Divine Favor.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. – Genesis 6:8

In Genesis 6 early in Old Testament history Noah experienced the marvelous grace of God. Note that Noah didn’t earn grace; he found it. The same could be said of us. None of us earns grace, but we can all find it.

Some have limited the word “grace” to the New Testament only. Rather, a correct summary of the Old Testament and New Testament goes something like this: The Old Testament is the account of how God in His grace dealt with the nation of Israel and sinners. The New Testament is the account of how God in His grace deals with the church and sinners. Jesus is the “Scarlet Thread” all through the Bible from cover to cover. In the Old Testament saints of old looked forward to Messiah. In the New Testament we look back at Messiah. Either way, God has always been in the business of redeeming sinners from the very beginning.

So, why Noah? How did he find favor in the eyes of the Lord? Noah wasn’t sinless, of course. But he walked with God and preached the truth amid the intense godlessness of his day. This is not unusual in Scripture. In fact, it’s common. So, take heart. Even if it feels like you’re the only one proclaiming Christ at times in this world, there’s hope!

Here are 3 examples of other Old Testament contemporaries we can compare to Noah. Look for the common theme similar to what Noah faced:

1.Why Jeremiah?

- - Jeremiah spoke the word of the Lord during the reign of Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah. He grieved over the wickedness of his people and the impending judgment the nation’s sins had provoked.
  - His warnings went mostly ignored, and he responded to Judah’s rebellion with tears of mourning.
  - He has been dubbed “the weeping prophet” because of the gloomy nature of his message and the grief he expressed for his people.

2.Why Ezekiel?

- - Ezekiel ministered during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews. His generation was exceedingly sinful and thoroughly hopeless.
  - By means of his prophetic ministry he attempted to bring them to immediate repentance and confidence in the distant future.
  - Ezekiel used various methods to convey God’s Word to his people. He used art in drawing a depiction of Jerusalem, symbolic actions, and unusual conduct to secure attention. He also cut his hair and beard to demonstrate what God would do to Jerusalem and its inhabitants.

3.Why Habakkuk?

- - Habakkuk preached against the wickedness and injustice that prevailed in Judah.
  - The situation was horrible in his day. After the death of Josiah, the leaders of Judah plunged into idolatry, persisted in disobedience, and led God’s people astray.
  - He knew that God would not tolerate such wicked deeds. He petitioned God for relief with famous cries of, “How Long.”

So, how about YOU?