May I invite you into Genesis chapter 6 with me?
The morning was cool and the trees swayed gently in the wind. Besides the birds singing in the early sun, the only sound to be heard was the thud of Noah’s hammer. He was sitting high on the scaffolding working on the massive wooden ark. He enjoyed spending this time of day alone with the Lord before his sons joined him. They had not heard the conversation he had had with God about a coming flood, but they knew their father well enough to believe what he said.
He stopped hammering for a moment and remembered that day years ago. It was a day that changed everything about Noah’s life. He would never again fit in with the other people in the village. He would become the town joke after he began talking to his neighbors about turning from their evil ways in repentance. In fact, Noah himself would never take his relationship with the Lord for granted again.
“Noah, I have something to tell you,” the words whispered on the wind. He had been walking toward the village quietly talking to God about the day ahead of him like he often did, when he felt a strange stillness in the air. He felt more than heard the ache in the conversation that followed. God talked to Him about the sorrow He felt watching sin twisting His prize creation, man, until He could not bear to look anymore. He spoke of His plan to reset all He had created. He would send a great flood to wipe man from the ground.
Gently, the Lord reassured Noah that he was not to blame. In fact, Noah was the only person God had found who lovingly thought of Him and desired to walk in sweet fellowship. Though God would clear the earth of the wickedness, He was not willing to let Noah be swept away with the rest. His love and mercy would keep him safe. God gave Noah instructions on how to build the ark to keep his family safe and preserve animals to replenish the earth.
The days since that conversation had been filled with preparations, planning, and many questions, some from his family, some from scoffing villagers as he solemnly warned them of the judgment that loomed ahead. Mostly though, Noah’s days had been spent hammering on the massive structure.
Shem’s voice broke through his thoughts, “Dad, are you asleep up there?” Noah looked down the side of the boat at his son and smiled. Today was another day and the boat was nearly complete. God would hold the rains while He waited for Noah to finish.
“Good morning, son. You are just in time to bring me some more nails.” Noah turned his attention back to his work. He knew what was coming
Genesis 6:6 records that the emotion in God’s heart when He brought the flood on the earth in judgment was not harsh anger or callous spite; it was holy GRIEF. It was the pain of a Father reaching out to sons who refused to come to Him. It was deep anguish that wounded His holy and compassionate heart as generation after generation slipped farther from His presence into darkness.
Then there was Noah, a bright spot on the dark landscape. He was “perfect in his generation” according to the King James Version. Really, the better translation would be, he was not to blame. God looked at Noah trying to do what was right when no one else expected it. He watched Noah choosing to walk with Him though it meant a misunderstood and somewhat solitary life. He listened as Noah prayed for his family and his neighbors. He leaned close while Noah thanked Him and offered worship. God assigned no blame to this man who walked with Him.
Because of Noah, God delayed judgment. Because Noah believed what God had said, he hammered and God waited for him to finish the ark. God was willing to live with the pain of a grieving heart as long as it took for Noah to finish the work. Hebrews 11:7 says, 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. The raucous noise of sinful mankind could not drown out the sound of a simple wooden hammer. To others it was pointless noise, but to God Noah’s hammer was the sound of faith.
Noah preached and pleaded, warned and wept before the people who came to see what he was doing, and God waited. For the entire time he was building, Noah was beckoning his fellow man to repent and turn to his merciful God (2 Peter 2:5) Every person who heard could have accepted the offered opportunity to come back into relationship with Him and found a place on the ark. Though no one except his family heeded the warning, Noah kept reaching out to them. To others it was the sound of obnoxious noise, but to God Noah’s hammer was the sound of grace.
Noah and his family slept, woke, ate, lived, and built, and God waited. The ark was massive in size. With a length over 500 feet and towering 50 feet tall, the structure was built without modern technology. It is estimated that Noah would have taken between 50-100 years to finish the project with the help of his sons. To his family it became the rhythm of life, but to God Noah’s hammer was the sound of hope and the future unfolding.
My friend, God hasn’t changed His mind about mankind. His heart is still wounded as He hears the discord and clamor of men and women who choose wickedness and stubborn rebellion instead of humble repentance. But He will not ask you to build a boat. The blood of Jesus is enough to keep everyone who comes safe from impending judgment.
However, He is still looking for His Noah. God seeks those men and women who will walk with Him in faith. He searches out those who value intimacy with Him over popularity. He beckons close those who will pray for the lost and dying world around them and continue to offer grace. To those who do not understand, such a lifestyle will look like nonsense. But to God, your life will sound like Noah’s hammer offering faith, grace, and hope to a dark world.
Pray with me? Lord, we want to walk with you in unveiled fellowship and unqualified obedience. We want to declare Your grace and glory to everyone we meet. Let our lives be like the sound of Noah’s hammer in your hearing.
