Commentary on Genesis Part 33

2. What G.o.d wished to teach Noah by calling him to enter the ark 3.

3. Whether G.o.d spoke this commandment directly to Noah 4-5.

* When G.o.d speaks to us through men it is to be viewed as G.o.d's Word 4-5.

* The thoughts of the Jews on the seven days 6.

* The office of the ministry.

a. Through it G.o.d deals with mankind 7.

b. Why we should not despise the office and expect revelations direct from G.o.d 8-9.

* G.o.d speaks with man in various ways 9.

* Corruption and destruction of the first world.

a. The ruin of the first compared with that of the last world 10-13.

* The need of posterity to pray that they retain pure doctrine 12.

b. Why so few righteous persons were found in Noah's day 12.

* The efforts of the pope and bishops to crush the Gospel 13.

c. First world severely punished, neither old nor young were spared 14-15.

d. Punishment of first world greatly moved Peter when he wrote about it 16-17.

* Peter's record of sermon Christ delivered to the spirits of the first world in prison 16-17.

a. Who are to be understood here by the unbelieving world 18.

b. Peter here shows the wrath and long suffering of G.o.d 19.

c. Nature and manner of this sermon 20.

* Apostles had special revelations we cannot grasp 20-21.

4. How Noah was righteous before G.o.d 22.

5. How the world laughed at him while executing G.o.d's command, G.o.d then comforted him 23-24.

6. Greatness of Noah's faith and steadfastness in executing this command 25-26.

* Luther's confession he would have been too weak for such a work 25-26.

* The great firmness of John Huss and Jerome of Prague 27.

* We are to comfort ourselves when all the world forsakes and condemns us 28.

7. G.o.d commands Noah to take the animals he names along into the ark 29.

* Why G.o.d so often repeats the same thing 29.

a. What is to be understood by Behemoth 30.

b. How many of each kind entered the ark 31.

* The rain at the flood was exceptional 32.

* The flood is a token of G.o.d's righteousness and from it we conclude G.o.d will punish the sins of the last world 33.

8. By what may we learn Noah's faith and obedience to G.o.d 34.

* Why G.o.d did not save Noah in some other way 34.

I. NOAH OBEYS COMMAND TO ENTER THE ARK.

V. 2a. _And Jehovah said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark._

1. As soon as that extraordinary structure, the ark, was built, the Lord commanded Noah to enter it, because the time of the deluge, which the Lord announced one hundred and twenty years before, was now at hand. All this convinced Noah that G.o.d was taking care of him; and not only this, but also, as Peter says (2 Pet 1, 19), gave him an ample and abundant word to support and confirm his faith in such great straits. Having foretold the deluge for more than a century, he doubtless was bitterly mocked by the world in many ways.

2. As I have said repeatedly, G.o.d's wrath was incredible. It could not be grasped by the human mind, in that original age of superior men, that G.o.d was about to destroy the whole human race, except eight souls. Noah, being holy and just, a kindly and merciful man, often struggled with his own heart, hearing with the greatest agitation of mind the voice of the Lord, threatening certain destruction to all flesh. It was needful, then, that repeated declaration should confirm his agitated faith, lest he might doubt.

3. G.o.d's command to enter the ark amounted to this: "Doubt not, the time of punishment for the unbelieving world is close at hand. But tremble not, do not fear, for faith is at times very weak in the saints. I shall take care of you and your house." To us such promise would have been incredible, but we must admit that all things are possible with G.o.d.

4. Notice Moses' peculiar expression again: "Jehovah said." It gives me particular pleasure that these words of G.o.d did not sound from heaven, but were spoken to Noah through the ministry of man. Although I would not deny that these revelations may have been made by an angel, or by the Holy Spirit himself, yet where it can plausibly be said that G.o.d spoke through men, there the ministry must be honored.

We have shown above that many of G.o.d's words according to Moses, were spoken through Adam; for the Word of G.o.d, even when spoken by man, is truly the Word of G.o.d.

5. Now, as Methuselah, Noah's grandfather, died in the very year of the deluge, it would not be inapt to infer that (since Lamech, Noah's father, had died five years before the flood,) this was, so to speak, Methuselah's last word and testament to his grandson, a dying farewell. Perhaps he added some remarks as these: My son, as thou hast obeyed the Lord heretofore, and hast awaited this wrath in faith, and hast experienced G.o.d's faithful protection from the wicked, henceforth firmly believe that G.o.d will take care of thee. The end is now at hand, not mine alone, which is one of grace, but the end of all mankind, which is one of wrath. For after seven days the flood will begin, concerning which thou hast long and vainly warned the world.

After this manner, I think, spoke Methuselah, but the words are attributed to G.o.d, because the Spirit of G.o.d spoke through the man.

Thus I like to interpret these instances to the honor of the ministry wherever, as in this case, it can appropriately be done. Since it is certain that Methuselah died in the very year of the flood, the supposition is harmless that these were his last words to Noah, his grandson, who heard his words and accepted them as the Word of G.o.d.

6. The Jews' peculiar idea concerning these seven days is that they were added to the one hundred and twenty years in honor of Methuselah, that therein his posterity might bewail his death. This is a harmless interpretation, for the patriarch's descendants did not fail to do their duty, particularly his pious children.

7. But the first view concerning the ministry of the Word, is not only plausible, but also practical. G.o.d does not habitually speak miraculously and by revelation, particularly where, he has inst.i.tuted the ministry for this very purpose of speaking to men, teaching, instructing, consoling and entreating them.

8. In the first place, G.o.d entrusts the Word to parents. Moses often says: "Thou shalt tell it to thy children." Then to the teachers of the Church is it entrusted. Abraham says (Lk 16, 29): "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them." We must expect no revelation, be it inward or outward, where the ministry is established; otherwise all ranks of human society would be disturbed. Let the pastor preach in Church; let the magistrate rule the State; let parents control the house or family. Such are the ministries of men inst.i.tuted by G.o.d. We should make use of them and not look for new revelations.

9. Still I do not deny that Noah heard G.o.d speak after Methuselah's death. G.o.d speaks ordinarily through the public ministry--through parents and the teachers of the Church--and in rare cases by inward revelation, through the Holy Spirit. It is well that we remember not to overlook the Word in vain expectation of new revelations, as the fanatics do. Such a course gives rise to spirits of error, a source of disturbance to the whole world, as the example of the Anabaptists proves.

V. 1b. _For thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation._

10. This is truly a picture of the primitive, ancient world, as Peter calls it. 2 Pet 2, 5. His appellation carries the thought of a peculiarity of that particular age, which is foreign to the people of our own. Could words be more appalling than these, that Noah alone was righteous before the Lord? The world is similarly pictured in Ps 14, 2-3, where we read that the Lord looked down from heaven to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek G.o.d. But he says: "They are all gone aside; they are together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."