The days of Noah refer to the time period when Noah was alive, before the great flood that God sent to judge the wickedness of mankind. This was a unique and important time in biblical history that teaches us a lot about the state of humanity, God’s judgment, and His grace and salvation.
According to the Bible, the days leading up to the flood were characterized by great evil and corruption. Genesis 6:5 states that “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.” Humanity had turned away completely from God and His ways. Violence, immorality, and corruption were rampant.
Even though people had become extremely wicked, Noah found favor with God. Genesis 6:8 says “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Noah was a righteous man who walked with God in stark contrast to the rest of the evil population around him (Genesis 6:9). God’s grace was on display by choosing to save Noah and his family from the coming judgment.
As a result of the corruption and violence that filled the earth, God decided to judge and destroy mankind, while showing grace to Noah. Genesis 6:7 states that God said “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” God was grieved by how wicked humanity had become and was determined to purge the evil from the earth.
To prepare for this worldwide judgment, God commanded Noah to build a massive ark that would save him, his family, and representative pairs of all the animals. Genesis 6:14-16 describes the specific instructions God gave Noah for constructing this large vessel. This ark would be their only refuge from the coming flood that would wipe out every living thing on the surface of the earth.
After over 100 years of construction, the ark was complete and the floodwaters came, just as God had warned. Genesis 7:11-12 documents that “all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.” Noah and his family, along with all the animals, were safely sheltered in the ark during the cataclysmic floods that overtook the entire planet.
For over a year, the floodwaters remained on the earth before finally receding (Genesis 8:13-14). When Noah, his family, and all the creatures exited the ark, God made a covenant with Noah and placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign of His promise to never again destroy the earth with a flood (Genesis 9:8-17). God judged the extreme wickedness of mankind, while showing mercy to righteous Noah.
The days of Noah have similarities and contrasts to the end times described in the Bible. Just as wickedness was pervasive in Noah’s day, the end times will be characterized by people lovers of self and pleasure rather than God (2 Timothy 3:1-4). And just as God judged evil and showed grace to the righteous during the flood, He will do so again – judging wickedness but saving those who trust in Him.
There are several important lessons we can take away from the days of Noah:
- Mankind has a tendency toward evil and depravity apart from God.
- God is grieved by wickedness and will judge evil, but He also shows mercy.
- God’s grace provides salvation to those who walk with Him, even amidst a wicked society.
- God warns people to repent through His Word and His messengers.
- Staying faithful to God in the midst of rampant sin can be difficult, but worth it.
- God values righteousness and wants us to pursue holiness just like Noah did.
- Salvation comes only through God’s way, not our own efforts – the ark He provided.
- God remembers His promises and covenants to save and protect His people.
In summary, the days of Noah were marked by rampant evil and corruption, yet also by God’s righteousness, mercy, judgment, and salvation. As we read about this period of history, we see reflections of humanity’s tendency toward sin, but also God’s patience and grace. He warns people to turn to Him, provides salvation, and faithfully keeps His promises. The days of Noah provide a sobering picture of mankind’s need for redemption and a gracious God who provides it.
Now let’s look at some more specific details the Bible provides about this time period:
Wickedness and Violence Abounded
According to Scripture, the days of Noah before the flood were characterized by widespread violence, evil, and corruption.
Genesis 6:11 states that “the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” Lawlessness and bloodshed had become the norm in human society. In fact, Ezekiel 14:14 speaks of Noah along with Daniel and Job as the only righteous men among evil people. Apart from Noah and his family, no one sought after God.
Not only was there violence between people, but Genesis 6:11 also suggests humans were corrupting and destroying the earth itself. Scholars speculate that this could refer to practices like unsustainable farming, massive deforestation, irresponsible breeding of animals, and other activities that were destroying creation. Humans were harming and polluting the world that God had made.
Additionally, the description of the earth being “corrupt in God’s sight” indicates moral decay had set in. Sexual immorality, idolatry, greed, and other sinful behaviors undoubtedly proliferated, as people no longer looked to God and His ways.
This systemic corruption and violence filled the earth during Noah’s day. The population strayed completely from God’s order and righteous standards for society.
Noah Was a Righteous Man
In the midst of overwhelming evil and corruption, the Bible highlights Noah as the one righteous man of his day. Genesis 6:9 describes Noah as “a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.”
Noah had not succumbed to the evil behavior and mindset of everyone else. He pursued righteousness and a relationship with his Creator. Noah found favor and salvation from God, not because of his own merits, but because of God’s grace (Genesis 6:8).
However, God still recognized Noah’s faithfulness and obedience. He trusted God even when no one else did. Noah believed God’s warnings about the coming judgment and acted on them by building the ark.
The New Testament commends Noah’s reverent fear of God. Hebrews 11:7 notes, “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 took God at His word and lived accordingly.
Noah stood out as a shining light in the darkest of times. His example teaches us to cultivate righteousness and walk with God, even when everyone around us does the opposite.
God Decided to Judge and Destroy the Wicked
As the corruption and violence permeated the world in Noah’s day, God determined to judge and destroy the wickedness pervading creation. The earth was filled with evil continuously and something had to be done.
Genesis 6:7 records God saying, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” God decided to purge the earth of the wickedness that had spread through mankind and the animal kingdom.
Yet God’s desire for judgment came from a place of grief and sorrow over how humanity had turned out, not callousness. Genesis 6:6 reveals God’s emotional response: “And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.” Bringing destruction grieved God’s heart.
But allowing evil to go unchecked would have led to even greater corruption. God maintained perfect justice against the wickedness overtaking His creation. The apostle Peter explains that God brought the flood “on a world of ungodly people” and condemned them for their sins (2 Peter 2:5).
God’s holiness, justice and grief over sin compelled Him to judge the rampant wickedness through a global flood. But He would also show mercy to the one righteous man and his family.
God Showed Grace to Noah by Saving Him
As God prepared to destroy the world with a flood because of its great evil, He provided a way to preserve the one righteous man left and extend grace. God instructed Noah how he and his family could be saved from the coming judgment.
After describing His plans for the flood, God said to Noah in Genesis 6:14, “Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.” God then gave specific directions for building the massive ship that would keep Noah’s family and pairs of animals safe during the flood.
Not only did God spare righteous Noah by having him build the ark, He also established a covenant with him. After the flood ended and Noah exited the ark, God promised him in Genesis 9:11, “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood.” Though mankind deserved judgment, God graciously made a covenant of protection.
Noah found favor in God’s eyes. His family was saved because of God’s mercy. Hebrews 11:7 reveals, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household.” God in His grace saved Noah’s household from judgment.
The Flood Destroyed All Life on Earth
After the extensive period of preparation, the flood judgment finally came just as God had warned. The devastating flood wiped out every single person and animal on the face of the earth, except those sheltered in the ark.
Genesis 7:11-12 documents the start of this catastrophic event: “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.”
Torrential rain continued for over a month and surged from both above and below. The waters utterly overwhelmed the surface of the earth. Genesis 7:19-20 notes that “the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep.”
As a result, every creature outside the ark perished. Genesis 7:21-23 states that “all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground.” The flood totally destroyed all terrestrial life.
Archaeological findings of widespread flood sediments around the world corroborate the biblical account of a massive, catastrophic flood. The flood equated to God’s sentence of death upon the morally corrupt world at that time.
God Remembered Noah and Ended the Flood
After judging the evil world with a flood, God also graciously remembered Noah and those with him on the ark and eventually caused the floodwaters to recede.
The flood did not let up until after 150 days of continual deluge, as Genesis 7:24 notes. But Genesis 8 documents that God caused a wind to blow and restrain the flood (v.1). After several months of gradual receding of the waters, Noah and his family were finally able to exit the ark.
When Noah constructed an altar and offered sacrifices, the Bible says “the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma” and resolved to never again curse the ground or destroy all living creatures as he had (Genesis 8:21). God favored and blessed Noah as He brought the massive global flood to an end.
Though mankind deserved permanent destruction because of its wickedness, God showed mercy and grace to Noah. He remembered Noah and worked to undo the extensive damage the flood had caused upon the earth.
God Established a Covenant with Noah
After the flood ended and God had preserved Noah and his family, God established a covenant with Noah promising never again to flood the entire earth.
In Genesis 9:11, God says to Noah, “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” This pledge showed God’s commitment to upholding His promise.
As a sign of this everlasting covenant, God set a rainbow in the clouds, saying “when I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature” (Genesis 9:14-15). The rainbow would be a reminder of God’s gracious pledge.
Though mankind’s wickedness demands justice, God tempers His judgment with mercy. The covenant with Noah affirms God’s compassion and faithfulness toward those who walk with Him. God assures His people of His promises.
Lessons for Today
The days of Noah carry timeless truths and lessons that we can benefit from today:
- God values righteousness, even in the face of rampant sin and peer pressure.
- Judgment for sin is inevitable, but God provides mercy and grace to the faithful.
- Salvation comes only on God’s terms, not our own. We must heed God’s instructions.
- Those who walk with God can be assured of His covenant promises of protection.
- Even in judgment God demonstrates grief over people’s sin and rebellion against Him.
- God patiently warns people to repent and believe before bringing judgment.
- The global flood displays God’s total authority over creation to judge evil.
While our culture may disregard biblical values, we should follow Noah’s example of righteousness, faithfulness, and obedience. For those who turn to Him, God provides salvation from judgment and keeps His covenant promises. The days of Noah remind us to take refuge in Him.