AS TO THE FRUIT OF THE FAITH OF NOAH HE WON HIS FAMILY BECAUSE OF HIS FAITH
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