The Significance of One

Without question, the life of the Jesus Christ is the most significant life that has ever been lived upon the earth. There is no other life that can compare with the significance of His. But it is not the life of the Divine One that I wish to consider in this article. In fact, it is a principle that I wish to consider more than any one's particular life. The writer of Hebrews was inspired to name Noah amongst those listed in the 11th chapter of Hebrews as having lived by faith. As we look at this reference to Noah and other scripture from Genesis, I hope to use Noah to look at this "significance of one" principle.

Although he is referenced in only one verse by the Hebrew writer, the account of Noah's faith is truly amazing and profitable for us to consider. The reverence and faith he demonstrated were remarkable. In Hebrews 11:7 we read, "By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." As you may remember, this is tied directly to the definition of faith given by the Hebrew writer at the beginning of the 11th chapter where he proclaims that faith is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen".

God had told Noah that "the end of all flesh has come before Me" and that Noah was to build an ark as God was "bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish". As indicated above, this was certainly something that Noah had "not seen". There had never been any such judgment, any such ark, any such flood of water and any such salvation. This proclamation could only be accepted by faith and Noah responded with the same, believing God. The evidence of his faith was seen by his reverence in doing that which God had instructed him to do. In regards to this principle that I wish to convey, I would like to make a couple of observations about Noah and this account.

I must first say, thank God for Noah! Consider the circumstances surrounding God's pronounced judgment and this one man named Noah. In Genesis 6:5 we read one of the most profound statements in all of scripture where the author writes, "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually". "Only evil continually" was a desperately grim description of the heart of man. And then in verses 8-9 of the same chapter, the significance of Noah is declared. This scripture reads, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God". We must take a moment to consider this tremendous statement. Of all the inhabitants of the earth, the scripture speaks of one person who "found favor in the eyes of the Lord" and was described as a "righteous man", "blameless in his time" and one who "walked with God".

We have the tendency to think that since we are only one out of so many, that our life couldn't possibly make that much of a difference. I believe Noah's story is one of several that teach us that such thinking couldn't be further from the truth. The life of this one man had a significance that we may not be able to comprehend this side of heaven. I would suggest that our lives, our walk with Him and the decisions we make everyday have more significance than we may ever know. May the Lord help us to realize the significance that a single life can have when lived by faith. Faith in Him. Christ living in these vessels that are our bodies as we find that place of surrender to His will. In Galatians 2:20 the apostle Paul wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me". Oh that Christ might live in us as we live by faith in Him.

Regarding Noah's ark, I would like to make one final observation in closing. I did not grow up in church listening to bible stories and so I don't remember ever being told the story of Noah's ark. But after I became a Christian it seems like the "Noah's ark" story often had references to Noah trying to tell others of the coming judgment and that there was some sort of open invitation to join him; both in building and occupying the ark. But when I read the account I see the sovereign act of a just and merciful God but find no such references. God clearly intended the ark for Noah, his wife, his three sons, their wives and the animals. In Genesis 6:18 we read that God told Noah, "But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you". There were no empty rooms that were unoccupied because others had chosen not to believe Noah and join him. God was doing the very thing He had told Noah He was going to do. And He was doing it just as He said He would. What we do see is the wickedness of man, whose hearts were evil continually, the significance of one man who found favor in the eyes of the Lord and our sovereign, just, gracious and merciful God accomplishing His will.

Lord, may we come to understand and appreciate the value of a life of faith. Help us to understand the significance of a single life lived by one who has been clothed in the righteousness of your Son, crucified with Christ, yet Christ living in them. Thank you for Noah's faith. Thank you for the grace and mercy you extended to his wife, his sons and their wives. Thank you for Jesus and the grace and mercy you have extended to me and my family. May our faith be seen in our reverence to you. Thank you for being sovereign. I know there are some who struggle with your sovereignty but Lord help us to be people who find rest and peace in it.