Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD
Genesis 6.8
One of the wonderful things about the big story of the Bible is that amongst all the failures that are recorded (which incidentally point strongly to its authenticity as it describes events and people warts and all) there always glimpses, sometimes strongly, sometimes less so, of hope and light.
The story of Noah, which we come to today is a perfect example as we read that
‘Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD’.
The opening verses of the chapter tell us of the depths to which men and women, made in God’s image had fallen since they were driven out of the Garden of Eden. Depths so great that the LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth and depths so deep that his heart was filled with pain v.6
The solution was drastic.
I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground and birds of the air. V.7
And here is the glimpse of hope and light.
But Noah found favour!
Why was this so? Certainly he was different from those around him. In v.9 he is described as a righteous man blameless among the people of his time and like his great grandfather Enoch he walked with God. How could this be seeing that we are told in Romans 3.10ff that ‘There is no one righteous, not even one’ where Paul is citing the Psalmist in Psalm 14.2-3.
The glorious answer is just two words – by grace.
Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD translated in the KJV Noah found grace.
Alec Motyer, Bible Scholar and Hebrew expert once said that in one respect this is the wrong way round and Grace found Noah is perhaps a legitimate translation.
Either way it is glorious and profound truth. We have no righteousness of our own as the Bible clearly teaches but
..by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it I the gift of God. Ephesians 2.8
I encourage you to meditate on the wonder of this today perhaps using the words of the song below by City Alight.
What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer
There is no more for heaven now to give
He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to His
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Saviour He will stay
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, His power is displayed
To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me
Through the deepest valley He will lead
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven
The future sure, the price it has been paid
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon
And He was raised to overthrow the grave
To this I hold, my sin has been defeated
Jesus now and ever is my plea
Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free
Yet not I, but through Christ in me
With every breath I long to follow Jesus
For He has said that He will bring me home
And day by day I know He will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
All the glory evermore to Him
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat
Yet not I, but through Christ in me