Sunday: Noah Found Grace
It is noteworthy to consider that those who are seeking heavenly treasure are frequently called by God to make major life alterations here on earth. Be prepared to face the same thing, if need be.
Read Genesis 6:5-14. What radical changes came to Noah as a result of obeying God? What principles can we find here for ourselves in a world that needs to be warned about impending doom?
Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com
Noah could have spent his time and resources building a home for himself, but he chose to make a drastic change in his life and to spend 120 years of that life in following the call of God to build the ark.
Many skeptics today dismiss the story of the Flood as a myth, often based on scientific speculations about the known laws of nature. This is nothing new. “The world before the Flood reasoned that for centuries the laws of nature had been fixed. The recurring seasons had come in their order. Heretofore rain had never fallen; the earth had been watered by a mist or dew. The rivers had never yet passed their boundaries, but had borne their waters safely to the sea. Fixed decrees had kept the waters from overflowing their banks.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 96. Before the Flood, people argued that a flood could never come based on a faulty understanding of reality; after the Flood, based on a faulty understanding of reality, they argue that it never came to begin with.
Meanwhile, the Bible also says that people will be skeptical of end-time events, as they were of the Flood (see 2 Peter 3:3-7). How can we, then, prepare for the coming destruction? There is a conscious decision called “delayed gratification.” This basically means that we should patiently do the work God has called us to do in the hope of a more glorious future reward. We don’t know when Christ will return. In one sense, it doesn’t matter. What matters instead is that, like Noah, we do what God asks of us in the meantime, even if, as with Noah, it means some radical life changes.
| How ready would you be to make a major change in your life for God if, like Noah, you were called to do just that? (Hint: See Luke 16:10) |
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We had an Avondale science students' reunion some years ago and the person who was making the keynote address, who just happened to occupy the office next to mine at the time, asked me what was the most significant thing that Avondale contributed to my life. As always, much of our conversation was light-hearted banter, so I quipped that it was "Conning us into thinking that working for the church at half the wages we could get elsewhere was really a great idea." Much to my horror, my friend quoted me in his keynote address complete with full attribution so there was no escaping that I had said it.
But, there were other things said in that conversation that put the issue of remuneration into perspective. I mentioned the enormous satisfaction that I had had from doing a job that I thoroughly enjoyed, of the relationships formed, the challenges overcome, and so on.
When I think of Noah, working on the ark for more than twice as long as I worked for the church, often against considerable opposition, it wasn't about remuneration. It was about a job well done. It was about persistence and a relationship with God that was unshakable.
I would be very willing to make a major change in my life for God if I were called to do just that. As Jesus said in Luke 16:10, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” This means that if I am willing to be obedient and faithful in the small things, then I can be trusted to make major changes in my life for the glory of God.
There is more to the truth of what is termed delayed/deferred gratification than today's lesson draws upon. Essentially, delayed gratification is the awareness and intentional over-riding of subconscious impulse for self-gratification in the present in order to obtain a bigger gratification in the future. The problem is that this preserves the basis of the drive to gratification - it just alters the timeframe and anticipated size of reward.
From a Christian perspective, there is need for 'transformed gratification' where impulses to self-gratification are instead displaced and dissolved by intentional commitment to other-benefiting processes and/or outcomes instead*. I believe this falls under the head of the overarching principle and need that Jesus was attempting to awaken Nicodemus to - that we must of necessity be "born again" so that our life and living is on a completely different basis than our default 'first Adam inheritance' - that is, self-gratification (John 3:3-6).
This is why God grants a period of grace to each and all via restraining otherwise inherent detrimental consequences. However, this grace comes at a very great cost - including the allowing of evil to unfortunately 'artificially' thrive for a period when it would otherwise inherently result in immediate self-destruction. The willingness to accept the costs of grace reflect how much the offering of grace means to God. And this, in turn, is a reflection of how much God does not want that any should perish but that all would ideally freely choose to be reborn from self-gratification to other-benefiting (2 Peter 3:9 principle).
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* In case anyone might mistakenly think I am in any way hinting at works-based salvation, it isn't that God requires a certain 'standard' of other-benefiting to be achieved. Rather, it is inherently necessary that a person's heart-desire to other-benefiting be authentic. Again, although man looks on the outward appearance (in an effort to try and measure against some 'standard'), God looks upon the heart to see whether there is authenticity (1 Samuel 16:7).
Noah, how did he lay up treasure in heaven?
For one thing, Noah did not follow the science.
In fact, science predicted a flood could never happen and Noah was just an old deluded man.
I don't think Noah received any monetary remuneration for building the ark.
Noah gave up everything, his money, his reputation, the respect from others, all in order to build a huge boat on dry ground, preparing for a flood, which science of that time, said couldn't happen.
Noah believed God, in spite of all the opposing opinions, in spite of suffering ridicule and in spite of all scientific arguments against his project; he believed and put everything into it and moved forward.
The important thing is that, like Noah, we do what God asks of us, even if, as with Noah, it means some radical life changes in how we would like things to happen down here. The big question-- is our greatest aim to make everything as cushy and fancy here as possible, or are we preparing for eternal life with Christ
Science and revelation, rightly understood, are in perfect harmony with each other. We do our Master no favours, in my view, by needlessly sounding anti-science.
Amen, R.G. White, Genesis 1:1 says that "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." To me this verse of the book of Genesis is clear that God made the universe in a very "Scientific and Powerful Way," and also our Galaxy along with this earth, and the sun, moon, and stars to our Solar System, and that this earth was an empty shell with no life at all and His Spirit was there to start His Seven Day Creation before He started the Seven Day Creation process on this Dark Lifeless Earth. Then the second verse goes on to start the first day on this earth with "Light." So, yes, "Science," is a very important and part and parcel to the "Seven Day Creation Account," in genesis also.
To me, "Intelligence," is also another word that is part and parcel of the word, "Science." There is "intelligence," even in an "Ant." A bird's ability to make the air and the wind to assist its power to fly from one place to another is evidence of "Intelligence." The eye's ability to see things is also evidence of something more powerful in having "Intelligence," than the eye itself. The eye needs our "Brain," to interpret what we do see with the eye. And here again, is another evidence of something more intelligent than our brain too. And so we go on and on to see that the brain needs the hard case of the bone of the head and on and on to the entire "Body," of us as humans and on and on to our personalities etc. and etc. to our very own "Image," of God in each and every one of us humans etc. and etc. to God the Father, and His Son Jesus and His Holy Spirit etc. and etc. to the "Main Source of Science and Knowledge and Intelligence."
In recent years we have learned that the phrase, "follow the science," was used to disguise an unscientific agenda that is now being exposed as having harmed many people. Thus it was demonstrated that the word "science" (which simply means "knowledge") does not necessarily refer to actual facts. Yet most ordinary people were in no position to distinguish between facts and falsehood. The best they could do was to observe patterns of behavior and judge whether they were consistent with genuine science, which continually tests various possible solutions to discover the best or most accurate one, rather than proclaiming an ultimate solution with very little testing while refusing to consider and test alternative solutions proposed by highly knowledgeable scientists.
If we had lived before the world-wide flood, the predicted flood would have seemed impossible according to all then-known science. As a matter of fact, the great majority of scientists today now say that the flood didn't happen.
For the ordinary Christian the safest course is to trust the clear statements of the word of God when there appears to be a conflict between science and revelation because all *true* science will ultimately be found to agree with a correct understanding of revelation. We need to learn to trust the voice of the Spirit in matters we cannot fully understand, recognizing that He treats all humans with respect and does not use ridicule as one of his tools.
We should all learn to recognize how genuine science works so that we may recognize when the word "science" is used to disguise falsehood.
I also believe that more Christians should apply themselves to study science to discover more of the ways of God as did the great scientists of the past when they discovered the mysteries of light, of sound, of gravity, of the movement of the planets and the stars, of the functions of the human body and the microbial life of the human body, the soil and our environment, to name a few areas of study.
Amen to that. The evidence continues to mount in the scientific world that Creation, not Evolution, is scientific reality. (Undeniable, Douglas Axe and Return of the God Hypothesis, Steven Meyer)
Thanks, Jim. Did you know we have a whole section of Creation and Science Resources on our site?
I think the section probably needs updating, and if you are interested, I'd be pleased if you would take a look through the resources and suggest edits. (I've been too busy for too long, but I see some light at the end of the tunnel.)
I believe creation is God's second lesson book, right next to the Bible. And all true science will agree with true revelation because God is the Author of both. True science is an exciting field of study. There is still so much we do not know - so many fascinating details to learn! The last few years I've been studying and reading about the microbiome of the human body and the microbiome of the soil beneath our feet. Everything in this creation of incredible complexity and thoughtful detail points to a beneficent and magnificently intelligent Creator, rather than gradual development from chaos.
I agree with you, Inge, regarding creation being a “lesson book”. One has to ask, how in the world did Moses know, writing 3500 years ago, the correct scientific sequence of creation events?
Thank you for the invitation to review the site. I will make time to review the site, although we are preparing for a move from CA to GA and our move-out date is in 3 weeks from tomorrow.
I’m a California lifer, but my wife and I can no longer allow our tax $ to support the crazy, amoral programs being promoted in this state. I will make time for this. My passion is learning.
Thank you William. This is a long-term project, so there's no real hurry, and you can focus on your moving. May God bless you in your move!
Reading
"He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much."(Luke 16:10)
brings me peace because if I am on the right path, God will continue to guide me wherever He wants me to go. A daily development of a sincere relationship gets fear and lack of trust away! Then, it doesn't matter what's next.
How ready would you be?
I would like like to tie this back into last week’s lesson for a minute—-avoiding debt is a practical way to be ready for a life change that may not produce the same financial gain as what we’re accustomed to. And, putting savings away (like the ants), would also help us prepare for a major life change. Of course, this is all preceded by a heart that is all about God and His kingdom.
The "Hint" on this lesson of Luke 16:10 is in the context of someone that was not "righteous" in his position and then decided to be "Wise" with those he had been "unrighteous" for so long so that when he lost his position those he had been unrighteous with for so long would then choose to treat him better than he had treated them for such a long period of time as their Lord's steward. So then we need to not only be "righteous" but also be "wise." in this "World," and with our "earthly possessions," and how we deal with these in regards to our "Friends and neighbors."
My response to the question: ‘how ready would I be to make a major change in my life for God’, changes the focus from ‘for' God to 'for God and man'. Can man do anything ‘for’ God, or is our response to follow God's will/call part of the expression of engaging in our original design?
After contemplating why Noah found Grace and was asked to build the Arc, I find that Noah was the only one who was still able to hear God's voice and willing to give himself to assure the continuance of mankind - Gen.6:8-9.
Can one really consider the willingness to respond to God possitively as doing something ‘for’ God, or can we see that through our 'willingness' God’s Mercy and Grace finds expression - being exposed/discovered/experienced that man learns when doing His Will it benefits all mankind?
No doubt, the question regarding how one would respond when called to follow God's Will is right and prudent, though I see the decision to follow such a direct call more in the context of being an obedient and willing child/steward of God who recognizes that my life is in His hands.
Would we therefore not agree that our whole life is a living sacrifice expressing spiritual worship by the act of willingness to follow His Will and Way? Rom.12:1. I see all of the believer’s life lived in response to the acceptance of one's stewardship of all things God established.
I do not think Noah to have been perfect in his life, but rather see him as the good steward when asked to implement God’s plan to save all undefiled flesh and so start life on earth anew. Was Noah’s choice to be a good steward in God’s eyes accepted as benefitting only Him, or was it designed to benefit God and man?
Can man do anything for God? what if God would have waited longer and the window in time in which to save mankind would have closed? Was Noah's ability to still hear God used by Him to recruite him to become part of His plan to secure for Himself a remnant to start life on earth anew?
All we do ‘for’ God could be considered in light of how it benefits the survival of all mankind - the ‘life’ we were given to live as we live to give!
All we have to do is look at nature. God's hand is all in it. Someone makes the seasons change every year at the appointed time. Thank You, God.