But Noah found grace in the eyes of
the Lord.
And why did he find grace?
These are the generations of Noah.
Noah was a just man and perfect in
his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Now, why did God save Noah?
He walked with God, yes, but we are
told by faith, Noah, being warned of God
of things not seen as yet, prepared an
ark.
Now, it took faith to prepare an ark
on dry land when it hadn't even drizzled.
And that took faith, by the way.
And we're told that it was by faith
that Enoch was translated.
You see, when the church is taken out,
every believer's going because it's for believers.
And weakest saints going out, and they're going
out because God extends mercy.
And we're told the mercy of God will
be demonstrated at that time.
Now, why the flood?
Why is God going to send the flood?
Well, we're told, verse 11, the earth also
was corrupt before God, and the earth was
filled with violence.
And God looked upon the earth.
Behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had
corrupted His way upon the earth.
That is actually God's way, and it was
man's way.
It turned from the purpose for which God
had created it.
And God said unto Noah, The end of
all flesh is come before me, for the
earth is filled with violence through them.
And behold, I will destroy them with the
earth.
Now, we find here God going to send
the flood.
And why is He going to send the
flood?
Well, let me mention several things.
Man had a promise of a Redeemer, and
they were told that there was coming a
Savior on the earth.
And that is the thing man should have
been looking for.
Instead of that, He turns from God, we're
told.
And then we have here that God provided
a sacrifice for Adam and Eve.
And we find that a great principle was
put down, actually, with Cain and Abel.
That is an eternal principle, if you please.
Here are these two boys, and Cain and
Abel will stand as the representatives of two
great systems, two classes of people, the lost
and the saved, the self-righteous and the
broken-spirited, the formal professor and the genuine
believer.
That's what you have in these two, and
that's what the human race had at this
time.
And then we find that these patriarchs were
living so long, Adam and Methuselah bridged the
entire gap here.
And may I say to you, they could
give, certainly, a revelation to all mankind, which
they did.
And then we are told over in Jude
14 and 15 that Enoch preached during that
period.
He prophesied.
And we're also told that Noah preached during
this period, and also he was building an
ark.
And then we're told that Enoch disappeared.
That should have alerted them to something, and
then they knew concerning this man Methuselah, and
when he died, they should have known.
And then there was the ministry of the
Holy Spirit.
God says that his spirit would not always
strive with man, and the Spirit of God
was striving with him.
Man here totally rejects God, if you please,
and that brought the flood upon the earth.
We find that God's Spirit striving with man
on the earth, and man now turning away
from God.
And here are just a few, though, that
do believe him, Noah and his family.