Favor = Grace, All that is Required
“Then the LORD saw the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
(Genesis 6: 5-8 NASB)
The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”
There is a song we sing each Christmas; one we may have learned as a child. In the carol, the chorus has these words:
“O star of wonder, star of light, . . .”
We are three days away from Epiphany—from our celebration and remembrance of the coming of the magi. Will we celebrate? Will we pause to remember?
Or will the sixth day of the new calendar year just pass by just as any other day?
“star with royal beauty bright, . . .”
In the coming days, as we march closer to the coming of the Magi, we recognize how the glory, praise and adoration can only be found in glorifying the babe in the manger. Do we recall the importance of why God sent His Son to us? Do we pause to remember who we have become in Him?
Or do we just rush right past the glorious remembrance of exactly what God Himself has done (for us)?
“westward leading, still proceeding, . . .”
The wise men came from the east, walking west, seeking the Messiah, the One they had studied in the teachings of the Old Testament prophets, the One who was their promised King. Are we responding as the wise men, seeking to learn all we can about our Savior? Are we living as the Magi, desiring to come face-to-face with the Messiah, Redeemer, & Savior?
Or are we reacting as present-day king Herod did and seeking to pretend we are interested in worshipping the babe?
“guide us to thy perfect light.”
The Epiphany. Jesus. The Son of man & the Son of God. The Christ. The One who guides us to Himself and then guides us through His Holy Spirit as we traverse to heaven at the end of our earthly life.
As the Scripture records—
“The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”
(Genesis 6: 6 NASB)
Then two verses later, the Bible states—
“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
(Genesis 6: 8-9 NASB)
These are the records of the generations of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time;
Noah walked with God.”
WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOAH & ALL THE REST?
How could one man among a whole world of people find favor?
WHY COULD GOD SAVE ONE MAN AND HIS THREE SONS & THEIR WIVES, WHILE DESTROYING ALL THE REST?
How could one man among a generation find salvation: he and his family?
WHY COULD NOAH FIND GOD’S FAVOR?
How could one man among so many “earn” God’s favor?
HE COULD NOT!
- NOAH COULD NOT EARN WHAT IS FREELY GIVEN—GOD’S FAVOR!
- NOAH COULD NOT EARN GOD’S FAVOR—GOD’S AMAZING GRACE!
Noah was ‘pronounced’ righteous because of God’s grace; it was not anything Noah could have earned during his lifetime.
Noah saw and accepted the truth of God, just as the Magi from the east saw and accepted the truth. There is a huge difference between the flood and the Lord’s promised return. We see it in the covenant of the rainbow given to Noah, and we read the truth within God’s Word.
“Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking,
(The Second Letter of Peter 3: 3-6 NASB)
following after their own lusts,
and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?
For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”
For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.”
God is Truth!
God’s Word will not be mocked nor go out void!
God does not count calendar days as mankind counts!
God’s Word is truth!
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
(The Second Letter of Peter 3: 9-15a NASB)
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to
be in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; . . .”
Do not let any of us look at mankind and measure ourselves in relation to them.
Instead, let us look only to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, & the Redeemer and measure ourselves in relation to Him.
Favor = God’s Amazing Grace.
Truly this is All that is Required.
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
(The Second Letter of Peter 3: 9 NASB)