Noah lived at a time when there were no righteous men left of his generation. The world was full of evil. The Lord saw “that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” Noah was the exception. Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was a righteous man and he walked faithfully with God.
God was sorry that he had made man and decided to destroy the earth and man. Noah found favor with the Lord. He was instructed to build the ark, the kind of wood, the dimensions, and exactly how to build it. He was instructed to bring the animals and food. He did exactly as he was commanded. Because he was obedient his family was saved from the flood.
Genesis says God made covenants with Noah. “You will enter the ark.” You will be saved. “Never again will I destroy the earth with a flood.” The rainbow was to be a reminder of this covenant, both for God and for man. A covenant was an agreement. In the first God said you will enter the ark and Noah did; both parties did their part. In the second, God made a promise and gave a sign. God kept his promise in all of this. Build the ark exactly as commanded, get in the ark, you and your family will be saved from the flood. Noah did his part by obeying all the commands he was given.
God has always dealt with His people in this way. If the commands are obeyed, the rewards are provided. In the case of warnings, punishment or woe is delivered to the disobedient. This pattern of a relationship with the Creator is consistent, people do their part and obey, God does His part and rewards. What we too often overlook is the attention to detail. Noah reminds us that details in obedience are critical.
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