Noach - Noah

Note: Due to a rather hectic start to this year, I am slightly behind on these postings. To remedy this, I will double this week's postings in order to get back on schedule. Thank you.

Today's Reading:
Genesis 6:9-7:16

Today's passage gives us more insight into the life of Noah. He is introduced in Genesis 6:9 as "a righteous man, blameless in his time." The notes in my Bible define "blameless" as "having integrity." We are also introduced to the state of humanity during Noah's time. The earth is described as a violent and corrupt place. So here, in a place so violent and corrupt that G-d deems it beyond repair, one man stands out because of his integrity. Others may be more powerful, more wealthy and more popular; but no one in all the earth has the integrity of this one man - Noah.

In Genesis 6:13 we see that Noah walked so closely with G-d that He let Noah in on His plan to destroy the earth. He then gave Noah a daunting task. Noah was to build a huge ark, a boat big enough to hold all the beings G-d wanted to save from the flood. In Genesis 6:20 G-d explains to Noah that "two of every kind [of animal] will come to you to keep them alive."

So here we have Noah, very likely not the most popular man in town because of his integrity, tasked with predicting an earth-destroying flood, building a giant boat, filling it with all the beings G-d chooses to save and keeping them alive. How's that for a tall order?

Yet Noah obeys (Gen. 7:5). He follows G-d's blueprint and builds the ark. And not only that, his family members obey as well, by entering the ark with him. Now according to both the New Bible Dictionary and the Easton's Bible Dictionary, it took 120 years (life spans were much longer in that time) to build the ark. Given the corrupt and violent nature of the time in which Noah lived, do you think his neighbors just calmly sat by and watched him build a giant boat while predicting the earth's destruction? My money's on "no." I think it's much more likely that Noah and his family endured years of harassment and contempt from those around them.

What emotions did Noah go through during this time? Did he become unsure about whether he truly heard G-d's voice? Did he doubt G-d? Did he become discouraged and want to give up? Surely there were times when he faced ridicule, embarrassment and disillusionment. In that length of time, it's probable that there were many times when he wanted to quit. But he didn't. He persevered. He and his family made their preparations and loaded the ark. In the end they entered the ark, G-d Himself closed the door and the deluge began. Once again G-d proved faithful to His word.

My prayer today is that I would have the fortitude to persevere in times of waiting on G-d. May I remember that His timetable is far superior to mine and that He is faithful.

Tomorrow Morning: Genesis 7:17-Genesis 9:7