Noah – Penuel Baptist Chapel, Roch

February 8th 2026: Tom Baker

Published on February 11, 2026 by Penuel Baptist RochLeave a comment

Genesis 7: A Call to a better life.

To watch this service, please click on the link to our YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/T2PIOUuplTY?si=KriiPfn2wKbNS1bj

In Genesis 6 we saw that the days in which Noah lived were dark days but they had a bright future. This is the same for us. We live in dark days but there is a bright future too. Society in Noah’s day was sinful in many ways that permeated throughout the culture. And the same is true today. The choices people make are everywhere apart from any thought of God, whether it be in personal life or in professional life or even in leadership. And yet in the midst of the days when Noah lived there was a bright future, for whilst the world was amidst death and destruction, violence and corruption, Noah found favour with God and walked with Him. What the world offered was boring really, for it all ended in death, corruption, and violence. But in stark contrast Noah, whose name means ‘rest,’ had peace with God and received from Him life. In the world there was no hope. But with Noah we see a hope built upon the revelation that he received from God.

Now in Genesis 7 we have effectively a call to enter into a better life. In the world there was nothing but death, destruction, corruption and violence, but in Noah we find one commissioned to build the ark. In Genesis 7:1 we find the call to go into the ark, and we have the same situation today. All around us is corruption, violence, death and destruction but the Lord calls us to enter into the ‘ark’ (which is Christ).

Note here the great patience of God. There was darkness and degradation all around from the sin that pervaded the world, but the Lord had made a way for salvation in the ark. In Noah and the ark the Lord spared creation and brings it through judgment, for whilst all was to be destroyed, those within the ark would be safe. In Genesis 7:4 we find that the Lord waited for a period of seven days before sending the forty days and nights of rain. Seven is the number of completion or perfection. The Lord gave a perfect time of waiting in patience so that people could heed the call. This was a week of grace. Judgment is coming but not yet, there is still time, and so God displays His perfect patience that none may object.

There is also a sense of urgency here in this chapter. You must get into the ark. But even though the perfect patience of God waits, yet none come to the ark save Noah and his family. Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2Peter 2:5) calling out to people that judgment was coming, but still none came. The people of that age seemed to have had a real deep and settled commitment to staying in the darkness. The Lord Jesus declared this truth about the time when He appeared:

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19).

But the same was true in Noah’s day, and the same is true in our time as well. Psalm 1:1 speaks of this downward progression in darkness. Fallen man first walks in “the counsel of the ungodly,” and then he “stands in the path of sinners,” before finally he “sits in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1). People get comfortable in their sins. They associate with others who reinforce their comfort zones. And so no one paid any attention to Noah or to God’s word. Is this the same today? Are people comfortable in their sinful lifestyles? We pause and reflect how great a salvation we have that the Lord brings many up out of the pit of sin and death! The Lord is so patient! He has waited since the dawn of time before bringing the just judgment we deserve. And at the very centre of history He demonstrated both the need for this judgment and the way of rescue and redemption, for Christ bore our sin in full on Calvary. This displayed the need for judgment against all sin and the means by which we may be reconciled! We must get into the ark (i.e. Christ). Just as the ark bore the full brunt of the waters of judgment from beneath and from above so too did Christ bear judgment for sin both from the Father and the world of men.

In the brief time we have left this morning I want to look at what life was like outside the ark and contrast this with life inside the ark.

[1] Outside the ark.

The picture outside the ark is one characterised by death and destruction. The world was a violent and corrupt place. But the judgment that is about to fall meant that all living flesh were to die. Everything that had life was to be snuffed out and all of creation was to be ripped apart. In our world today life without Christ is a life of decay, disaster, disease and death. Lives are failing, crumbling, and ultimately end in death. The passage we have read leaves us with no uncertainty about what life outside the ark was like. There is utter devastation. Every form of life was blotted out and wiped from the face of the earth. All the high and highest mountains were overspread with water to a depth of 15 cubits (about 22 or 23 feet). All flesh died, whether it be birds, creeping things, livestock and cattle, or men, women, and children. No life would survive. We might think of terrible disasters that occur in the world from time to time such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and so on. But even those these are terrible yet still some may survive, or at least certain areas are left unaffected. But with this flood there is no escape whatsoever. Outside the ark meant total devastation, destruction, and death. The same is true for the coming judgment. For those who are not in Christ will face the judgment of fire which will bring complete and utter destruction.

Now this devastation is all as a result of the ‘normal’ way of human wickedness and sin. Sin and rebellion against God always leads to death. As a society we are not as liberated and free as we might like to think. We might think that we can choose our path and do what we will but at the end we all face death and then judgement (Hebrews 9:27). We learn from this passage the true nature of sin and rebellion and what it brings. Let us always remember this, that sinfulness leads to death. I remember visiting a man who was struggling in sin. He said to me ‘the problem is that sin is so lovely and appealing.’ But when we see the outcome of a life of sin, i.e. destruction and death, it will give us pause for reflection. We must look to the cross of Christ. And if we do we shall see what sin does to a person – utter devastation. When sin seems so appealing, bring to mind this truth that sin leads to utter devastation and death.

Notice here that the Holy Spirit has selected language to show that sinfulness (violence and corruption of the world in Noah’s day) is effectively undoing creation. God created the world in seven days and all was good. Here we find that after seven days following the wickedness of sin there would be the flood of judgement so that creation would be broken up and destroyed. The firmament of Genesis 1 which was made to separate the waters above from those below has been undone as-it-were so that destruction and death ensues. Why? Well all of this characterises life outside the ark. This is what happens when people engage in sin and rebellion.

[2] Inside the ark.

What do we find on entering the ark? We find life – real life. This is always the outcome of God’s call to us, to bring us to life (John 10:10). This thought becomes obvious when we look at what Noah and his family entered into. It was a floating zoo. But not like some of the zoos we might go to where you walk around and struggle to see any wildlife because they are all hidden away or camouflaged in the woods and thickets all around. Here the picture is more like the children’s picture books of the ark where all the animals are stuffed together and crammed into a small space. Or think of those pick-n-mix tubs you get. Children cram as many sweets into the tub as they can get in! The ark was a ‘box full of life.’ it was bursting with life, all kinds of life. So the call to Noah was to get into life.

But what is the ark really? Well essentially it is nearness to God. Outside the ark is a fleeing from God and a running into sin and rebellion. But inside the ark it is a getting closer to God. Note that in Genesis 7:2 we read of seven of each of the clean animals were to be brought in. In the popular mind it is only two-by-two, but here we see seven of each of the clean animals are brought in. Why is this? Well there were two-by-two for the purpose of procreation. But there were seven for the purpose of sacrifice. The two-by-two reinforces the idea of the ark being a place of life, for recreation is implied since two animals (male and female) will give rise to many more! But the seven clean animals speaks of sacrifice. Remember that the number seven speaks of completion or perfection, so here is pictured the perfect sacrifice, i.e. the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary.

But there is also another theme which comes across when we look at the ark. It is the place of life, of new life.. It is the place where the perfect sacrifice is to be found, but it is also in many ways a floating church – the assembly of those who believe and who have heard the call of the Lord. Noah is a type of Adam. He was given dominion over the animal kingdom to bring them into the ark. How this was done is surely a wonder! There are clear connections here with thoughts we get in Genesis 1, so that we are meant to think of this as a new start. Inside the ark speaks of a new creation. It all happens after the seven days of God’s perfect patience and it shows forth a box of life. The eighth day is shorthand for new beginnings in Scripture. But what is the eighth day really? It is the first day of a new week, and so also speaks to us of the resurrection of Christ who rose again on that first day! Everything is to be made new through this one man’s action. Everything is to be raised again from destruction and death to life.

Yet another feature of this ark is safety. Note that Genesis 7:16 tells us that the Lord shut them in. How was the door to be closed? The Lord does this and He makes them all safe inside the ark. Since the Lord is outside at this point it is as though He is saying ‘don’t worry Noah, I will shut the door and make you safe inside, and I will bear the brunt of the storm outside.’ Noah and his family were now shut inside and dwelt in a place of safety. They were not yet in the new world. This would not be until a year and ten days time. But they were safe. Do you sometimes think ‘I wish I was in the new heavens and earth!’ Maybe Noah longed for this too as he sat inside. But you are no less secure now than you will be in glory. Noah was as safe in the ark as he would be in the new world. In Genesis 7:18 we read that the ark “floated” on the waters. Those outside suffered destruction and death but the ark was carried along by the waters. It was safe from the storms and turbulence felt by those outside. In Genesis 7:23 we find only one person named (Noah) who survived. But then we read “and those who were with him” were safe and alive. Christ alone is the only one who comes through the judgment. He suffered the full wrath of God for sin and He triumphed! But wonder of wonders, “and those who were with Him” are brought through to safety too. It is those who are “in” Christ who will be saved and see the shores of the new heavens and the new earth.

We do live in dark days just as Noah did. But everything will be fine for there is a bright future. Judgement is coming, but praise God He has commissioned an ark for our salvation. That ark is Christ Jesus the Lord. But we must get into the ark. Outside lies destruction and death. Inside is life! Lamech called his son ‘Noah’ in the hope that he would bring rest. He did in a way, but all of this points us to the only One who brings true rest, Jesus Christ the Lord who declares:

28 Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30).

He calls all those burdened and wearied by sin and rebellion to come to Him for perfect rest. We must come into the ark, Christ!

February 1st 2026 – Tom Baker

Published on February 11, 2026 by Penuel Baptist RochLeave a comment

Genesis 6: Dark days with a bright future

To watch this service please click on the link to our YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/D16P6biBpWE?si=8uUbVx1mOYfvFJ1l

The book of Genesis is essentially a large family tree with breaks in between revealing the history of certain individuals. Genesis 5 begins with a genealogy that stems from Seth, a son of Adam, and then reaches down to Noah, the son of Lamech, so that in Genesis 6 we have the beginning of Noah’s account. We are going to look at Genesis 6 specifically and will concentrate on two features: the darkness of the days, and the bright future shown within these dark days.

But before we begin let me give you an illustration of what I think is going on here. Recently we went to the aquarium in Bristol. And among the many exhibits there were on display, I was particularly struck by the Mexican blind cave fish. It is only small and pretty drab in appearance being mainly translucent. It has no eyes, only eye sockets. It lives in the cave in darkness and has no concept of light or of colour. If you were able to talk to this Mexican blind cave fish you could not really tell them about what you know because it is all outside of their experience. To such a creature, colour and light are meaningless. The Mexican blind cave fish lives within its own dark world and speaking to it about the world outside the cave would be meaningless to it. Unless they were given eyes to see!

Now this picture is something like what we observe within society in the days of Noah. The people of that age thought they had everything they wanted. They could go after forbidden fruit with freedom. They believed themselves to be enlightened. They were thoroughly independent and indulgent. But in truth as the Lord recounts here in Genesis 6 they were in darkness, in chaos, and without God in the world. They despised God, for they ignored Him and what He had to say. He did not fit into their view of life. Now such was true also of the days of Moses, although not in exactly the same details. The mention of giants and men of renown occurs not just here but in the early history of Israel under Moses and beyond. Obviously, these are not the same groups because the flood destroyed the old world. But it is clear that the outcome or fruit of such sinful and God-hating ways is demonstrated by the giant offspring of the pairing between the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2,4). Now at the time of Jesus the Lord stated clearly that when He would be about to return, the world would be in very much the same way as found in these days of Noah (Matthew 24:37,38). Nothing has changed. Mankind born in sin if left without restraint will always descend into degradation and wickedness. Modern man here in out country thinks of himself as so enlightened and free, and yet is bent on the pursuit of godless wickedness.

Clearly our passage teaches that judgment is about to come and will not delay, for the flood is coming as promised. We live after this time, after the time when the Lord promised never to flood this world again, but judgement by fire is coming as promised (2Peter 3:10f). We are in the same situation as Noah. We live in a sin-sick world bent on running away from God, and judgment is about to come.

Now the great purpose of this passage in Genesis 6 is to call people to life. That is the whole point of God’s revelation to Noah, the provision of an ark within which salvation may be secured. In the book of Genesis we see at least four origins. We see the origin of the world, the origin of man, the origin of sin, and the origin of God’s chosen people and their salvation. In short the Bible is like the story of a messed-up family. It is something like the Jeremy Kyle show where all the dirty laundry of life is aired for all to see. What is the human family like? We are all Adam’s descendants and so born in sin. And yet into this dysfunctional family is born the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. He was born without sin, of course, but he was truly flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone. How wonderful that in the midst of sin and rebellion we get the promise of One who will crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15)! And so within Genesis we also see one family set aside through whom would come the promised Seed (Genesis 12:7). And out of this promise all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Scripture always guides our focus to the Lord Jesus Christ. Whereas man was given dominion over the earth but sinned and so earned death, which we see clearly in Genesis 5 where we read repeatedly “and he died,” the Lord Jesus – the promised Seed – has come to bring life by His death. As far as man is concerned his contribution is sin out of which flows death. After Adam and Eve sinned we not only see the promise of Genesis 3:15, but the provision by the Lord of garments (slain animals whose blood was shed) to make covering for sin. And then we read of Cain’s shedding the blood of his brother and the outcome of Cain’s descendants, the pride and wickedness of Lamech of Cain. The blood of Abel cried out from the ground against Cain but the blood of Christ speaks of “better things” (Hebrews 12:24). The promise of hope and of light can be seen in such things as the early part of Genesis 5 where there is a recollection of creation placed there in the hope of new beginning. Then also we read of Enoch walking with God which recalls the days before Genesis 3 and the fall suggestive of the possibility of being right with the Lord. So we have here in Genesis 6 an account of the reality of sin and its dreadful effects, but also of the promise of hope and life once more. Whilst there will always be darkness, there is too the promise of light shining in that darkness, a promise of a bright future.

[1] Dark days.

Genesis 6:5 is stark. The Lord saw that man on earth was extremely wicked. The sentences are laboured. The wickedness of mankind was “great,” all the purposes and inner thoughts of mankind’s heart was exclusively wicked (“only evil” i.e. no good), and it was so “continually.” Now this is the first time that we read of God looking at creation since Genesis 1. In Genesis 1 we read that He “saw” and that it was “good,” and “very good.” But now here in Genesis 6:5 the Lord “saw” something very different indeed. He saw that it was deeply, desperately, depressingly evil and wicked. How so? How had this come to be?

Well, the answer to this question is that man had rejected God and had therefore gone his own way, but the outcome of such an action is always on a downward trend or spiral. I do not want us to be distracted about whom the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men” may be here. This discussion will be for another time. Whichever view you take the problem really is a spiritual one. The key point to note here is that these ‘men’ (or fallen angels or demon possessed men), “saw” the women they desired, they saw that such were desirous to them, and so they “took” of any they wanted. Such language at once reminds us of Eve’s deception by the serpent:

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. (Genesis 3:6a).

Boundaries have been crossed here. Eve should not have listened to the serpent. (Adam was culpable too as he should have told his wife to come away). In Genesis 6 boundaries have been crossed. Whatever our view of these two depictions of men and women may be, there is a choice being made here which is opposite to the good and the consequences are dire. Just as Eve listened to the serpent, there is a spiritual wickedness operating in Genesis 6. These people of Noah’s day were trying to engage in the spiritual realm in wickedness. How do we know this? Well listen to the Lord’s first word to the world of that time: “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” (Genesis 6:3). The Lord was remonstrating with mankind not to do what they were doing.

But how did the Lord view all of this intense wickedness? In Genesis 6:6 we read that “the Lord was sorry” for having made man on earth and that “He was grieved in His heart.” The Lord who made all good was now grieving on account of man’s terrible state and condition. Do we not see the Lord Jesus expressing similar depths of emotion over sin and wickedness (Matthew 23:37)? Now it is also evident that the Lord was going to bring judgment to bear upon this wicked world. But let us remember that He does not do it as a dispassionate judge who has no personal interest in those whom He rightly judges. IS this not a warning to us? Yes we must preach that judgment is coming, but do we do so out of a deep sense of compassion for those to whom we witness? We must proclaim this grief of God over sin and evil. He is grieved so much that He sent His One and Only Son to bear the judgment! Notice too how grieved He feels about the sin and evil. The only solution is to wash it all away (Genesis 6:17). Mankind had corrupted himself to the point that the only solution was to destroy him completely. The Lord saw the depth of mankind’s corruption and evil and said ‘this cannot be.’ And so He destroyed the corruption by the waters of the flood.

But notice too the great patience of God. He does not react to things like we do but is long suffering and patient towards mankind (2Peter 3:9). Every sin committed deserved bucket loads of the water of judgment but these have come after a long time of patient waiting for man to heed Him and turn from His wickedness.

[2] The hope and promise of a bright future in dark days.

God shines light into the darkest places. Is this not what we see when He created the world in the first place? The darkness of initial creation (Genesis 1:2) was not evil nor chaos, but simply the starting point that God had made from which He constructed our world. He made all in the beginning but such were the raw materials (unformed and not yet filled), and then His first act was to create light. This is our God. He brings light into the darkness. And there are always two responses to that. To many the light exposes their darkness and because they love their darkness they recoil. To others the light illuminates their sight to see the truth about themselves and what the Lord is bringing and they are drawn toward it in faith. Scripture is full of this idea of two peoples and two ways. We see it in the position of the line of Cain to Lamech placed beside the line of Seth to Noah. But there are many other illustrations of this division in humanity into the righteous (who are so only by faith) and the wicked.

Look at how the Holy Spirit puts it in our text. We read about the Lord’s intention to destroy all on account of wickedness in Genesis 6:7, and this was because He was “sorry” that He had made man. And then in Genesis 6:8 we read those wonderful words “but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Hebrews 11:7 tells us that it was “by faith” that Noah was enabled to do all that God commanded him. So Noah by faith in God and all that He had revealed received the grace of God and so he “found grace.” Grace is a gift. It is not something we earn. God is gracious. Praise His name! And Noah was enabled by faith to find this grace.

Noah’s father, Lamech thought it might be through his son that the promised Seed would come. And so he called his son “Noah” because this name means ‘rest,’ for he hoped that “this one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed” (Genesis 5:29). It is through the grace of God that Noah listened to what the Lord had said to the whole world (Genesis 6:3,7) and was thence “divinely warned” to seek God for more and was thence “moved with godly fear” (Hebrews 11:7).

In Genesis 6:9 we read more about Noah. He is described as a “just man, perfect in his generations,” and he is referred to as one who “walked with God.” Noah, and Noah alone is described in such a way. Obviously as a man born of Adam Noah is so by faith as we have said. But the way in which the Holy Spirit has centred our thoughts upon this one man (who was just and blameless) serves to point us towards the truly Righteous One, the Lord Jesus Christ. Noah walked with God just as Enoch had done, but Christ was One with the Father and did all that the Father willed. And so at the end of Genesis 6 we discover that “Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Genesis 6:22). This is set in such a way to remind us that Christ did all that the Father asked of Him so that He could cry out on the cross “it is finished” (John 17:4; 19:30). Now Noah appears in the Genesis account as a type of person that we have not been presented with before. And so in some ways he is presented to us as a new Adam, and in such a way he serves as a pointer to the true second and last Adam Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 15:45,47).

In Genesis 6:18 we have the first mention of the word “covenant” in Scripture (although this is not the first mention of the idea of covenant which we see in Genesis 2:17). But notice also that this is God’s covenant (“My covenant”). At this point Noah is told that He will go into the ark, for this is the provision of God’s covenant. But, although his family also enter the ark and so benefit too, only Noah is described as a “just man.” We are not told about what his family believed at all. But in the account of Genesis 6 it is pointedly clear that Noah stands alone as a “just man.” In this we are pointed again to the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is righteous and by His one righteous act many are saved. Noah’s family are saved as-it-were on Noah’s coat-tails. We too hang onto Christ and are included in His sacrificial death. And so our entrance into the ark Christ by faith is only on account of the righteousness work of the Lord Jesus. Notice too that this covenant of God’s was already in existence because here we read that He will “establish it” and not ‘make it’ as in other cases (Exodus 24:8; 34:27; Deuteronomy 4:32; 5:2). This is the covenant of grace. There was nothing for Noah and his family to do except hear the Lord call them to come in. This covenant was made in eternity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in eternity determined to save a people. The Father initiated this covenant, the Son carried it out, and the Spirit applies it to those who would believe.

The answer to the world’s corruption is complete destruction by the waters of the flood (genesis 6:17). But the answer to the coming destruction (deserved as it was) is the ark (Genesis 6:14)! The ark was a box which was much larger in length than breadth or height. Noah was given precise instructions as to its construction. They were to go into the ark, Noah, his family, and all creatures whom the Lord would call, and inside there would be safety. Outside there will be nothing but destruction, but inside all is safe. There would be trials and difficulties inside the ark, of course. They would hear the rain and feel the effects as they were jostled about, and they were inside with many animals and one another. But they were safe from the outer destruction which was borne by the ark. Note too that all of life was crammed into this giant box. The Lord said that one of the purposes of His coming was to bring life in all its abundance, and in this ark we see the presence of the abundance of life that He has made (John 10:10).

Exhortation.

I leave you with a few words of exhortation. Judgment is surely coming. Just as in Noah’s day the wickedness of the earth could only be blotted out by the judgment of God, so too in our day when wickedness abounds and is on the increase, such is ripe for judgment by fire. If we do not see that judgment is coming we are burying our heads in the sand. I am not talking about climate change and such disasters as the world may be overly concerned about. I am talking of the heavens and the earth (the universe) being destroyed and remade into a new heavens and a new earth. This is far more serious because it involves personal judgement for sin. All will be held to account, life to those who trust in Jesus and all he has done, and eternal death to those who reject Him and all that he has done. So get into the ark, which is Christ. It might not appear that judgement is close at hand, but then the rain did not fall until Noah and his family were safely shut in the ark. The Lord has made this incredible way of getting out of the coming judgment. The Lord calls all who are weary and who are labouring under sin to come to Him to receive rest (Matthew 11:28-30). So get into the ark! Come to Christ who alone brings rest.