Noah
“was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, who walked faithfully with God.” Genesis 6:9 Noah, in my opinion, sounds much like Job. “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and stayed away from evil.” Job 1:1 Noah and Job - two righteous men who were described as blameless in the eyes of God. Noah and Job - two righteous men who feared God and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. According to scripture, righteousness is - a behavior that is just under the governance of God; a character of a person who is cleansed and justified. It’s interesting to me that even though these two men were just, one was led to create a boat and one was attacked. Let me explain. Noah was given the command, by God himself, to make a boat - a boat that would save him, his three sons, and their wives. God had decided Noah and his family would live through His wrath. “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 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.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:5-8 “So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” Genesis 6:13-22 Job, on the other hand, was given over into the hands of Satan. Satan was permitted to take Job’s home, his servants, his livelihood, his health and his children, but Satan was not allowed to kill him. “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” Job 1:9-11 “The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.” Job 1:12 Job’s wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Job 2:9-10 And while both men shared similar characteristics, the circumstances of their lives were very different. God had a different plan for each of them. In the end, both were saved. In the end, God gave them a double portion for their pain. So as I sit here and ponder how mysterious God is, I wonder at the power of His name. Righteousness, in scripture, is described as the opposite of wicked. Righteousness is described as walking with God. Righteousness is having a healthy fear of the Lord, and trusting in Him no matter what the condition. Righteousness is choosing to submit, to the Most High God, even if it means giving up what you want. Righteousness, according to scripture, is choosing to follow the rules of the Kingdom of God, rather than following what popular culture says. Righteousness describes what is justified, in the eyes of God. And it may look completely different from what the wicked world says. So as you read this, let this message sink into your head, “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28
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