Grasp the Gospel — Bible Comprehension Quizzes

Genesis 6 Devotional

Grace in a Ruined World

“Noah, however, found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”Genesis 6:8 (BSB)

Genesis 6 is one of the darkest chapters in the Bible. The LORD looks at the earth and sees violence everywhere, and not only in what people do. Even the desires of their hearts have turned wholly toward evil (6:5). This is not God overreacting. It is a holy God seeing clearly what we would rather not see, and it grieves him (6:6).

Then one short verse changes everything: the LORD looks on Noah with favor (6:8). Favor is grace, kindness given rather than wages earned. Noah is later called righteous, and he carries out every instruction about the ark (6:22), but in the story grace comes first. God chooses to save, and then gives Noah a way of salvation to walk in. The same order holds for us. Paul says salvation is God's gift, received by faith, and that the good works follow, prepared by God beforehand (Ephesians 2:8-10).

To think about: Do you tend to think of God's favor as something you have to earn, and how does Noah's story change that?

About Genesis 6: Human Wickedness and the Ark

As mankind multiplies, the sons of God take human wives and wickedness fills the earth, grieving the Lord, who resolves to blot out mankind. Noah finds favor with God, who tells him to build an ark and promises to establish his covenant with him, and Noah obeys.

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