The fine art of shipbuilding was his response to the evil times he lived in. Such a statement hardly makes sense, unless you know the story of Noah.
"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. The LORD said, '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" (Genesis 6:5-8)
It was the last straw for humanity; evil had reached the action level on God's judgment scale. Fate was sealed for every living creature on the face of planet earth. Except there was one exception: a man named Noah, who found favor with God on the eve of planetary annihilation. And thus he was led to the fine art of shipbuilding in response to the pervading evil of the times (Genesis 6:14-16).
Now, the story of Noah and the ark is an interesting read from the standpoint of history. Except that it has a real-time application for the era we live in:
"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Matthew 24:37-39)
The wicked routine characteristic of the days of Noah parallels the days preceding the return of Christ. Noah was busy with preaching and preparation prior to cataclysmic judgment. An evil generation, however, paid no heed even as deadly floodwaters literally descended upon them. And, the evil generation at the time of Christ's return will do similarly.
So, what the lesson here? Do we bide our time in evil times as we wait for vindication and judgment at the return of Christ? Waiting it out hardly seems a responsible course of action. So, maybe we brush up on the fine art of shipbuilding, as Noah did. No, we don't head to the lumber company and order massive quantities of building materials. Rather, we proclaim and practice an "ark of safety" called baptism, as 1 Peter 3:20-21 describes. We urgently appeal to the responsive living in a wicked generation, that they accept God's gracious offer through His Son, while there is time.
Evil times are not met with despair, but rather an urgent appeal for repentance by the responsive. The message entrusted to us to share is an "ark of safety" for all who will respond. As such, may we be found faithful shipbuilders today.
Steve
© 2011, Steve Taylor
"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. The LORD said, '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" (Genesis 6:5-8)
It was the last straw for humanity; evil had reached the action level on God's judgment scale. Fate was sealed for every living creature on the face of planet earth. Except there was one exception: a man named Noah, who found favor with God on the eve of planetary annihilation. And thus he was led to the fine art of shipbuilding in response to the pervading evil of the times (Genesis 6:14-16).
Now, the story of Noah and the ark is an interesting read from the standpoint of history. Except that it has a real-time application for the era we live in:
"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be." (Matthew 24:37-39)
The wicked routine characteristic of the days of Noah parallels the days preceding the return of Christ. Noah was busy with preaching and preparation prior to cataclysmic judgment. An evil generation, however, paid no heed even as deadly floodwaters literally descended upon them. And, the evil generation at the time of Christ's return will do similarly.
So, what the lesson here? Do we bide our time in evil times as we wait for vindication and judgment at the return of Christ? Waiting it out hardly seems a responsible course of action. So, maybe we brush up on the fine art of shipbuilding, as Noah did. No, we don't head to the lumber company and order massive quantities of building materials. Rather, we proclaim and practice an "ark of safety" called baptism, as 1 Peter 3:20-21 describes. We urgently appeal to the responsive living in a wicked generation, that they accept God's gracious offer through His Son, while there is time.
Evil times are not met with despair, but rather an urgent appeal for repentance by the responsive. The message entrusted to us to share is an "ark of safety" for all who will respond. As such, may we be found faithful shipbuilders today.
Steve
© 2011, Steve Taylor
posted by steve @ 8:20 AM
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