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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you,
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age"
(Matt. 28:19,20).
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April 12, 2015
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Contents:
1) The Great Flood of Noah's Day (Tom Edwards)
2) News & Notes
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-1-
The Great Flood of Noah's Day
by Tom Edwards
Is the flood of Noah's day just a myth, as some people would refer
to it? Is it just a fictitious story to alert us of God's
attitude toward sin and to help us see the need for faithfully
serving the Lord, lest we fall under His wrath and
condemnation? What does the Bible teach and indicate about the
flood?
Let us first of all note that it is recorded as factual in the book
of Genesis 6-9, and is also mentioned elsewhere in the Scriptures as
an actual event. For instance, Genesis 10:1 reads, "Now these are
the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons
of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood"
(emphasis mine). The chapter goes on to list many descendants and
then concludes by saying in verse 32, "These are the families of the
sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and
out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the
flood" (emphasis mine).
How could so many real people be described as having been born
"after the flood," if the flood were just a mere myth?
Jesus Himself also refers to Noah and the great flood in Matthew
24:37-39 in likening it to the unexpected nature of His coming, that
all will seem like just another ordinary day until the event would
suddenly happen and take them by surprise. And where that is
also mentioned in Luke's account, there is the additional likening
to "the days of Lot" (Abraham's nephew) and the destruction of Sodom
(Luke 17:26-30). So just as real, as the person of Lot and the
place of Sodom, is the great patriarch Noah and the flood of his
day.
Noah was a real person; and though not mentioned among his many
descendants in Genesis 10, you are also one of them! For we
can all trace our ancestry back to him -- every person of every
race!
When you think of Noah, what is the first thought that comes to your
mind? Would it not be the flood and his building the
ark? He is commended for that in Hebrews 11:7, which is in a
chapter that mentions various real people who were obedient to God
because of their faith in Him, such as Abel, Enoch, Abraham, Moses,
Gideon, Samson, David, and Samuel. But how could Noah even be
mentioned among all these great people of faith if the flood account
were merely a fictitious story?
Peter also refers to a people "who were once disobedient, when the
patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the
construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons,
were brought safely through the water" (1 Pet. 3:20). A real
people, a real God, a real Noah, real days, a real ark that had to
be built, real water, and a real safe deliverance! What out of
this list would you want to make fictitious?
So the Bible makes it clear that the flood actually did occur.
Perhaps the idea of it being global, however, causes some to
disbelieve. Of course, there are those who simply view the
flood of Noah's day as occurring in just a small geographical
region, around where Noah lived, rather than covering all of the
earth.
But what does the Bible say about that? "The water prevailed
more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains
everywhere under the heavens were covered. The water prevailed
fifteen cubits higher [22.5 feet], and the mountains were covered"
(Gen. 7:19,20).
Peter also speaks of the world in time's past when it was destroyed
by "being flooded with water" in 2 Peter 3:6. God did away
with the old world to make it new. This might remind you of
the time when the Lord first made this planet. For in the
beginning it was covered with water everywhere (Gen. 1:2); but when
God then said, "...'Let the waters below the heavens be gathered
into one place, and let the dry land appear'..." (v. 9), He then
"...called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He
called seas..." (v. 10).
So it was certainly a new world for Noah and his family to step out
on, after the flood waters subsided and land appeared. The
creatures on board were now free to roam and find places to their
liking, and gradually their different kinds would increase. The
earth would also once again abound in vegetation, greenery, and the
beauties that appeal to our aesthetic nature. What a beautiful and
unpolluted world it must have been, and God wanted it to be
repopulated for others also to enjoy. For after blessing Noah
and his sons, the Lord then said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply
and fill the earth" (Gen. 9:1). And let me add that had they not
obeyed that, I would not be here to tell you about it, nor would you
be here to listen.
We can also infer from God's promise that "...all flesh shall never
again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall
there be a flood to destroy the earth" (Gen. 9:11), that the Lord
meant all the earth, that the flood of Noah's day was global, rather
than just covering an area in which Noah lived. For otherwise,
God would not be keeping His word every time a flood occurs
somewhere. But He, however, cannot lie (Titus 1:2).
The flood of Noah's day should instill within us how serious sin is
and how our iniquities can affect our Creator. For "...the
Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that
every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually"
(Gen. 6:5); and God "..was sorry that He had made man on the earth,
and He was grieved in His heart" (v. 6). He then said, "...'I
will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land,
from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for
I am sorry that I have made them'" (v. 7).
Yet, even in spite of that, the Lord still wanted to see these
people repent and be saved; and He, therefore, gave them ample time
and opportunity to do so. As Peter states, "The Lord is not
slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient
toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to
repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9) -- "and regard the patience of our Lord as
salvation..." (v. 15).
Noah was a "preacher of righteousness" (2 Pet. 2:5); and just as the
prophets had "the Spirit of Christ within them" (1 Pet. 1:11), even
so Noah would have also preached by that Spirit. In that way, it is
said that Jesus "went and made proclamation to the spirits now in
prison, who were once disobedient, when the patience of God kept
waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark" (1
Pet. 3:19,20). For it was "in the spirit" (v. 18) that the
Lord did this through the preaching of Noah to the people of his day
-- but they did not take heed. And when they died, after
rejecting the goodness of God, they went to the Hadean realm where
they are "now in prison" and awaiting the final judgment (v.
19). Cf. 2 Peter 2:4-9.
So God's patience will eventually become exhausted, in the sense
that the opportunity for His salvation is time-limited, such as in
the case of Noah's day. For the Lord states, "My Spirit shall
not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless
his days shall be one hundred and twenty years" (Gen. 6:3).
It was during that long period that Noah preached to the people and
continued to work on the ark, but was probably often viewed as a
laughing stock to many who saw and heard him. He, however, not
only persevered until the deed was done, in spite of the ridicule
and rejection, but also did his work reverently unto the Lord.
For the record states, "By faith Noah, being warned by God about
things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the
salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and
became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith"
(Heb. 11:7, emphasis mine). Noah's righteous life and sincere
dedication to God would have also caused those, to whom he preached,
to realize even more of their unholy and lost state, as his godly
life greatly clashed with the sinful behavior of their own lives.
As Noah and his family found safety in the ark to save them from a
perishing world, we can also find refuge and salvation for our souls
in Jesus Christ. For "...there is now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). And Paul shows the
way we get into Christ to include baptism: "For all of you who were
baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Gal.
3:27). Of course, faith in Jesus (Jn. 8:24), which comes
through hearing God's word (Rom. 10:17), repentance (Luke 13:5), and
acknowledging our faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38) are
also necessary in order to make baptism valid.
Peter also cites Noah and his family being "brought safely through
the water" (1 Pet. 3:20) to illustrate baptism today. For he
declares in the next verse, "Corresponding to that, baptism now
saves you..." (v. 21). Baptism now saves us by bringing us
safely to "the forgiveness of sins" (Acts 2:38), to salvation (Mark
16:16), and to "newness of life" (Rom. 6:3,4), in which we are "new
creatures" (2 Cor. 5:17).
When penitent believers obey the gospel plan to be forgiven and
become Christians, God Himself then adds them to the church (Acts
2:47), which is referred to as being "the body of Christ" (Eph.
4:2). And the importance of being in that body can be inferred
from Ephesians 5:23, which speaks of Jesus as being "the Savior of
the body." So we can also think of the church as metaphorically
being a type of "ark" that we must be in today in order to be saved
from the wrath to come.
May the account of the great flood of Noah's day, as recorded in the
Bible, help instill within us the proper attitudes toward sin and
righteousness and also give us the incentive we need toward putting
God first in our lives and keeping Him there.
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-2-
News & News
You are cordially invited to our Gospel Meeting that will be April
26-29 at the Tebeau Street church of Christ in Waycross,
Georgia. Phillip Owens, who had preached here for several
years in the 80s and 90s, will be our guest speaker. We meet at 1402
Tebeau Street and at the the corner of Riverside Drive. Our
services will be at the following times:
Sunday 9 AM: Phillip will be teaching the adult Bible class.
Sunday 10 AM: "True Greatness"
Sunday 5 PM: "Lessons from a Recent Conversion"
Monday 7:30 PM: "Lessons from Acts 8"
Tuesday 7:30 PM: "Misconceptions About the Lord's Church"
Wednesday 7:30 PM: "What Should be Built Here"
We hope you will also be with us for this great way in spending time
together by focusing on God through the proclamation of His word and
the jointly singing of spiritual songs that are also designed to set
our minds on things above.
Here is a list of people for those of us who are Christians to
continue to remember in prayer for their health: Myrna Jordan,
Danielle Howard, Melotine Davis, Penny and Deborah Medlock, Jim
Lively, Mary Vandevander, Shirley Davis, Jewell Wilson, Dexter
Roberts, Betty Miles, Steve Vista, Buddy Gornto, Dolly Downs Moody,
Rex and Frankie Hadley, Jesse Bailey, Sue Wooten, and Colleen
Henson.
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom.
10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John
3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts
8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins
(Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet.
3:21)
6) Continue in the faith; for, if not, salvation can
be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 5 PM (worship)
Wednesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/go
(Gospel Observer website)
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermons)