Noah's Faith - Hebrews 11

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,

the conviction of things not seen. For by it

the men of old gained approval. Then we read

in verse 7, By faith Noah, being warned by God

about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared

an ark for the salvation of his household. by

which he condemned the world and became an heir

of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we come

to you this Lord's Day. Father, we ask at this

time that you would bless the ministry of your

word abundantly. Lord, we ask that you would

accompany the ministry of your word. for the

good of your people and your kingdom. Lord, work

in the hearts and minds of the saints who are

present. Lord, draw men unto Christ that they

would see the great hope and the safety and the

refuge and the security that is found in Christ

and his saving work. Lord, be with us at this

time. Be in our midst. Bless each individual

present. We ask these things in Jesus' name.

Amen. You may be seated. The Christian life is

a difficult life. Everybody who has been a Christian

for any time knows that reality. It's hard being

a Christian. In this world. It is hard. Practicing

self denial. Day in. Day out. It is difficult.

Persevering. In good works. And faithfulness

in our lives. The Christian life is hard. We

go through seasons. Where. our faith is tried

and tested over and over. The Lord disciplines

us and works in our hearts and our minds. We

have periods in our life where we are downcast.

And then we seem to come out of it with the Lord's

help. We have periods in life where we struggle

and we seem to be frustrated. And we can't do

away with it in some ways. And then with the

Lord's help, we seem to come out of it. We go

through all these various times and seasons in

our lives. The Christian life, Christianity,

is hard. Have you ever thought, is this really

worth it? Have you ever considered, Is all of

this stuff that is told to me in the Scriptures,

in God's Word, is it really worth it in the end?

Is it worth the heartache, the pain, and the

suffering? I'm sure that if you've been a Christian,

you've asked yourself that question in some way,

shape, or form. And I am sure that our forefather,

Noah, asked himself that very same question at

times. Is this worth it? Is obedience to God's

command in my life worth it in my life? We'll

consider that question and we will answer that

question. Just as a little bit of a heads up,

it is brothers and sisters. In the end, it is

abundantly worth any hardship and trial we might

go through in this life. Every single one of

them. Today we're going to consider Noah's faith

in God's word. We're going to see Noah's faith

led to obedience in his life. We're going to

consider the fact that Noah's faith condemned

the unbelieving world around him. But we will

also lastly see that Noah's faith received an

inheritance. We read this in verse 7. By faith,

Noah, being warned by God about things not yet

seen. God's Word. He's believing God's Word,

His revelation. In reverence prepared an ark

for the salvation of His household. He acted.

He worked. He obeyed what God had revealed in

His work. His faith led Him to obedience by which

He condemned the world. His action and His obedience

and His faith proved the condemnation and unbelief.

that existed all around him in his day and his

age. And Noah became an heir of righteousness,

which is according to faith. He received an inheritance

because of the faith that God had given to him.

Beginning with Noah's faith in God's word. The

text clearly says, by faith, Noah. Now, when

we think about those people before the flood,

we don't always associate faith with them. We

think about Abel, who was the first example and

first historical figure that the author of Hebrews

puts forth. What was his faith famous for in

one sense? Worship. It led him to worship. And

then what about Enoch? What was Enoch's faith

famous for in a sense? Walking with God. Fellowshiping

with God. Well, we see that actually Noah walks

with God as well. If we had to put a defining

characteristic to Noah's faith, the thing that

makes his faith famous and useful for us today,

according to the author of Hebrews, it would

be obedience. And we see this clearly in the

text. The reality is that Noah was a man of faith.

He believed what God had revealed to him. Noah

had the same kind of faith. That new covenant

believers have. That's why the author is putting

him forward. But we also see that any great deed

or great work or great thing of obedience in

anybody's life in any period of history at all

was only ever carried out because and in faith.

This is true of everyone before the flood. and

everyone following the flood. Anything that was

done that was approved and received and given

testimony or commendation by God was carried

out in faith. So what did Noah believe that led

him to build the ark? We read this, Being warned

by God, about things not yet seen. What is this

that we're hearing? Well, we know from Genesis

Genesis 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6 that God comes to Noah and he warns

him about things that are going to take place

in the future. Things that he doesn't know about.

Things that are intangible at that time. Future

unseen realities. And what are those things that

he's been warned about? It's the destruction

and the judgment of the world that Noah lived

in. An absolute universal judgment upon the world

where men and animals would be killed because

of the corruption. They would be judged by God.

We read in Genesis, in chapter 6, verse 1, now

it came about. Actually, I'm going to read verse

5 of chapter 6 in Genesis. Then the Lord saw

that the wickedness of man was great on the earth,

and that every intent of the thoughts of his

heart was only evil continually. The Lord was

sorry that he had made man on the earth, and

he was grieved in his heart. And listen to what

the Lord says. I will blot out man whom I have

created from the face of the land, from man to

animals to creeping things and to birds of the

sky, for I am sorry that I have made them. But

Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Then

the Lord gives Noah, Detailed instructions about

what he is to do in obedience to the Lord. It

was God's revelation. It was God's word. So what

is it that Noah is believing before the flood?

A long, long time ago, God's holy, authoritative

word. But it wasn't just his word. It's actually

a warning that God gives to him. The Bible contains

all different types of what we might say words

from God. Some are promises and others are warnings.

Some are exhortations. Some are admonishments.

Some are... for the purpose of convicting and

tearing down and humbling, and some are for the

purpose of convicting, edifying, and building

up. Some are to warn of danger. Some are to proclaim

glorious future realities. The Bible contains

all different kinds of truths within it. It has

the law and the gospel in it. Threats and warning,

promises, and the power. to do what God requires

because God provides those things in redemption,

the law and the gospel. Noah believed a warning

and a promise from God. At face value, it seems

like it's only a warning. But remember, he's

given commands to build an ark for what? The

salvation of his household. If you do this, then

you will be saved, you and your household. He's

given a warning and a promise. The word of God

is the ground. It is the foundation of Noah's

faith in his life. Why does Noah build the ark?

Because he's believing what God has said. Why

does Noah live his life a certain way? Because

God's word says certain things. So the revelation

that he had been given is that which governs

his life and his actions. It's very important

for the believer in Jesus Christ to believe all

of Word. The easy parts and the hard and difficult

parts. The more practical parts of Scripture

and the more theologically weighty sections of

Scripture. The more child -friendly portions

and the more graphic And detailed portions of

God's word. All of it brothers and sisters. Must

be drunk down by the people of God. If we only

come to the word of God. And we only pick and

choose the parts that we like. The parts that

make us feel good. The pieces that we need in

the moment. At the time. Right now. then we will

inevitably result in being imbalanced Christians.

Because we have an imbalanced diet of God's holy

word. We have to read it all and humbly receive

it all if we are to be well -rounded, balanced,

godly, holy, obedient people of God. We mustn't

let our own personal opinions, preferences, desires,

longings, or worldly concepts or philosophies

be the ground that governs our lives. If we are

to live by faith in this fallen world, what must

be your rule? For your life. God's word. It must

inform you. In your heart. What is right. What

is wrong. How you ought to live. How you ought

to treat. How you ought to worship. How you ought

to minister. How you ought to treat your wife.

And your kids. And your children. And your co

-workers. Your pastors. Your church members.

Whoever it might be. The word of God governs

our lives. And tells us. how to live, and what

to do, because God has given us divine revelation,

brothers and sisters. Not some worldly idea or

concept that has nothing to do with God's Word.

We can be so sentimental at times, can't we,

brothers and sisters? That just doesn't seem

nice. Nobody else in the world thinks that's

loving. But if God's word commands it. And requires

it. And prescribes it. Then brothers and sisters.

We are bound to it. And that is the way we live

by faith. Being governed by God's word. We must

receive it all. And we must. Let it govern our

hearts and our minds. Just as Noah did, brothers

and sisters. Now we also see next that Noah's

faith led to obedience in his life. We read this

in verse 7. By faith Noah in reverence prepared

an ark. For the salvation of his household. In

faith, what does Noah do? He obeys God's command.

He starts preparing for what God has said is

going to come about. He starts chopping down

trees, brothers and sisters. He starts sawing

pieces of wood. He starts figuring out how to

accomplish these things and do these things.

He gets going in obedience. We see that especially

from the Genesis narrative, we read this at the

end of chapter 6 in verse 22. Thus Noah did,

and listen to this, according to all... That

God had commanded him. So he did. What's that

speaking of? Obedience. Noah obeyed God's word.

And he didn't just do it half -heartedly. He

did so as full and able as he was able to. He

obeyed strictly, we could say. To the word of

the living God who made the world. Who made him.

Who sustains all things. The creator of all things.

The eternal God who is infinite and eternal and

holy and glorious. That God had given him a command.

And what did he do? He obeyed that God in his

word. It was personal obedience. He did it. There's

uncertainty about exactly how many people were

alive at that time that believed the Lord, or

believed on the Lord who were a part of the Messianic

lineage. Who else was alive? Was there overlap?

A lot of people think that Noah was the single

human being on planet Earth who knew... by faith

at that time. That, think about it, nobody else.

He was literally standing by himself in obedience.

His sons weren't born whenever he was given the

command. So he started this out personally on

his own. It was personal obedience. He himself

did it. He didn't depend on somebody else to

obey for him. He obeyed. He did what God said

to do. He followed through on the requirements

of God's word. He lived as he ought to live.

It was personal. But we also see that it was

active, it was immediate, and it was full obedience.

It seems as though Noah just literally dropped,

we don't know what he did, but he just dropped

everything and started doing what God required.

He got to it. And in 1st or 2nd Peter, I can't

recall exactly which one, 2nd Peter I believe,

he is also called a preacher of righteousness.

Meaning he was building by day and preaching

by night or vice versa. He was a builder and

a preacher for God. This is what he did. This

seemed to be that which consumed the entirety

of his life. And it had to to complete the task.

Because it was a ginormous. huge, massive task

that he was undertaking, and especially considering

the fact that he began by himself. But we also

see that it was practical obedience. It literally

required him to do things with his hands and

his feet, to think about things. It was prescribed

obedience. God laid out for him. What he was

to do. You can read the rest of Genesis 6 and

see God gives the measurements. He gives the

details on the type of wood, how to seal it,

everything. God gives him details and he obeys

as God prescribes him to do. He obeys as he should.

It's clear. Obedience. on Noah's part. I truly

believe that Noah very well may be the greatest

single example of obedience by faith in the entire

Bible. Think about the duration he obeyed. It

was persevering, diligent, and enduring obedience.

Start to end, 120 years. He was working longer

than the majority of our lives to fulfill a single

command from God. His obedience endured and persevered

and pressed on. The difficulty that he had to

endure and go through to obey God was significant.

And he did all of this, and this is one of the

reasons he's obeyed so well. He did all of this

with the character of godly fear. In his obedience.

The text says. In verse 7. In reverence. Meaning

in godly, holy, righteous fear of God. He had

a right regard. For God. His character. And his

word. He conducted himself in a manner. That

was appropriate as one carrying out the command

of God. This doesn't mean a dread. It doesn't

mean the same thing as when we say, well, are

you scared? But it means a reverence. It's the

embodiment and heart, mind, and attitude of the

third commandment. What is the third commandment?

You shall not take the name of the Lord your

God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him

unpunished who takes his name in vain. What does

the third commandment teach us? To reverence

God's name, word, and what? Works. That was Noah's

attitude while he obeyed God. He wasn't flippant.

or irreverent, or casual, or lackadaisical about

the work that God had given to him in life. It

is a good thing to fear God with a holy and a

righteous and a godly fear. It is good for your

heart. It is good for your obedience. It is good

for mine. to reverence the holy God who has redeemed

us as sinners. Now, possibly most importantly,

with regards to his obedience, what is the source

of Noah's obedience? Did Noah obey to get saved?

Did Noah obey to be justified or to come in good

standing with God? Did Noah obey in order to

be approved or commended by God? No. Remember,

this whole section is about faith. The source

and the cause of his obedience is faith in his

heart and in his life, brothers and sisters.

The text says, by faith Noah prepared an ark.

By faith. This preparation of the ark is the

main verb of this sentence. And it's being carried

out. And it's being carried out in and through

and by one with faith that they have been given

by God. the man Noah. Notice in the text that

faith clearly precedes his obedience. Or we could

say it the other way, his obedience clearly follows

or flows from his faith. We have to make sure

that we see those two clearly in the text. Noah

believed God's word. And because he believed

God's word, he obeyed God's word. And because

he perseveringly obeyed God's word, we know that

he believed God's word. Notice I didn't say works.

The Bible distinguishes between works of the

law and good works prescribed by the word of

God. The two are not in opposition or contrary

to one another. complement one another, brothers

and sisters. The Bible is abundantly clear. Abundantly

clear. That a man is justified and he is declared

to be righteous in the sight of God by faith

alone. But the Bible is also abundantly clear,

brothers and sisters. that those who are justified

and have true and saving, authentic, genuine

faith will perform good works in their life.

The two are not pitted against each other. Good

works flow from the justified man, woman, or

young person. Because they are a new creature

in Christ, they will have a desire to live unto

the glory of God. to be a benefit and blessing

to their fellow man, to love God and love man.

Good works will flow from the life of the justified

individual. James chapter 2, Ephesians 2 .10,

James 2 · chapter mention

and 1 Timothy 6 .13 are all abundantly cleared.

In 1 Timothy, I want to read that because it

is so clear. Listen to this, brothers and sisters.

1 Timothy 6, starting in verse 18. Instruct them

to do good, to be rich in good works, and to

be generous and ready to share. That is Paul

telling Timothy. To teach the people of God to

instruct them to what? Do good works in their

life. There is a danger that the church has to

watch out for. The tendency is to focus on either.

justification by faith alone, which could, in

the end, turn out to be license if we never talk

about holiness, godliness, or performing good

works, or to focus on only performing good works,

holiness, righteousness, godliness in one's life,

and disregarding justification by faith. Both.

brothers and sisters, are incredibly significant

in the life of the Christian and in the life

of the church. It is not legalistic of a person

to say you ought to be doing good works. That

is a requirement of the Bible and it is an expectation

upon all those who call upon the name of Christ.

But brothers and sisters, it is not. libertine

Christianity to say, revel in justification by

faith alone. We must hold both equally tight.

They both are blessings to the people of God

and they are both true of those in union with

Jesus Christ. Revel in both of those realities

because they are both. Glorious in our lives,

brothers and sisters. So Noah, his faith led

to obedience in his life. Just as it ought to

do in our lives. Our lives ought to be distinctly

marked by good works that are prescribed in God's

Obedience and faithfulness which comes forth

from our faith. Now, this leads us to another

thing we have to consider from this text. The

fact that Noah's faith condemned the world. Think

about the world which was condemned by Noah and

his building, the ark. There are several sections

in Genesis 6 which give us a clear picture of

what the pre -flood world was like. Then the

Lord saw, verse 5 of chapter 6 in Genesis, Then

the Lord saw the wickedness of man was great

on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts

of his heart was only evil continually. Now the

earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the

earth was filled with violence. Prior to the

flood, what was the strategy of that old serpent

from the garden? It was to destroy the messianic

lineage through immorality, wickedness, corruption.

Whatever it might be. Intermarriage. Abnormality.

All kinds of things. By literally killing off

everyone through violence. But we know from the

story that he fails. Because of Noah and the

Lord's grace in the ark. The world was terribly

wicked beyond anything. we know of in our day,

in our age, brothers and sisters. One of the

unique things about the covenant that God establishes

with Noah is that he institutionalizes common

grace in the world, meaning human government

and equality of life. So on. And he promises

he will never destroy the world by a flood again.

Why? So that he can perform and bring about redemption

through all the other covenants that he would

set up throughout redemptive history. It was

horrible before the flood. Every single intention

of the people of the earth. Was wicked and evil.

It sounds much closer. To what we would call

utter depravity. As opposed to what we refer

to as total depravity. Which means not that we

are as bad as we can be. But that every part

of us is messed up by sin. Every aspect of us.

Now I don't believe it was utter depravity. I

just believe that the devil was seeking to stomp

out the seed and that God had withdrawn his hand

as a form of judgment against the world in preparation

for a greater and worse judgment that would come

in the flood. That was the world that Noah built

the ark in. Here's this man who is a preacher

of righteousness. who is determined in his heart

to be faithful to God and his word. Imagine Noah

erecting the ark in that world, brothers and

sisters. He gets this part up and stands it up,

and the neighbors walk by. You think he had opposition?

Kind of like Nehemiah had opposition? Kind of

like the church has opposition? Do you think

he had people mocking him? You old fool, you

crazy old man. Do you think people were making

fun of him for building an ark for rain which

nobody's probably ever seen before? People would

have been opposed to him adamantly. In addition

to that, he's calling them sinners, and he's

calling them to repent. And he's preaching the

righteousness of God. Noah builds the ark and

it condemns the unbelieving world. How exactly

does it do this? I think there's two ways that

Noah, his faith, his obedience, and his perseverance,

his godliness, condemn the unbelieving world

in which he lived. First, I believe that in building

the ark, he was proclaiming the way of escape

and taking away any excuse that the unbelieving

world might have. Think about that reality. What

was Noah doing? He's preaching. The salvation

that men could have. Be delivered from the wrath

that has come. Be saved the way that God wants

you to be saved. Yet everybody rejected and rebelled.

Unbelievers mocked him and made fun of him and

opposed him. All the while he proclaimed the

way of escape. And all the while they rejected

it. Though they knew. the way of escape that

God had prescribed in His Word. And I believe

that His godliness and His obedience condemned

the world's unbelief, disobedience, and irreverence

for the living God. There are several passages

in the New Testament which help us understand

some of these things, I believe. We could look

at 1 Peter 4, 12 -19 that talks about the judgment

of God starting with the household of God. What

that means is, what Peter is saying is this,

it's hard and difficult because of trials of

faith for the believer to be saved. And that

reality points to the condemnation and hopelessness

of unbelievers who reject the gospel and salvation.

We could look at 2 Thessalonians 1 -5 where Paul

talks about how the judgment and their faithful

perseverance is a clear indication of God's judgment

upon the generation and of their deliverance

and salvation. We could look at Philippians chapter

Philippians 1:28

1 verse 28 which talks about their suffering

as faithful believers and the opposition and

their enemies and that that is a sign of God's

judgment upon them and a sign of the saints salvation

and deliverance. Just as Noah proclaimed the

way of escape in his day and age. As he erected

salvation in the midst of the unbelieving world,

every time an unbeliever rejected it, mocked

at it, rebelled against God, they were proving

their condemnation. In the same way, brothers

and sisters, every time the gospel is preached

today. Every time that refuge and safety and

security and hope in Jesus Christ and the salvation

that He has accomplished in His life, in His

death, in His resurrection, every time an unbeliever

hears that reality and leaves it in rebellion

and rejects it because of their unbelief, do

you know what they're doing? They're proving

their condemnation. Every single time. But here's

the hope. There is still time for you to enter

into the ark of God. Just as He gave the world

time, He gives you time. You can still trust

in Christ, the ark that saves you from the deluge

of God's wrath and His anger. Christ who protects

you. From the penalty of your own sin. Come to

Christ. Enter into the ark. Believe on His name

today. Turn from your sin. Otherwise, you will

be condemned. Just as the unbelieving world was

drowned, the unbeliever today will experience

something much worse. Than physical death. The

Bible refers to it as. The second death. It's

separation from God. And eternal punishment.

And the complete removal. And absence of his

grace. And the unleashing of human sin. That

sounds horrible. And it ought to. Because that.

is the fate and future of every believer, every

unbeliever, which refuses to turn from their

sins and trust in Jesus Christ. Enter into the

ark today. Noah had a hard go of it, brothers

and sisters. But his actions, obedience, godliness,

It condemned the world and ultimately led, because

of his faith, to his deliverance and that of

his family. I wonder if it was worth it for Noah.

What does this man receive as a result or because

of his faith? Was it worth all those 120 years

of laboring on the ark, experiencing the jeering

and mocking and shame and humiliation that came

with it from unbelievers in the world, the perseverance

and diligence, the struggle of his heart and

his mind? Was it worth it for Noah? Well, we

also see that Noah's faith received an inheritance,

brothers and sisters. Something that outweighed

and was more precious than any difficulty or

trial he ever experienced in his trial of faith

throughout life. The Bible says in verse 7 of

Hebrews 11 that he became an heir of righteousness

which is according to faith. In the book of Hebrews,

this idea of inheritance. is something that is

future and eschatological or having to do with

the end of all things, the culmination of redemption.

And it speaks of his inheritance being righteousness.

Now, I don't believe that this is speaking strictly

of forensic righteousness or imputed righteousness

of Christ because... It's referred to as an inheritance.

You can look at every other reference in the

book of Hebrews. It's something that is future

and something that takes place in heaven. It's

eternal. It's lasting. The same words are used

with regards to Abraham. And his inheritance

in verse 16 is a heavenly one, meaning a heavenly

city. I believe the author is speaking of that

here. And I think what he's talking about is

the fact that Noah, as a man with faith, was

the recipient of every single gospel promise

that was ever made. Yes, he was a justified man.

The righteousness of Christ was accounted and

reckoned to him. Yes, he was a sanctified man.

He was being sanctified throughout his life.

He's referred to as blameless and righteous in

Genesis. Yes, brothers and sisters. When he died,

he saw God face to face. Theologians refer to

what is called the beatific vision. That word

beatific means blessed or happy. And the vision

aspect of that has to do with the believer seeing.

God. This in the ultimate sense, I believe, is

what is being spoken of here. That Noah, after

his life of difficult faith, he inherited perfect

moral purity and he was Like God. He was satisfied.

And happy. And he was with God. In fellowship

and holiness. And there was no more. Remnant

of sin. That brothers and sisters. Is more valuable.

In a greater work. and of more significance than

any difficulty, hardship, or trial of faith that

we might go through. And we only inherit that,

brothers and sisters, by faith, and faith which

leads to obedience, and faith which bears witness

to the condemnation of the world. It is only

that faith which inherits, Every single gospel

promise that has ever been made in the person

and work of Jesus Christ. Is it worth it, brothers

and sisters? Yes and amen. Every trial you go

through is little itty -bitty compared to the

glory you will take part in. Every hardship It

will be like a speck in comparison to seeing

God face to face. Every struggle in your heart

and in your mind that you experience in this

life, it will pass away, brothers and sisters,

when you enter into glory and you are with Christ.

It is far greater than any trial of faith that

we might experience in this life.