Establishing a covenant
But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
Genesis 6:18 (ESV)
In this passage, God is telling Noah that he will save him and his family from the impending flood that will wipe out the entire earth. The world became so corrupt with evil, that God only preserved Noah’s family so that they can repopulate the earth under the Lord’s new covenant.
In one conversation, Noah was told God’s greatest judgment and greatest salvation. The entire earth was going to be destroyed, but new life will be made through his descendants. One of God’s first covenants in the Bible was that he would give salvation to Noah and his family.
It’s a very familiar theme throughout scripture. Although the whole world was wicked, God gave it another chance. Noah wasn’t perfect or sinless. He could have been wiped out, too. However, God favored Noah and his family and through his grace, they were the only few people on the entire earth who got to live and survive God’s judgment.
We can tell why God chose Noah later on in the chapter. As soon as God commanded Noah to build the ark, he did it. He didn’t complain about how much work it was going to take, he didn’t whine about his circumstances and he didn’t hesitate. He obeyed God right then and there. He didn’t shrink away from the daunting task but obeyed the commands of the Lord.
Through Noah’s act of faith, we are all still here today. God knew that Noah would be righteous enough to obey his commands and that he would follow through. We should follow Noah’s example today by following the commands the Lord has given us through his Word.
The beauty of God’s covenant is that he never breaks it. He promised that Noah and his family would be safe and they were. He established that covenant with Noah because he knew that Noah would obey him. God has done the same with us through Jesus Christ. He is our new covenant and our only source of salvation. If we obey his commands and follow through in our personal relationship with him, we also will have eternal life and be saved from God’s judgment.
This week, pray about our relationship with the Lord and how you can follow his commands today. Praise him for the salvation he has given you and the life you get to have under his new covenant.