The patriarchs Adam and Seth were dead by the time Noah was born but all the others were still alive. His great-great-grandfather Enoch had been taken alive to heaven, but he had left behind written records of his experience with God and the account of the fallen angels who infiltrated humanity and created a hybrid race.

It is obvious that Noah walked with God but there is no record of what he did during his first 500 years on earth. The Bible indicates that his father, Lamech, worked in agriculture and had his own land. Noah must have been involved in the family business, and for him to build the ark, indicates that he wasn’t a poor person, but wealthy enough to be hire workers and purchase material for the ship that was the size of a WWII aircraft carrier.

Noah became a preacher and a prophet when God spoke to him at the age of 500. It had never rain on the earth up to this point. So when God told Noah the earth would be flooded, it was hard to believe. The ship was to be build on dry land far from lakes or oceans. It would take an enormous number of trees which would have to be cut down and shaped into planks, necessitating hiring workers to help with the construction of the ship.

For the next 100 years, Noah supervised the building of the boat while he preached repentance and warned of coming judgment. He was rejected by everyone, including his own siblings and extended family members. Out of 600 million people, only his wife, his sons and their wives stood with him. Noah had faith in God and believed that God had told him the truth.

After 100 years, God spoke to Noah and told him to enter the ark with his family. The Lord sent all the animals in just seven days and it must have been painful as Noah realized judgment was imminent for the earth’s population.

Then it began raining and for the next five months the ark drifted on the waters that covered the earth’s surface. It would take another five months for the waters to recede. Noah and his family spent nearly a year on the ark and his faith never wavered until he stepped off the ship onto dry land.

Something happened to Noah when he saw silt covering everything and the bones of the people who had drowned and he decided to do what so many people did prior to the flood – he start drinking. He used his skills to plant a vineyard and made wine which he used to get drunk.

Noah lived for another 350 years after the flood, but there is no records of him preaching and teaching like he had done previously. He didn’t warn the new generation to stay away from sin and idolatry. My personal thinking is that Noah was devastated from the death of so many people and reached the point where he didn’t care anymore.

He spent 600 years living for the Lord. He had faith that God would save him and his family from the judgment. But after the flood was over, he lost all desire to serve God and just sat around getting drunk.

Grief destroyed Noah's relationship with God and his descendants were enamored by what the Devil had to offer. How many Christians today have become disillusioned like Noah and just don’t care anymore?

Print out the sermon outline and let's examine the Scriptures together Sunday morning at 9:00 AM PST.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor John S. Torell