Lessons from the Biblical Story of Noah: A Righteous Man

Noah is one of the most important people in the Bible. In a world taken over by evil, violence, and corruption, the Bible reveals him to be a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Not only that, but he was also the only follower of God left on Earth. 

It is difficult to imagine such unwavering faithfulness in the midst of total godlessness, but that is the lesson that Noah's story teaches believers. Over and over again, the Bible states: "Noah did everything just as God commanded." His life of 950 years exemplified obedience.

Noah and the Flood

During Noah's time, the wickedness of man had covered the earth like a flood. As a result, God commanded a flood of his own, a literal one, in which all the people on Earth would perish. Only Noah and his family would be spared, for it was God's intention for them to restart humanity.

To prepare for the upcoming apocalypse, the Lord instructed Noah to build an ark in which he, his family, and two of each animal on earth would be sheltered during the storm. Noah diligently accepted God's call, and never wavered from it. Appropriately mentioned in the "Hall of Faith" in the Book of Hebrews, Noah is considered an exemplar of the Christian faith.

Accomplishments

When we meet Noah in the Bible, we learn that he is the only follower of God remaining in his generation. After the flood, he becomes the second father of the human race. As an engineer, architect, and shipbuilder, he put together an amazing structure, the likes of which had never before been built.

With the length of the project spanning 120 years, building the ark was quite a notable achievement. Noah's greatest accomplishment, however, was his faithful commitment to obeying and walking with God all the days of his life.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Although Noah loved God with his whole heart and was fully committed to obeying his every command, this does not mean he was perfect or sinless. In fact, he had a weakness for wine, apparently his only recorded sin. In Genesis, chapter 9, the Bible tells how Noah became drunk and passed out in his tent, making himself an embarrassment to his sons.

Life Lessons

Noah's life can be seen as a model of patience, persistence, and unwavering faithfulness to God in the face of a faithless society. Surely it wasn't easy for Noah, but he found favor in God's eyes because of his remarkable obedience.

Just as God blessed and saved Noah, he will faithfully bless and protect those who follow and obey him today. The call to obedience is not a short-term, one-time call. Like Noah, obedience must be lived out over a lifetime of faithful commitment. Those who persevere will finish the race.

The story of Noah's drunken transgression is a reminder that even the godliest people have weaknesses and can fall prey to temptation and sin. Sin not only affects the individual in negative ways, but also those with whom people come into contact—friends, family, and other loved ones. 

Biblical References

The passages of Scripture cover the life and times of Noah: Genesis 5–10; 1 Chronicles 1:3–4; Isaiah 54:9; Ezekiel 14:14; Matthew 24:37–38; Luke 3:36 and 17:26; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5.

Occupation

Shipbuilder, farmer, and preacher.

Family Life

The Bible tells us that Noah is the son of Lamech and that one of his grandfathers was Methuselah. When he was 500 years old, Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and it is those sons, along with their wives and Noah's wife, Naamah, who survived the flood and repopulated the Earth. Although the Bible says that after the flood the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, located in modern-day Turkey, it does not tell us where Noah and his family settled. 

Key Bible Verses

• "This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God." (Genesis 6:9, NIV)
• "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." (Genesis 6:22, NIV)
• "Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you...Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth...I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth...Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." (Genesis 9:8-16, NIV)
• "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." (Hebrews 11:7, NIV)