Noach: (Genesis 6:9 – 11:32)
Genesis 6:5-7
“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.”
“The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.”
“So the Lord said, ’I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.’ ”
What a sad verse in Scripture: God's heart, deeply saddened.
But….Noah.
“Then, Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds,
he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
Noah believed every word God spoke. That’s why he built the ark. Noah knew God and was different from all the rest in his generation. He was called righteous because of his faith, way before the Torah was ever given to the people of Israel. We can learn from this that it is not the Torah, but faith, which justifies a person. (The same principle, by the way, applies to the life and faith of Abraham. His faith, too, was credited to him as righteousness.)
Genesis 8:21
“The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: ‘Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.’ ”
Noah’s sacrifice was a pleasing aroma to God and He accepted his sacrifice.
“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.”
“The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.”
“So the Lord said, ’I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.’ ”
What a sad verse in Scripture: God's heart, deeply saddened.
But….Noah.
“Then, Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds,
he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
Noah believed every word God spoke. That’s why he built the ark. Noah knew God and was different from all the rest in his generation. He was called righteous because of his faith, way before the Torah was ever given to the people of Israel. We can learn from this that it is not the Torah, but faith, which justifies a person. (The same principle, by the way, applies to the life and faith of Abraham. His faith, too, was credited to him as righteousness.)
Genesis 8:21
“The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: ‘Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.’ ”
Noah’s sacrifice was a pleasing aroma to God and He accepted his sacrifice.
How do I apply this word today?
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) – we all deserve death. That’s the bad news. The situation of our world today is such that it breaks His heart. Noah offered up a sacrifice of clean animals and clean birds, the firstborn of the animals that were in the ark. (By the way, Abel, too, offered the firstborn of his flock.) Noah offered them to God, in order to thank Him and declare in faith that our forgiveness is not based on our human works, but needs a sacrifice.
When will God accept our offering as a pleasing sacrifice? Only when the sacrifice is given with all our hearts and in faith, from the “firstborn of our flock”.
In Isaiah 1:11-17 we read that God is not interested in sacrifices without faith, but loves an upright, honest and obedient heart. Scripture says that Noah’s sacrifice was like perfume to God’s nose. That is how we know Noah’s heart and intention were right and acceptable in God’s eyes. In chapter 6, God was deeply saddened. Now, Noah’s sacrifice so touched God that he promises never to destroy humankind again as He had done, and He seals His promise with the covenant of the rainbow.
When will God accept our offering as a pleasing sacrifice? Only when the sacrifice is given with all our hearts and in faith, from the “firstborn of our flock”.
In Isaiah 1:11-17 we read that God is not interested in sacrifices without faith, but loves an upright, honest and obedient heart. Scripture says that Noah’s sacrifice was like perfume to God’s nose. That is how we know Noah’s heart and intention were right and acceptable in God’s eyes. In chapter 6, God was deeply saddened. Now, Noah’s sacrifice so touched God that he promises never to destroy humankind again as He had done, and He seals His promise with the covenant of the rainbow.
New Covenant
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
That’s the good news! Though we are not perfect, Yeshua paid the price for our sins. We are called to spend eternity with Him, instead of in hell.
Today we can offer ourselves as living sacrifices to the Lord (Romans 12:1), a sacrifice of thanksgiving in our hearts at all times. The way we express our hearts towards others in obedience is a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
Philippians 4:18
“I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.
They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.”
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
That’s the good news! Though we are not perfect, Yeshua paid the price for our sins. We are called to spend eternity with Him, instead of in hell.
Today we can offer ourselves as living sacrifices to the Lord (Romans 12:1), a sacrifice of thanksgiving in our hearts at all times. The way we express our hearts towards others in obedience is a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
Philippians 4:18
“I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.
They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.”