By faith Noah, being warned of God
of things not seen as yet, moved
with fear, prepared an ark to the
saving of his house; by the which
he condemned the world, and
became heir of the righteousness
which is by faith. By faith Abraham,
when he was called to go out into a
place which he should after receive
for an inheritance, obeyed; and he
went out, not knowing whither he went.
Hebrews 11:7-8
Faith in the unseen is faith, faith in the unknown, a belief in the unknown for if all is known then there is no need of faith. Faith means that a person does not have all the information but does have, if it is not blind faith, enough information justifying their faith. Why is faith so important to God? First, we cannot see God, we were not there when God created the world, we can only see partially anything about God except what God has revealed about Himself. God revealed in Scripture that He created all things and we can see creation: "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Romans1:20). God spoke and acted in ways that by His providence His purpose would be fulfilled without destroying His creation that He set forth for man and all things created. Man sinned and God acted to ensure that His purpose would be accomplished so He took Enoch away, away from that which was to come, that which was turning bad and abhorrent to God causing His wrath to come upon the world that He created, but there were those who continued in their faith towards Him and Noah was one such man. God cannot and will not allow sin to continue indefinitely, and though He will destroy sin, His mercy saves. Noah did not see God, but Noah walked with God and when God in His timing was to destroy sinful man, Noah was told by Him, (how I do not know how) and the Holy Spirit gave to Noah the will of God to save mankind that he had formed from the earth, created to by a shining light, a glory to Him.
Rain had not fallen on the earth as the earth was watered by a mist having water overhead in the heavens, and water underneath the earth and the mist that gave life to living creatures, plants, so Noah did not know what rain was, but by faith he believe God and the voice that spoke to him to build this thing called: an ark. Are their times when you have heard the voice of God through the Holy Spirit speaking to you to do that which you do not understand? Not some voice that does not have Scripture to support what you have heard for all things are to be examined to be true to God by His word. That voice that told you that you are to go, or to say, or to read more of His word, and you have shrugged it off as only your mind speaking and then in time you have found yourself in some sort of problem that would have been avoided had you listened to that voice of God speaking to you. What if Noah had not listened? You may not be here, there would be no hope for an eternal life that God has determined for those whose faith is in Jesus Christ who came to save His children. To build an ark? Why? What for? How? None of those questions stymied Noah, he got his sons together with him and began to build this thing called: ark. People jeered him, laughed at him, and nothing that Noah could say deterred their lack of faith in God. Then of all things, animals began to enter into the ark. What a sight, but men did not respond to this seeing of the work of God to save man from the coming destruction. Noah obeyed even though he did not have all the information. Noah had faith in God that God would do all that He promised and though the world around him was sinful and full of hatred, he continued to believe in God and his faith held sure. We are here due to the faithfulness of Noah. Noah's faith saved him, his wife, and his sons, and their wives, will your faith save your family, your house?
I will write more about Abraham in the next blog, but just think upon this: Abram (Abraham) lived in a land that was pagan throughout and far away from where he was to go, a place that he did not know he was going. Yet, by faith, God spoke to Abram and Abram responded by faith in God and although not having all the information, by faith he left his home, his homeland, and obeyed the voice of God.
Are you a Noah, or an Abraham? Is your faith in God, in God revealed truthfully in Scripture that nothing can deterred you, and your faith stand strong even if ridiculed? Only each person can make that decision. What is different about the narratives of Noah and Abraham? We have God's written word that reveals Him and His purpose for His creation so that we have more information than Noah or Abraham. We have no excuse! Listen, pray, study God's word and allow Him to providentially lead you. You will not be disappointed.
I will worship toward thy holy temple,
and praise they name for thy
lovingkindness and for thy truth:
for Thou has magnified thy word
above all thy name.
Psalm 138: 2
God will speak to you through His word
Richard L. Crumb
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