Genesis 8:1-22

In the midst of God’s judgment we find that His grace is evident.  God saved the lives of Noah and the animals in the ark; not because He needed to, but because He is gracious.  We should not marvel that God would judge the sins of men so severely.  We should marvel at God’s mercy and grace in saving anyone.  That an absolutely holy God permits sinful men to live one day is mercy.  That our God makes provision for sinful men to live for all of eternity through Christ is amazing grace.

GOD REMEMBERED NOAH: God’s wrath had been poured out upon the earth all live outside the ark had been extinguished.  But God remembered Noah and all the animals in the ark and He made provision for them to be saved.  God alone is able to resolve the problems of man’s sin.  God always consistent with His divine attributes.  He is always holy, He is always gracious and He is always just.  God’s grace is never consumed by His justice and His holiness is never consumed by His grace.  He acts in accordance with all of His attributes in perfect balance.  His holiness and justice require the judgment of sin by death.  His mercy, grace and love cause Him to remember those who fear and trust Him and make just provision for their eternal life.  It is a wonderful thing to be remembered by our gracious God.  It is a terrible thing to be judged by our holy God.

GOD REMOVED THE WATER: The water was God’s judgment upon the earth.  The rain stopped after forty days, but it remained covering the earth for one-hundred and fifty days.  However, God caused a wind to blow on the earth that speeds up the process of evaporation and the water began to go down.  The ark rested on the top of some mountains before the tops were visible but with time the water subsided and the dry ground began to appear.  In all, from the time Noah entered the ark until the ground was dry exactly one year had passed.  This was not God’s final judgment on sin.  This was God’s judgment on the earth and serves as a means to illustrate God’s judgment and His grace.  His final judgment of sin will never be removed, but so His plan of redemption could unfold upon the earth, God removed the water and spared the lives of Noah and His family so that Christ could redeem men from their sins.

GOD RECEIVED NOAH’S SACRIFICE: As soon as Noah gets out of the ark; he builds and altar and he makes a sacrifice of the clean animals.  Noah was well aware of his own sin and his need of a sacrifice to cover His sin and escape the judgment of God.  Noah believed God would provide the ultimate sacrifice in Christ and demonstrated this faith by offering these animals as a demonstration that prefigured the future sacrifice of Christ.  God was pleased by Noah’s faith and sacrifice and He promised never to kill all of mankind again because of his sin.  God’s plan of redemption always involves sacrifice and faith.  God provides the sacrifice and man must trust God’s provision.  Our only hope of salvation from our sin is the redemption that God provides through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Those who trust in Christ are eternally forgiven by God for He accepts the sacrifice of Christ as the ultimate payment for sin.  My Christ be praised for providing a sacrifice for sin that satisfies the justice of God and extends the grace of God to us that we might escape His wrath and experience His everlasting life and love.