But Noah Was Different!

Genesis 6:8 – But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

6:8  – But Noah was different. God liked what he saw in Noah.(Message Bible)

This chapter is a sad story. God created a perfect creation but things went wrong when Adam and Eve are the forbidden fruit. In this chapter this go completely wrong and the Bible tells us people were so wicked that they only thought of evil (Genesis 6:5).

Genesis 6:6 – The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.

Genesis 6:7 – So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them. ”

6:6  God was sorry that he had made the human race in the first place; it broke his heart.

6:7  God said, “I’ll get rid of my ruined creation, make a clean sweep: people, animals, snakes and bugs, birds—the works. I’m sorry I made them.”(Message Bible)

The chapter is so sad, to the extent that God says, He regrets creating human beings. He is sorry that He made them! Human beings had gone so far from God’s intended plan that God regretted. Regret in the sense of being disappointed and not being surprised by turn of events. Regret is used to help us understand God’s pain at human choice to reject Him.

Everyone was so bad in the story. Even the best among them was a terrible sinner, but Noah was different. The Bible says in our main text today that Noah found favor with God when everyone else was disappointing God. Noah was different!

When everyone’s thoughts were constantly evil, Noah was different, he was thinking of the sacred. When everyone else acted wickedly, Noah was different and he acted righteously. Noah was different!

When people plotted evil to reap maximum profits, Noah was different. When everyone was cheating their marital partners and treating it as normal, Noah was different. The Bible tells us the story of wicked people during Noah’s time, But Noah was different!

When being spiritual was considered weakness and backwardness, Noah was different. When being tribalistic and racist was the way to make decisions and treat others, Noah was different. When cheating in school was considered normal way of acquiring better qualifications, Noah was different! When giving and receiving bribes was a normal way to fast track government processes, Noah was different!

Everyone was comfortable with foul language, but Noah was different. Everyone was comfortable with insults as a way of communicating, but Noah was different. Obscene language was the order of the day, but not for Noah, he was different!

Unforgiving attitude towards marriage partners was normal, consequently leading to divorce and remarriage. Intolerance of each other so that no one tried to solve marriage issues. The partners were too proud, leading to broken marriages, but not for Noah, he was different!

Everyone believed in witchcraft but Noah was different. Everyone thought you could cohabit as a way of initiating marriage, but Noah was different. When everyone didn’t care about what churches taught and treated all as the same, Noah was different!

A Christian who drinks alcohol and abuses drugs was normal, but Noah was different. A Christian who has multiple partners contrary to scripture was the order of the day, but Noah was different. Believers who could sing sacred songs in church and next day dance in dancehall secular style without any guilt was treated as normal and were even defended from being rebuked, but Noah was different!

When the health living message didn’t matter, for Noah it was different. What was taught in church wasn’t just an opinion, but instructions he followed. He adjusted his eating and drinking. He was different!

The greatest men and women amongst us are those who are different. Celebrated men and women amongst us are different from the rest. You cannot stand out unless you’re different. But it is much better to stand out spiritually when others are wicked.

The Bible tells us that people were so wicked. The people were constantly evil. People were thinking and plotting evil constantly. Then the Bible uses the word but to introduce Noah and differentiate him with his contemporaries. But Noah was different!

Matthew 24:37 – As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Matthew 24:38 – For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;

Matthew 24:39 – and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Evil in our times is increasing just as it was in the time of Noah, are you different? In our times there will be no much difference with Noah’s time, are we Christians different like Noah? God saved Noah because he was different. Are you different from those around you and that which goes on around you? But Noah was different!

Dear God, make me different from the wickedness of my time. Make me different like Noah. Save me like Noah. In Jesus’s name, Amen!

We are beginning the study of chapter six of all books of the Bible. Invite a friend to start this journey with you and me. Let them search for reikesis.com. Always share the link. Also remember that there is @Reikesis YouTube channel with hundreds of spiritual videos. Be blessed!