God's Judgment for Sin
Genesis 6:9-22
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our text for this morning comes from Genesis 6, Noah the herald of righteousness is told of the disaster about to befall creation. God has seen the wickedness of the world. Previously it is stated in Genesis, "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."
Because of the wickedness of mankind. God tells Noah that he is going to kill all of his creation. "I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them." Noah knows this fact and is also commanded to build an Ark. I would note here that the Ark is given specific dimensions, number of decks, and even told where to place the door. These would indicate that this was not some fictional depiction of a boat, but a historical boat.
Beyond this, Noah is also called a righteous person, and a herald of righteousness. He proclaimed to the people of the world concerning their coming destruction. He would have called out their sinful behavior, asking them to mend their sinful ways.
Noah would have also told them about his Ark, which he was building as a way of Salvation. In our baptismal liturgy we equate the Ark of Noah with the Church of Christ. This Ark provides us with salvation from the coming destruction, death, and eternal damnation.
I recently posted on Facebook a quote I saw from Penn Jillette, who is a famous magician and an out spoken Atheist. He said, "If you believe that there's a Heaven and hell and people could be going to hell - or not getting eternally life or whatever - and you think that, well, it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward. ... How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?"
How much would Noah have had to hate the mosquitoes to have swatted them on the Ark? Likewise, any other animal in which he was commanded to bring aboard the Ark? Noah and God would have had plenty of room on the Ark providing a way of Salvation from the coming destruction of all flesh. Any additional human desiring to turn from his wickedness and hearing the call of Noah would have been able to board the Ark. Therefore, St Peter calls Noah the Herald of righteousness, because he would have been proclaiming to the wicked world righteous living and salvation.
We are also called to be like Noah. God has revealed to us the coming destruction of all life. Jesus tells us that the coming of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah. The final judgment and the resurrection of the dead will both bring eternal life, and eternal damnation. Thus Penn's statement should strike each of us to the heart. We know there is a Heaven and a hell. We know that those like Penn himself who do not believe in the Holy Trinity and Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation, are going to hell. We also know their is hope for all of us to be rescued from death, sin, and eternal damnation.
This hope is found in the Ark of Christ's church. This hope is found through waters baptism where we are buried with Christ and rise to newness of life, or brought through the waters of death and judgment into life. We know and believe in this hope. We look forward to life eternal. Shouldn't we proclaim this hope to everyone else we know.
Or in Penn's words do we think, "it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward." Similarly, do we hold back from telling them because we hate them? Do we hold back because we do not want them to think negatively about us? Maybe there is another reason that you hold back from telling them. I can even think often times I don't feel like I know someone well enough.
But in all these cases it still brings tears to my eyes when I think of how many people are going to face eternal death. Think of how Noah must have felt hearing, "For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die." Noah would have to watch as his cousins, and distant relatives, and even Great grandfather would be swept away in these waters of judgment.
God provided a way of salvation for them. God has provided us all with a way of salvation. He provides us with Jesus Christ the righteous one. Mark 16:16 states, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." St Paul even writes, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." You have that word to share and proclaim to all your friends and relatives and neighbors.
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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