Well, I told you it would be bad. What a mess we see on earth as the story of Noah unfolds. “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (v.6:5) Then, God comes down and expresses himself in very relatable, human terms, saying, “I am sorry that I have made them.” So, he decides to clear it away and start over. Well, not entirely over. God is going to reboot the human race through a man named Noah and his family. Noah is a model of upright conduct and trusts God enough to build a giant boat in the middle of the desert. Then God allows Noah to be a successful steward of the creation – just as humans were designed to do from the beginning. In this story we see that God takes sin seriously. But God is also committed to redemption. The ark carries his chosen people through the waters of judgment and the world will be renewed. However, even as the waters are subsiding it becomes clear that redemption will require something more. Noah gets drunk and his family lineage is continued in an act of disgrace. God promises never to destroy the world with water again, but if the reboot is going to work, we need more than just a fresh start. Humanity needs lasting forgiveness and radical transformation.
Reflect: How do you see evidence for the fall in the actions of humans around you and in your own heart?
Connect: In the New Testament, Peter compared God’s salvation in the ark to the salvation that believes have in Christ. As the ark brought Noah and his family through the waters of judgment, baptism connects us to Jesus, who brings his people through the judgment of God through his victory over death.
I Peter 3:20-22 …God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God…
