"These Three Men...NOAH"

"Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness" (Ezek. 14:14). These three men are given as examples of righteousness. In this article, let's consider the righteousness of Noah.

What's so amazing about Noah is that he was the only man living in his day who garnered the attention and praise of God. Everyone else was thoroughly wicked, but Noah "found grace in the eyes of the Lord" for he was "a just man, perfect in his generations" (vs. 8-9). Imagine would that would be like...to be the only God-fearing man alive. This reminds me of how "righteous Lot was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked" years later (2 Pet. 2:7). Of course, Noah couldn't really help it. Both Noah and Lot show us that even when we're surrounded by rampant evil, we can be faithful to the Lord; it may be hard, but it can be done.

But Noah didn't just get by. Scripture indicates that he was a "preacher of righteousness" (2 Pet. 2:5). As a gospel preacher, I know how hard it can be to preach, even to saved people. I can't imagine how difficult it was for Noah, preaching to a hostile crowd regularly.

If that wasn't enough, Noah was singled out by God for the purpose of constructing the great ark (Gen. 6:13-21). A flood was coming to destroy all life and Noah had to think about that every day as he worked on the vessel that would only preserve his life and the lives of his immediate family.

Even after the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat (Gen. 8:4), Noah remained aboard the vessel. He only stepped off the ark when God gave him the go-ahead (Gen. 8:15-16). This is just another example of his unfailing trust in God.

How Noah did it, I don't know. But he did, and I am truly thankful for his wonderful example. Despite the obstacles we may face, I am certain that we can endure. If Noah could, so can we!