God Provides

GETTING STARTED

Sometimes the truth is right in front of us. Scholars estimate that Noah was building the ark for about 75-80 years. Surely, his generation would have seen him building this huge boat. The text doesn’t say, but it is likely Noah endured countless days of scoffing and mocking as he faithfully labored. For decades, his generation had eyes that did not see the coming judgment and ears that did not want to hear about righteousness. In our passage today, Noah’s generation had only one week left before the catastrophic flood. 

  • What do you think it would take for your generation to truly see Christ and believe?
  • What keeps you from having eyes that see and ears that hear God’s truths?

READ THE WORD: GENESIS 7:1-10  (ESV)

7:1 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals,the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.

6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, 9 two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. What can you discern about Noah’s relationship with God (vss. 1,5, 9)?
  2. What is the relationship between righteousness and walking in obedience (vss. 1, 5)? Why does righteous living matter?
  3. What was the purpose of bringing animals on the ark (vs. 3)? How was this part of God’s provision?
  4. Noah’s generation had one week left. How can you act with a sense of urgency towards those who are perishing around you? 

RESPOND TO GOD

God preserved a remnant through the obedience of one man, Noah, who lived out his righteousness through obedience and faith. He provided for Noah, and he promises to supply all of our needs, too, according to his riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). The New Testament refers to Noah as a preacher or herald of righteousness, an official messenger who brings news. We need to live as Noah—full of faith, courage, and obedience. Our words and actions should daily herald the matchless grace of God to our generation.

  • Pray for an opportunity to share your story of how God brought you to faith in Christ with someone.
  • Ask God to give you spiritual sensitivity toward the lost and for yourself, that you might have eyes to see and ears to hear.