Noah and the Gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” Romans 1:16

“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.” Hebrews 11:7

It is clear that Noah was an individual who presented the gospel to the world. He heard God instruct him on two points; that God would hold the winds of His judgment for 120 years in order to extend mankind grace, and that God would provide a structure – an Ark or a Sanctuary, that all who would choose to serve God would find a place of safety from the destruction that would come in 120 years. Noah believed these things and then went to work to testify to his belief. Thus his works testified to his faith.

Like Abraham, Noah’s great great grandson, Noah believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. Hebrews 11:7 Noah believed that Christ was able and willing to follow through with what He had told Noah. Noah did not understand all of the things involved in the testimony of Jesus, but he knew that when God spoke that He meant everything He said. He knew this from the testimony of Adam, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, and Lamech his father. All of these saints testified to their experiences with God and Noah believed God. Noah also had the testimony of Enoch’s experience of being translated to heaven without seeing death, as a testimony of the trustworthiness of Jesus.

With all of his families history Noah had sufficient information to make a decision that when God spoke to him, he would listen, and he would obey. As a result of the special communications with God, Noah was equipped with information and he began to share this information with all whom he came in contact with. Noah was fulfilling the gospel commission to go to all in the world and share the messages that God had given to him.

Peter claims that Noah fulfilled the following:
“And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly…” II Peter 2:5
This text clearly states that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. Therefore Noah must have taught both grace and righteousness because Abraham did this also. Galatians 3:6

Noah, filled with grace and truth, went out and taught the people before the flood and shared with them what God had granted him thus he condemned the world and yet provided the world and avenue of salvation if they would believe in the message and obey the message. Hebrews 11:7

Noah had been instructed by God to build an ark so that all that wanted to could be saved. Noah, who found grace in the eyes of the Lord, shared the truths and built the ark. Thus he testified that God’s message was true and that unless the people repented the flood would come. If and when the flood would come God would be prepared to offer them deliverance, and Noah would be prepared to offer all the deliverance of God. Thus Noah presented the gospel to all because of the love of God within him. Thus we can see that in all of the activities of God the gospel is an ever-present concept. Wherever God goes the gospel goes as well.

Noah was blessed because by being willing to follow the instructions of God he was rewarded with his household because Hebrews 11:7 says that he “prepared and ark to the saving of his house.” Thus Noah was blessed and inherent in this Scripture is the promise that all who will work with God will receive a blessing of souls. This promise, along with deliverance from sin, in inherent in the gospel of Jesus. Let us be faithful and as Noah preached let us preach the message of these final days as well. “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:37. This is our task and our promise as it had been for Noah.