What does it mean that Noah was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5)?
Noah was a key biblical figure who God chose to build an ark and preserve life on Earth from the destructive Flood described in Genesis 6-9. 2 Peter 2:5 describes Noah as a “preacher of righteousness.” This means that Noah proclaimed God’s truth and lived righteously during a time of great wickedness. Looking at the broader context of Noah’s life and times provides insight into the meaning of this description.
The Days of Noah Were Evil
The days of Noah were characterized by rampant wickedness on the earth:
“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)
“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11)
“And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” (Genesis 6:12)
The pervasive evil and violence grieved God’s heart:
“And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.” (Genesis 6:6)
Noah, in contrast, “was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). Noah’s life stood out as a beacon of righteousness in the midst of a totally depraved society.
Noah Walked with God
Noah’s life was characterized by his walk with God. Genesis 6:9 says “Noah walked with God,” indicating an intimate, close relationship. Noah sought to please God with his life, even when no one else did. Hebrews 11:7 describes Noah’s reverent faith: “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household.” Noah trusted in God’s word and warnings, even when it seemed absurd to build a massive ark. His actions were motivated by faith and a desire to walk in obedience to God.
Noah Was Blameless and Righteous
God Himself declared that Noah was “a righteous man, blameless in his generation” (Genesis 6:9). He lived a life of integrity that was morally and spiritually pure before God. Peter called Noah “a herald of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). The dictionary defines a herald as “a person who proclaims or announces important news.” Noah proclaimed God’s truth through his words and righteous actions in an exceedingly sinful world.
He Likely Warned People to Repent
Though the Bible does not explicitly say Noah preached with words, it seems likely he warned people to turn from their sin and obey God. God promised to destroy the world with a flood because of humanity’s wickedness. It seems implausible Noah would have remained silent and not pleaded with people to repent in light of the coming judgment. The Apostle Peter described Noah as “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). The word “preacher” implies Noah verbally proclaimed righteousness.
He Called People to Faith through His Obedience
Even if Noah did not verbally warn people, his faithful obedience to God’s command to build the ark served as a 120-year visible warning sign of coming judgment. As people observed and likely mocked Noah’s Ark construction, his righteous actions proclaimed the seriousness of God’s word. Noah is commended for his faith in Hebrews 11:7. His consistent obedience called people to faith in God.
His Life Condemned the World’s Wickedness
Most importantly, Noah’s righteous life contrasted sharply with the world’s wickedness and served as a condemnation of their sin. Noah’s obedient faith and moral integrity showed the corruption of the surrounding culture and would have convicted onlookers of their need to repent. Their consciences likely convicted them of their evil as they saw Noah’s sincere devotion to God. Noah’s life called people to recognize their depravity and turn to God.
Noah Stands as an Example and Warning
The Apostle Peter highlights God’s judgment on the ancient world through the Flood. He explains the importance of Noah’s life and example:
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.” (2 Peter 2:4-9)
Peter explains that just as God punished past unrepentant sinners, so too will He judge in the future. The contrast is drawn between the wicked whom God condemned and the righteous (Noah and Lot) whom He preserved. Noah’s life and example stand as warnings against unbelief and sin. The ungodly were destroyed in the Flood, just as Peter says the unrighteous will face judgment and punishment in the end times.
Noah’s faithful example ultimately condemns the world’s wickedness and the depravity of the human heart in rejecting God. Noah’s preservation contrasts with the world’s destruction. The innocent were saved as the guilty were washed away. Through his “reverent fear” and trusting obedience (Hebrews 11:7), Noah served as “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) – even without words, his life gave a message. His building of the ark in spite of mockers spoke volumes of his faith in God. His blameless living rebuked the world’s wicked ways.
Noah Points People to Salvation through Christ
Most importantly, Noah’s life and example point to salvation through Jesus Christ. Just as Noah and his family entered the ark by faith and were carried safely through God’s judgment, so too must we turn to Christ in faith, repent of our sins, and find salvation through His finished work on the cross. Acts 4:12 declares “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Just as Noah served as a “preacher of righteousness” in his day, we are now called to live righteously, trust in Christ, and proclaim the Gospel message that leads to salvation.