But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:8

The story of Noah and the flood is a profound demonstration of God’s heart for humanity. We witness both the righteous judgement of God and His unwavering love for His creation.

The world was a pretty rotten place in the days of Noah. Much like today, sin was rampant, and everyone was doing whatever they wanted. God’s heart broke so completely that he made plans to wipe out every living thing. But God saw Noah. Having successfully destroyed Adam and Eve’s innocence and their perfect fellowship with God, Satan set about polluting the entirety of God’s creation. As people multiplied and filled the earth, sin multiplied and poisoned the earth. 

Man’s wickedness was pervasive, and the Lord was heartbroken. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Genesis 6:5-6). Not only was the human race corrupt, but “the earth also was corrupt” and “filled with violence” (v. 11). So great was the Lord’s grief that He decided to destroy man and, in fact, all created beings with a cataclysmic event: the flood.

In the midst of all that evil and wickedness, one man stood alone and walked with God. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (v. 8). This is the very first mention of grace in Scripture. Noah alone found grace. Noah alone “walked with God” (v. 9). Noah alone maintained moral integrity. So, God established a covenant with Noah to preserve him and his family in the ark as God enacted “the end of all flesh” (v. 13). 

Noah faithfully constructed the ark according to God’s precise specifications, and his obedience served as a witness to the world. Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah…prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” 

The world at that time had become deeply corrupt, filled with violence and evil. However, Noah, a righteous man, found Favour in the eyes of God. Recognizing Noah’s faithfulness and devotion, God chose him to build an ark to escape the impending flood that would cleanse the earth of its wickedness. Despite the widespread wickedness, God preserved Noah, his family, and all the animals, revealing His desire to preserve life, even amidst the coming judgement. It was a testament to His abiding love and grace.

And then it rained. “Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth…. And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth” (Genesis 7:17-19). The Bible says that the foundations of the earth were broken up, that water was released from subterranean cavities in the earth and the water canopy was broken up. This was a destructive, universal, worldwide flood. “And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died” (vv. 21-22). 

The ark was invented by God. Noah didn’t come up with the idea. It was God’s idea and God’s design. And it was the only way to be saved from the judgment. The Bible tells us that there was only one door to the ark. In the New Testament, Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9). Just as Noah entered the door of the ark by faith to secure salvation from judgment, so can we find salvation from judgment by faith in Jesus Christ. This is the beginning of grace.

When Noah and his family emerged from the ark, God made a covenant with them and all future generations. This covenant, symbolized by the rainbow, demonstrated God’s commitment to never destroy the earth by a flood again. It revealed His longing for reconciliation, promising that His love would endure, even in the face of human frailty and sinfulness.