The mantle of Noah-Part 2

Dear brothers and sisters, in the last article we studied about Noah’s mantle descending upon this generation before the Rapture. But what were the qualities or character that the great man of Noah possessed. Why was only Noah saved among the vast majority of people living on earth. In this teaching we shall consider few of the blessed qualities that Noah had. Here is a list of the few:-

1. Genesis 5:22-29

   Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
   Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech. Then Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after he became the father of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died. Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and became the father of a son. Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the LORD has cursed.”

   When Noah was born (Noah was great grandson of Prophet Enoch), he was named prophetically. His name meant that Noah was the one already chosen by the Lord to give rest to mankind from all works and toil, which actually happened. Prophet Enoch had already prophesied about the great flood that was to destroy the earth (the book of Enoch). The age of Methuselah was 977 years. 7 is the number of rest. This was a prophetical sign.

2. Genesis 6:8- But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. God favored Noah specially seeing his conduct amidst perverse generation. Bible says in Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
   Noah believed God and had grace from God as a chosen vessel ordained from Heaven. My friends without the grace of the Most High God we are nothing. Bible says that grace is a gift of God to mankind. It is only the grace of God that we are alive on this earth and it is HIS grace that will enable us to enter Heaven for eternity.
3. Genesis 6:9 says- This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. There are 3 qualities mentioned here i.e. a) Just man- Noah was a just man. My friends Bible teaches us that we cannot be dual minded or dual natured and seem to be partial towards some. Noah was a man of justice. He walked as an image of Lord JESUS CHRIST. To be just means to be fair and impartial. It also means to love what God loves and to hate what God hates. Bible says that the just shall live by faith alone. To love everyone but to hate the evil carnal deeds of the flesh like jealousy, envy, hatred, lying, deceiving, selfishness,oppression of the poor, malice etc (Colossians 3:5). b) Noah was perfect- Many people in today’s world think that man cannot be perfect. It is not completely true. JESUS the son of the Most High is perfect but HE died to reconcile us to God and in process transform us from glory to glory and finally move us to perfection. It is true that our sinful body will be fully transformed into a glorified body only at the coming of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, but our Spirit and Soul are moving towards perfection in the footsteps of Lord JESUS CHRIST. Our Heavenly Father set a pattern as a son of man with the help of the Holy Spirit to lead a life of perfection. John 8:46 teaches us that  JESUS challenged the people to find any sin in HIM. Noah was perfect even without the revelation of the blood of JESUS, how much more God can help us when we have a High Priest who intercedes for us 24 hours at the right hand of our Heavenly Father in our weaknesses. Matthew 5:48, the very words of JESUS Matthew 5:48“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect… St Paul says in Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you

   1 Peter 5:10- “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

There are other verses too that teach us to become perfect, but Noah had no Bible to study or a church to learn the oracles of God still he was perfect in HIS generation. It was not so easy during his days as he totally depended on God Almighty to have fellowship. God therefore exalted him above everyone else as he kept himself pure in the sight of God.        c) Noah walked with God- Noah had the genes of his great grand-father Prophet Enoch who himself walked with God (Genesis 5:24). My friend it was his relationship with God that preserved him amidst perverse generation. Bible says that the same thing will manifest in the last days, the wickedness shall increase but if we walk with God like Noah surely God will protect and preserve us from the coming troubles and darkness. Noah walked with God that is why he was able to listen to God and talk to HIM, similarly if we have close fellowship with the Father, we will surely know the ways and heartbeat of God.

4) A Preacher of Righteousness- 2 Peter 2:5 -“and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly…” Yes Noah was a preacher of Righteousness. JESUS CHRIST is our Righteousness and HE lives in us by faith. Therefore we are the righteousness of God in CHRIST JESUS our Lord and father. Nobody was living a righteous life on earth and it was very difficult for Noah to preach righteousness of God to the sinful generation. But he preached irrespective of his reputation and unbelief of the people. My friends Gospel of Lord JESUS CHRIST cannot be compromised in order to please the people. We must please God rather than man.

5) Obedient to God- Genesis 6:9 – Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. Noah was obedient to the command of God. Adam’s disobedience bought sin to mankind but the obedience of JESUS bought salvation. Similarly Noah was obedient in everything. People might say that it is impossible for us to obey in everything but Bible says that Noah was obedient. Holy Spirit is our helper. JESUS was obedient to God even unto death (Philippians 2:8). Bible says in Hebrews 2:18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

JESUS our gracious father helps us in whatever we cannot do. In Philippians 4:13  St Paul says that we can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens us.

6) Noah was a Righteous man- Genesis 7:1 

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.”– Noah not only preached righteousness but he himself was a righteous person in God. God Himself testified about his righteous conduct and that is a big thing. Our life has to be of a righteous person. Many may argue that this was old testament but my dear friends the law of Moses was not introduced till then and still Noah was righteous.

7) Built an altar after the flood- Genesis 8:20 says- Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. God made covenant with Noah but Noah built an altar for the Lord and gave a burnt offering to the Most High. Noah knew the protocol of thanksgiving. He was well aware of God’s nature because Noah walked with God.

My friends Noah’s mantle is ready to come upon this last generation, but Noah had certain qualities that made him different from others. This mantle won’t come on all but on those chosen by God, who are walking with God with close fellowship. Let us pray and ask God to be gracious unto us and help us.