NOAH - Judgment Will Come Sunday, August 13, :30 AM

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Lee Howard
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1 NOAH - Judgment Will Come Sunday, August, :30 AM For the past couple of weeks, we have been hanging out in Genesis chapter 6 and taking a deeper look at the life of Noah. We've been using clips from the musical drama Noah to help us envision how these events might have played out. Building on the truths in Genesis, and other scriptural passages that tell us about Noah; we have learned two important truths from his life. 1. To live our lives in such a way that we LISTEN FOR THE VOICE OF GOD and 2. The fact that there is A LINE IN THE SAND and we must CHOOSE to live for the world or to live for God Today were going to travel a little bit further in the life of Noah as we begin reading in Genesis chapter 7 Genesis 7:1-23 (NIV) 7 The Lord then said to Noah, Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, 3 and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. 4 Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made. 5 And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. 14 They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. 15 Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. 16 The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.

2 17 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. 18 The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 1 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits. 21 Every living thing that moved on land perished birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. VIDEO CLIP: NOAH - Segment 3 A third powerful truth that we learn from Noah's life, is the startling reality that judgment will come! No one is exactly sure how much time it took for Noah to build the ark. In other words, there is a span of time between the end of chapter 6 and the beginning of chapter 7. Many believe that it took as many as 120 years for Noah to build the ark based upon the passage in Genesis chapter 5 where God said his Spirit would not contend with Man forever and their years would be numbered 120 I don't know about you but that's a long time to wait and I'm sure that many people in Noah's day would have felt justified in ignoring Noah's proclamation that the end would come. I'm sure, like many do today, they felt comfortable in believing that everything would continue just as it always had. In fact, Peter discusses this is very attitude and 2 Peter chapter 3 when he says 2 Peter 3:3-7 (NIV) 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. This assurance is both comforting and alarming. Comforting for those who Believe in Jesus and have accepted Him as Lord and Savior. Comforting to those who are enduring the harsh persecutions of this world. Comforting for those who are looking for their redemption from on high. Comforting for those who have been fighting hard to hold on to the faith.

3 On the other hand, this is alarming for those who are not ready. It is alarming when we think of the multitudes who are still lost. It is alarming to know that, one day, people's opportunity to believe will finally be over. So imperative is our comprehension of this truth that the Spirit of the Lord told the Apostle John, no less than four times in the book of Revelation, "I am coming soon." But how does the story of Noah help us walk in this truth. 1. God's PATIENCE will continue PLEAD for the hearts of men According to biblical chronology, God's patience with mankind had extended more than 1600 years from Adam's fall in the Garden. Once God made the proclamation of judgement to Noah he continued to patiently plead for the hearts of man through Noah's preaching of righteousness during all the years that it took him to build the Ark. 1 Peter 3:20 (NIV) 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. 2 Peter 3:-10 (NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 2. Those who are PREPARED will find themselves in the PROTECTION and PEACE of the Ark of salvation Hebrews :7 (NIV) 7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. Matthew 25:1- (NIV) The Parable of the Ten Virgins 25 At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish

4 ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 At midnight the cry rang out: Here s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! 7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out. No, they replied, there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves. 10 But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. Lord, Lord, they said, open the door for us! 12 But he replied, Truly I tell you, I don t know you. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. 3. PEOPLE who refuse to come in will PERISH Matthew 22:8-14 (NIV) 8 Then he said to his servants, The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find. 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend? The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are invited, but few are chosen.

5 4. PRETENDERS will not be POSITIONED in safety Matthew 25:44-46 (NIV) 44 They also will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? 45 He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. 46 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. 5. We must continue to PROCLAIM the PLAN and PURPOSES of God until he comes 2 Peter 2:5 (NIV) 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; Romans 10:1 (NIV) 10 Brothers and sisters, my heart s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. Romans 10:-14 (NIV) for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 6. PERSEVERANCE will PAY OFF Matthew 24:-14 (NIV) Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 7. God's POWER will PREVAIL Hebrews 10:37 (NIV) 37 For, In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.

NOAH AND HIS HOUSEHOLD ENTER THE ARK THE FLOOD ENGULFED THE EARTH GENESIS 7:1-24

1 NOAH AND HIS HOUSEHOLD ENTER THE ARK THE FLOOD ENGULFED THE EARTH GENESIS 7:1-24 2 Text: NOAH AND HIS HOUSEHOLD ENTER THE ARK Genesis 7:1-24, THE FLOOD ENGULFTED THE EARTH 1. The Lord said to Noah, Come