GOD'S COVENANT WITH NOAH
By GEO. WATSON
“BUT with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.” Gen. 6:18. When the world was filled with violence, and all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth, and even the imaginations of the heart of man were only evil continually, and God had declared that His Spirit should not always strive with man, even then Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah believed that when God speaks, He means just what He says; and that there is a limit to that unmerited favor, a time when justice will demand the life of him who willingly, presumptuously sins away that day of grace. God’s mercy is extended to humanity, not that we may trample upon it with impunity, and by our actions despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that it is the goodness of God which leads us to repentance. Rom. 2:4. The knowledge that the time was limited in which God’s Spirit would strive with man (Noah included) led Noah to repent of his sins, and seek the Lord with all his heart, and consecrate himself fully to the Lord. To repent of his sins is the first thing demanded of the sinner, and all that any sinner has to do to obtain forgiveness is to repent and confess his sins. 1 John 1:9. “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” Gen. 6:9. He had sweet communion with the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and being justified, by faith (Rom. 5:1), by grace (3:24), he was prepared to do the works of God. To perform the good works which God has before ordained is to walk with God, as Noah did. God “hath chosen us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world [we were chosen when Noah was], that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Walking with God, who worketh all things according to the counsel of His own will, Noah received the commission, “Make thee an ark of gopher wood.” Gen. 6:14. We have no record that Noah asked any questions as to how any one could be saved out of such a wicked generation; perhaps he thought himself the chief of sinners. The Word says he did “according to all that God commanded him.” Verse 22. No amount of reasoning could make him swerve from the command included the power to accomplish. That is faith. Rom. 10:17. Then comes the blessed invitation, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” How could it be possible for a man to be found righteous before God in such a generation? All things are not possible with man, but all things are possible with God, and He never asks us to undertake anything alone. In fact, it is an insult to the King of heaven to undertake anything without God. Now comes the great test to Noah’s family. Will they enter the ark with him? Not a cloud can be seen, and to all human reasoning all things are as they have been from the beginning of creation; but now, without delay, they must bid farewell to all their earthly companions, and enter the ark. Will they heed the last warning message? They have been taught that the word of God is the end of all controversy, and that the Lord is able to perform that which He has promised. “And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.” They had seen no rain yet, but God had spoken. Noah was a true missionary. When he received the command, he began work in his own household. “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.” Heb. 11:7. When he and his family were safe within the ark, he still left the door of mercy open. He was faithful in performing the work assigned him, but did not try to do that which belonged only to the Lord. He stood still, and waited to see the salvation of the Lord. That was Noah’s part, “And the Lord shut him in.” Gen. 7:16, last clause. The covenant established with Noah was founded on the better promises. Heb. 8:6. We do not find the record of any promise that Noah made, but we are told that he “did according unto all that the Lord commanded him.” “Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”