5 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. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.—Genesis 6:5-8
Seek the LORD while He may be found,
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts—Isaiah 55:6-9
But Noah found grace....
God is the same...today, yesterday and forever. Beloved, God’s ways are truly not our ways. Exodus 34:6-7 describes God this way.
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Ex. 34:6–7)
Jesus confirms this with His own autobiographical statement in Matthew 11:28-30.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
The heart of God is drawn to the lowly...to the humble.
Thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15
Noah was saved in the OT the same way we are saved today...by faith. First and foremost, Noah sought the Lord. Second, he recognized and acknowledged his sin and desired deliverance and forgiveness. Third, Noah knew he was not able to save himself...Noah looked to God for mercy and found grace in His sight.
Beloved...God did not just show grace to Noah alone. He gave the people on the earth 120 years to come to Him, while Noah preached and built the ark. In the end most of the world (all but 8) refused his message and did not enter the ark built to keep them safe through the flood.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.—Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV)
and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;—2 Peter 2:5
Look to the Lord, beloved of God, and find grace. He desires that none should perish, but that all should find eternal life in His Son.
