◄ What Does Genesis 6:8 Mean? ►

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Genesis 6:8(NASB)

Verse of the Day

The first six chapters of Genesis cover the span of time from Creation to the Flood. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth, and made man in His own image and likeness. And when He reflected on all that He had made, God saw that it was very good. But Adam made a foolish choice and instead of eating of the Tree of Life, he ate from the Tree of Knowledge, catapulting the human race headlong into sin and rebellion against their Creator-God. Sadly, only a few chapters later, we read that the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of men's heart was only evil continually.

What a shocking testimony of what sin can do and what a sombre truth of the destructive nature of sin in the life of men. In a matter of 10 generation we discover how quickly the whole human race had become utterly depraved and corrupt. We read that the earth was filled with violence and God's pronouncement was that He would destroy the whole earth together with the sum total of humanity.

The Lord cannot look upon sin and sin must be punished, but God is also full of mercy and great goodness and we discover later that as the Lord grieved over His fallen creation and the utter depravity of man's heart, the eyes of the Lord search to and fro, looking for someone with a heart that was in right standing towards God. And then we read: "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."

God's eyes fell on Noah, for He searches the heart and He understands every desire and every thought in the mind of man. for it is the Lord Who finds pleasure in righteousness. Like all of Adam's descendants Noah had a sin nature. But we discover that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was not a perfect man. Noah was a sinner who deserved the same condemnation of all humanity, for all have sinned and all come short of the glory of God, and the wages of sin is death.

So why did God save Noah when he was obviously a sinful descendent of Adam? Why do we read that Noah was a righteous man who was blameless among the people of his time? Why was it that Noah alone found grace in the eyes of the Lord?

The answer is because it is faith in God that is credited to man as righteousness. The eyes of the Lord search to and fro looking for someone with a heart that, through faith, is in right standing with Him. His eyes fell on Noah, because God in His grace searches the heart and He could see that Noah trusted Him; Noah believed in Him; Noah had faith in Him. Without faith it is impossible to please God, but Noah's faith pleased God and so Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and His faith was credited to Him as righteousness. Noah was declared righteous in the same way that Abraham, and David, and you, and me, and all who have trusted God's Word are declared righteous - by faith.

Hebrews chapter 11 gives us a greater insight into the importance of trusting God; of believing in God; of having faith in God: "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who dilligently seek Him." The chapter goes on to talk specifically about Noah: "By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."

Noah believed God, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are a God of goodness and grace. I am grateful for the example of Noah, who trusted Your Word and discovered that You are a God Who credits our faith in You as righteousness. Thank You that Jesus came to earth to die on the Cross for my sins and that by believing on Him, I have the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. In Jesus' name, AMEN.