There are no great men of God.... Just men of a great God: (Part 2) Noah

Noah's Ark is one of the most popular stories in the bible, and why wouldn't it be?

A man builds a boat, loads it with his belongings, his family, a hefty amount of animals and then suddenly leaves his city behind? It's the kind of drama that would make it a box office movie. This extraordinary story was centred around a regular family man whose trust and obedience in God would change the face of the earth forever and spark the first covenant made between God and man. That ordinary man was Noah and he'll be the second man in the bible we study in this series: There are no great men of God, Just men of a great God.

Noah - Who was he? Genesis 6

In every way possible, Noah was just your average joe.

He was a married father of 3, who was 500 when he had his first child. The bible doesn't go into too much detail as to what he did for a career, or even a hobby - but we learn of some of the hobbies he develops as he gets older.

Despite being just an average 500 year old family guy in his community, God loved him and singled him out because of how much of a good man he was. The word 'good' in some ways is subjective but the bible makes it very clear that he was the only man who was worth saving from his plan to destroy the world. A sentiment many of us could hardly imagine being shared with us.

What God valued above everything else was the relationship between him and Noah.

In Genesis 6:9-10 the bible states "Noah lived in fellowship with God."

Meaning there was a strong interchanging of ideas, thoughts and interests between them. Intimacy in it's purest form.

Being a good and righteous man, who was close to God, made Noah the only person God could use for his this significant plan. An ordinary man in every sense of the word yet God had extraordinary plans for his friend Noah.

Noah's Mission or Purpose:

During Noah's existence, the world was filled with so much evil that God had simply had enough of what he was seeing. Immorality, deceit and murder had now become all too common amongst people in the world. God was prepared to destroy the very thing he had so carefully created in his image. When Noah learned of God's plan to destroy the earth and start over by sending a flood, I wonder if he thought he was accidentally listening to one of God's personal voice memos?

Although his mission was momentous, it was very clear and Noah was primed and ready at the tender age of 600 years old. He was to build a boat, preserve the life of all animals on this boat and just wait for 40 days and 40 nights for God to complete his deep cleanse of the Earth. By storing 2 of each animal on his ark and rescuing his family in the process, Noah became instrumental in the New beginning of earth. For each animal, he brought one of each sex so that they could reproduce when the time came for him to set them free. However, Noah wouldn't be on this boat alone with just his wife and his sons. The wives of his 3 sons also accompanied him on his boat too meaning the birth of his grandchildren would be the first stage of human reproduction on God's new Earth.

It's safe to say, Noah had the very first Mission Impossible.

Noah's purpose was much more than just being a craftsman and Doctor Doolittle.

He was the first person God had ever made a covenant with (Genesis 8:21 - 22).

That covenant was essentially the reason why God has never wiped out the earth again in the same manner. It was also the beginning of a number of promises God made to his people throughout the history of the Israelites. Noah was chosen for this mission because he was a good, obedient man and he knew God in an intimate way. He would also be recognised as the ancestor of all the people on Earth.

Noah's Qualities

Obedient Genesis 6:22 ; Genesis 7: 5 ; Genesis 8:20

Acknowledges God in everything Genesis 8:20

Thankful Genesis 8:20

A craftsman/resourceful - Genesis 8: 15 - 17

Faithful - Genesis 7: 13 - 15

Patient - Genesis 8: 6 - 16

Fun facts:

- Noah was the first farmer to make a vineyard, making him the first wine maker.

(After all those days spent with animals, his wife, his sons and their wives, can you blame him for needing a drink?) Genesis 9:20 - 21

- Noah died at the age of 950 Genesis 9:28 - 29

- Every time we see a rainbow, it's a sign of God's promise to never wipe out the Earth again. So when you next see a rainbow, thank God but spare a thought for Noah and his role in this Genesis 9:16

Keep an eye out for the next piece of "No great men of God, Just men of a Great God'