And if (God) didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others, when he brought the flood on the world of the ungodly . . . then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials. (2 Peter 2:5, 9a)
By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. (Heb. 11:7)
Consider Noah. In Genesis 6, we read, “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” So, God decided to destroy the whole earth with a flood, but he determined to save Noah and his family. He instructed Noah to build an ark – a very large boat – to preserve Noah, his family, and the animals.
Among Bible scholars, it is believed that there had been no rain up to this time, as the earth was watered by from mists or streams from the ground. So also, there had been no floods and probably no boats! So, for the entire time that Noah built the ark, the people ridiculed him for building a boat and talking about rain and a flood. Above their taunts, Noah warned of God’s impending judgement; he was called a “preacher of righteousness.” The people continued in their depravity, and because of Noah’s warnings they condemned themselves. (Heb. 11:7)
What was Noah’s motivation? Noah ignored the ridicule of his neighbors, and trusted that God would send a flood and would protect him and his family from destruction. It certainly would have been easier for Noah to ignore God’s seemingly unreasonable instructions and blend into his culture. Yet, he was motivated to ignore his culture and follow God’s instructions. By trusting, God used Noah to preserve his creation – both human and animal life. Noah “became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” (Heb. 11:7)
Are we likewise motivated by righteousness to obey God’s commands and to ignore our sinful culture? Even when God’s commands seem unreasonable? Even when following the culture leads to pain and death? As God rescued Noah, so he also “knows how to rescue the godly from trials.” (2 Peter 2:9a) You have the power of the Holy Spirit to say “no” to the culture and “yes” to God.