Waypoints: God's Covenant With Noah

I loved the story of Noah’s Ark when I was a kid. It was a story about being in a boat with animals. What is not to be liked about that when you are a kid. After all, I loved to even see animals at the zoo so the thought of living with them and petting them was pretty cool. As a six year old I wouldn’t be considering the logistics of feeding or cleaning or any other responsibility that would come with being sure the earth was once again repopulated. 

Noah’s Ark is also a popular children’s story because it grips our imagination. To be honest this still happens to me today when I consider all the animals living together. My soul craves something of the peace that God must have created for the Ark to keep from devolving into chaos. But as neat as it is for me to think of petting a lion that is right next to a goat while my kids are taking a nap with a bear this story is ultimately about God’s character. 

It is easy to see that our world is far from perfect but if we are tempted to think it is so much worse than it has ever been in the past just read Genesis 6. The story of Noah in many ways is about as far from a children’s story as you can get – wickedness and evil are rampant! There is a righteous judgment by God that is both terrifying and filled with grace at the same time. Humanity has clearly communicated to the Creator God how deeply the rebellious spirit has permeated our souls. We want to rule in place of the true Ruler!

God will not have it. He knows that His love for us is perfect and that all of His ways for us are the right ones. He wants nothing but the best for us so He must act. He will not allow us to walk unobstructed down a path of destruction. God invades the story with holiness, power and grace. There will be a clear declaration of God’s righteousness, judgment and love. God shouts, “Don’t claim what isn’t yours!” as well as, “I love you with an everlasting love!” Do we hear Him today? 

In Genesis 9 we see God establish His covenant with Noah and with us. “I will not destroy all of life.” There is an underlying truth in God’s covenant; it is that God is a longsuffering and gracious God. Even though He is perfectly holy He is willing to bridge the chasm that our sin creates with our God. Every time we see a rainbow we are reminded of God’s invitation to join Noah and be saved through faith in God’s grace. 

In the end, Noah’s Ark delivers to me the fact that God provides all that I need in the midst of a messy world and the storms of life. There is an “Eternal Ark” for us and His name is Jesus! Our Creator is calling us to see Him properly and then worship Him. So, it really is a great children’s story – it has the greatest of happy endings for all of us who are Children of God. 

From one child of God to another, 

Pastor Nick