On returning home one evening, from a very pleasant social occasion, with people who were in high positions in the land, I said to my wife, “This would be such a lovely world if it were not for sin!”

One of the saddest sentences in the entire Bible is to be found in Genesis Chapter 6 and at verse 6. God is sorry that He made man. That was one sad and tragic situation, but it happened to be true!

God's emotions have been touched and hurt. He created man, and placed man in the world to enjoy it and to be in control, but things have gone terribly wrong.

When certain situations get out of hand, we tend to say - 'O boys will be boys' - or - 'let bygones be bygones'. God does not act like that in the circumstances we are reading of here, and there are no half measures with GOD.

GOD is merciful and righteous and Hr deals with situations as they really are - punishment for sin, and pardon for those who believe.

There is one man resisting the pressures of society - one man married to one wife. We read that Noah enjoyed 'grace' or favour with GOD. The Lord has favourites – in the sense of those upon whom His favour rests. Be one of them. This is wonderful thing to see in the Word of God.

He is no respecter of persons. If someone comes along with their long list of things they have done - or if they have come along boasting of who they are - it is as if God is deaf and blind, but when HE sees a man like Noah, His grace goes out.

This is the first time the word GRACE is used in the BIBLE.

Wherever there is the judgement of God, grace and mercy are close. When man is at his worst, then God appears at His Best. God loved to look at Noah. Look at that man. He is just - full of integrity - upright - sincere.

Noah was a man who walked with God - in step with God - in the Will of God - enjoying communion with God the Father. As he walked with God, he was walking against all the moral pollution and corruption of his day.

We are told in Peter’s second letter in the New Testament, that Noah was a preacher - a preacher of righteousness. Noah was concerned about others, but hardly anybody listened. Seven did. Seven believed the truth.

Verses 11 and 12 describe what the world was like. It was corrupt in the sight of God - filled with violence - sacred things were trampled on - honesty and morality had vanished.

The society which God destroyed had already destroyed itself. See that clearly. Check all this out for yourself in the Bible. Do not take my word for it.

God judges SIN in whatever form it manifests itself - but - there is a way of escape - and it is God in His Mercy and Love who offers the way of escape.

One day, He is going to put everything right. Why does He not put things right now? Because, in His mercy He is giving men time to repent and put themselves right, but do people want to be put right?

We must ever thank Him for His patience. God has a plan of salvation, and He has a place of refuge. He had an Ark of safety and security prepared for the time of the Coming Judgement.

Noah is told to build an Ark - box - chest. It is built for floating - not for speed nor for travelling. The dimensions are perfect. The designer of the Canberra, John West, based his dimensions on those of the ARK - for safety and stability - and the QE2 liner is designed along these same dimensions, and modern oil tankers have followed similar dimensions.

Computers apparently had discovered that for stability and security, a ship is best when it is SIX times longer than it is broad – these are the precise dimensions of the Ark.

Wood is durable, and durable wood is preserved and made watertight, and it is coated with a covering.

The ARK is unsinkable.

God tells Noah what to do. Can you imagine this preacher of righteousness being laughed at and mocked and ridiculed? There had never been a Flood. As far as we can tell it had never even rained!

Can you imagine what a cartoonist would have made then of dear Noah?

When people laugh at those of us today who know and believe in and seek to obey Jesus Christ - remember - we are preparing for the future. How are you preparations for the future progressing? Do not leave it too late.

There is no point of deciding that you will leave til the 11th hour if you only live til half past ten.

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63(at)yahoo.com