What problems did Noah face?

Answer 1

Noah faced the same problems we face today [probably minus the technological advances].

However... human nature is the same today as it has always been -- selfish and rebellious to authority. Whether it's God's Commandments... or the laws of man.

"...God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Gen.6:5)

That is the transcending problem that Noah and every generation of man has faced throughout man's history on earth. The problem is "timeless."

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." (Matt.24:37-39)

Peter tells us that Noah was a "preacher of Righteousness" [II Peter 2:5].

The Bible defines "Righteousness" as: "...all thy Commandments are Righteousness." (Ps.119:172)

The Ten Commandments -- the guiding laws of God that tell us how to unselfishly "love Him and one another"... is what Noah preached to the pre-flood generations.

And how was Noah's preaching received?

Look at the world, now [these days that are like Noah's days]. Look at how receptive to the Commandments of God the world is, today.

Not very.

The world thinks God is too intolerant of its "free-thinking"... and "free and open-minded lifestyles." It thinks that God should be more understanding... and a whole lot less "intrusive" in men's lives than His Word demands and commands of His creation.

In other words -- just like today's generation... Noah's generation also "judged God." It disagreed with His Word... and rejected it.

That's what Noah had to contend with. The scoffing and ridicule that a preacher of the Commandments of God faces today [sometimes at the hands of professing Christians].

These days, preachers of the Bible and/or the Commandments of God are regarded by today's scholars and "learned minds" as some of the most foolish [if not downright 'stupid'] people in the entire world. Their "foolishness" is laughable... in the end, to scorn.

That is a problem that Noah faced.

Today's world is as lost in itself as Noah's world was. It's too preoccupied with its toys, idols and distractions to be persuaded by God's quiet Words of solitude and inner peace, that are mostly drowned out in the din and worries of daily life.

Peter tells us "another flood" is coming. Only the next flood won't be "water." It will be "fire"... in the person of Jesus Christ.

"...whereby the world that then was [Noah's world], being overflowed with water, perished..." (II Peter 3:6).

"But the heavens and the earth, which now are [our world, like Noah's world was], by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (verse 7)

This world, today, cares little or not at all about [Jesus Christ] the "coming flood"... just like it gave Noah's preaching... and his ark-building little or no thought at all [except to possibly pause to ridicule him and his family's labors and foolish preaching].

But the day finally came, that "took them all away."

Notice, the wording of the scriptures... and compare it to the way many modern professing Christians read it. A popular modern doctrine called the "rapture" teaches that God will "carry His people away to heaven" -- and they use these passages in Matthew 24 as proof.

But in the chronology of Matthew 24... Jesus [our coming Consuming Fire - Heb.12:29] has already returned [verses 30-31]. So, what follows [the 'taking away' - verses 37-39] comes AFTER Jesus returns.

In other words... Noah wasn't "taken away!" The people of his generation were! It was Noah and his family who were "left behind!"

But the main problem Noah had to face in his generation is the same problem that God's elect face, today... the last days before the "fiery flood."

Noah had to "overcome" his world, too. He had to "trust" in the Word of God, just like God's faithful must still trust in it, today.

He "believed" what God says... and he had to "wait on the Lord" and His "salvation"... just like we do in these last days.

God's faithful... like Noah... have to trust in God's Grace, to see them through to the end [of God's plan].

"...Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord." (Gen.6:8)

Noah obeyed God's voice... kept God's Hope alive within him... and waited for Him. Just as God's "called-out-ones" do, today.

"...Who Hopes for what he already has? But if we Hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." (Rom.8:24-25 NIV)

That's some of what Noah faced.