The Revelation of a Mighty God
A Devotional Series from Genesis
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
7/3 Reading Portions: Joshua 5:1-6:5; Psalms 132-134; Isaiah 65; Matthew 13
Genesis 8:13-17
In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out. Then God said to Noah, “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”
FAITH
One might think that Noah was ready to get out of that ark after having been in there so long. I’ve even heard a preacher say something like that some years ago. I don’t think that’s what the Holy Spirit is conveying here. We’ve been told for two verses that the ground was dry. Nevertheless, Noah waited for the command of God. He was patient for the voice of God, and when it came, He was prompt to move. That’s what happens when the Holy Spirit gives us a glimpse of the mighty power of God. Noah witnessed the holy wrath of God’s judgment through a worldwide flood. That kind of revelation puts a holy perspective on things. Yet the flood of judgment cannot compare with the wrath from God that the Lord Jesus suffered upon the tree of Calvary. When the Spirit bears witness with our spirits of what Christ has suffered on the cross for our sakes, it gives us a heavenly vantage and an eternal perspective. It humbles us to the dust. More than that, it stirs within us the exalted Persons of our one true God. The blessed revelation of our mighty God gives birth to a mighty faith. And we need it, since we are weak and pathetic. We will fail and falter like Noah did afterward (Gen 9:21). I for one am surely weaker and more wretched than Noah. And for that, I believe that we must ever and always pray for strength to surrender to Christ to receive a mighty and eternal glimpse of His cross, so that we may receive the grace of faith to be patient until Christ speaks, to be obedient when He does, and to not relent in giving Him all glory for who He is and what He has done. Hallelujah! What a Savior!