"Noah, a preacher of righteousness...." (2 Peter 2:5)
There is a film here in America called, "Noah." I have heard a lot of varying opinions of it. Regardless, the Noah of the Bible was, "a preacher of righteousness," but not just, "a preacher." He was a living testimony of, "righteousness." How do I know this? God told him to do something, something which made absolutely no sense to the worldlings around him, but, as Hebrews 11 tells us, "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved...." Now we could stop here. This is the joy-filled life of faith. Jesus speaks; we move. It is just as Abraham, "By faith Abraham obeyed....And he went out, not knowing where he was going"; and neither did Noah. He had never seen rain. He was not near a large body of water which could support the size of a boat God told him to build. Nonetheless, "By faith Noah...moved with godly fear, prepared an ark.., by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." Noah heard, "The Word of God." He heard Jesus, and in that hearing and obeying Jesus, he, just as you and I, "became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith," aka, "obedience."
Noah loved the Living Triune God Who had spoken to him in Jesus. His life was geared to the Lord God, not his own pursuits. He is mentioned in Hebrews 11, and thereby is a part of the same "people of faith" as you and I. He is in the, "cloud of witnesses," and all in this, "cloud," are no personages but lovers of Jesus, people who ran their race, "looking unto Jesus." The Amplified Bible uses some interesting words as to the working of Jesus in the lives of those mentioned in Hebrews 11, "Prompted, actuated by faith,..urged on by faith,...For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has fixed and firm foundations, who Architect and Builder is God....Abraham, when he was put to the test [while the testing of his faith was still in progress],..gladly received and welcomed [God's] promises....[Actuated] by faith Joseph...gave instructions....[Aroused] by faith Moses refused...the fleeting enjoyment of a sinful life....[Motivated] by faith he left Egypt behind him...." I can imagine that during those many, many years of building, Noah too experienced, "[while the testing of his faith was still in progress]."
This is the Life in Jesus. This is relational "religion," not something which soothes our longing to be "better people" for our own pride. You and I can live as Noah, who, "found grace in the eyes of the Lord." There can be other interpretations, but I think it all centers in a simple surrender to Jesus Christ, Who He Is, and whatever He says, and, in whatever life "hands out." When you and I, "fix our eyes on Jesus," we can still walk in continual victory, "while the testing of...faith [is] still in progress."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for bringing me into such a wonderful family of faith. Amen.
There is a film here in America called, "Noah." I have heard a lot of varying opinions of it. Regardless, the Noah of the Bible was, "a preacher of righteousness," but not just, "a preacher." He was a living testimony of, "righteousness." How do I know this? God told him to do something, something which made absolutely no sense to the worldlings around him, but, as Hebrews 11 tells us, "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved...." Now we could stop here. This is the joy-filled life of faith. Jesus speaks; we move. It is just as Abraham, "By faith Abraham obeyed....And he went out, not knowing where he was going"; and neither did Noah. He had never seen rain. He was not near a large body of water which could support the size of a boat God told him to build. Nonetheless, "By faith Noah...moved with godly fear, prepared an ark.., by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." Noah heard, "The Word of God." He heard Jesus, and in that hearing and obeying Jesus, he, just as you and I, "became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith," aka, "obedience."
Noah loved the Living Triune God Who had spoken to him in Jesus. His life was geared to the Lord God, not his own pursuits. He is mentioned in Hebrews 11, and thereby is a part of the same "people of faith" as you and I. He is in the, "cloud of witnesses," and all in this, "cloud," are no personages but lovers of Jesus, people who ran their race, "looking unto Jesus." The Amplified Bible uses some interesting words as to the working of Jesus in the lives of those mentioned in Hebrews 11, "Prompted, actuated by faith,..urged on by faith,...For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has fixed and firm foundations, who Architect and Builder is God....Abraham, when he was put to the test [while the testing of his faith was still in progress],..gladly received and welcomed [God's] promises....[Actuated] by faith Joseph...gave instructions....[Aroused] by faith Moses refused...the fleeting enjoyment of a sinful life....[Motivated] by faith he left Egypt behind him...." I can imagine that during those many, many years of building, Noah too experienced, "[while the testing of his faith was still in progress]."
This is the Life in Jesus. This is relational "religion," not something which soothes our longing to be "better people" for our own pride. You and I can live as Noah, who, "found grace in the eyes of the Lord." There can be other interpretations, but I think it all centers in a simple surrender to Jesus Christ, Who He Is, and whatever He says, and, in whatever life "hands out." When you and I, "fix our eyes on Jesus," we can still walk in continual victory, "while the testing of...faith [is] still in progress."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for bringing me into such a wonderful family of faith. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
