The Flood and the Preaching of Noah

Notes

What parallel has been drawn in the Scriptures between the destruction of the world in the time of Noah and in the last day?

What was the test of Noah's faith?

In view of what did Noah preach righteousness? Could he have been a preacher of righteousness in his day without proclaiming the impending destruction of the world?

Was the Gospel of righteousness by faith preached in Noah's time? In what setting was the message proclaimed? Could it have been proclaimed at that time apart from this special setting? What is the lesson of this for our time and our message?

"The world was in its infancy; yet iniquity had become so deep and wide-spread that God could no longer bear with it. . . . Amid the prevailing corruption Methuselah, Noah, and many others, labored to keep alive the knowledge of the true God, and to stay the tide of moral evil. A hundred and twenty years before the Flood, the Lord by a holy angel declared to Noah His purpose, and directed him to build an ark. While building the ark he was to preach that God would bring a flood of water upon the earth to destroy the wicked. Those who would believe the message, and would prepare for that event by repentance and reformation, should find pardon and be saved. Enoch had repeated to his children what God had shown him in regard to the Flood, and Methuselah and his sons, who lived to hear the preaching of Noah, assisted in building the ark. . . .

"While Noah was giving his warning message to the world, his works testified of his sincerity. It was thus that his faith was perfected and made evident. He gave the world an example of believing just what God says. All that he possessed, he invested in the ark. As he began to construct that immense boat on dry ground, multitudes came from every direction to see the strange sight, and to hear the earnest, fervent words of the singular preacher. Every blow struck upon the ark was a witness to the people. . . .

"A power attended his [Noah's] words; for it was the voice of God to man through His servant. Connection with God made him strong in the strength of infinite power, while for one hundred and twenty years his solemn voice fell upon the ears of that generation in regard to events, which, so far as human wisdom could judge, were impossible. The world before the Flood reasoned that for centuries the laws of nature had been fixed. The recurring seasons had come in their order. Heretofore rain had never fallen; the earth had been watered by a mist or dew. The rivers had never yet passed their boundaries, but had borne their waters safely to the sea. Fixed decrees had kept the waters from overflowing their banks. But these reasoners did not recognize the hand of Him who had stayed the waters, saying, 'Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further.'

"As time passed on, with no apparent change in nature, men whose hearts had at times trembled with fear, began to be reassured. They reasoned, as many reason now, that nature is above the God of nature, and that her laws are so firmly established that God Himself could not change them. Reasoning that if the message of Noah were correct, nature would be turned out of her course, they made that message, in the minds of the world, a delusion,—a grand deception. . . . They asserted that if there were any truth in what Noah had said, the men of renown,—the wise, the prudent, the great men,—would understand the matter."—"Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 92-97.

In Noah's time the experience of righteousness by faith had been almost lost. Reason had taken the place of revelation, and as a result "the earth was filled with violence." The only salvation was in the message of righteousness proclaimed by Noah, —a righteousness which was manifested by the works of faith in preparing the ark. The keynote of Noah's message was the impending Flood, and the test of faith in that day was to follow the Lord's instruction in the face of the ridicule of the wisdom of this world. The result vindicated the message and proved that "the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God."