Forty Days That Drowned the World
Scripture Reading — Genesis 6:5-9
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
—Genesis 6:8
One of the first conversations in the Bible about weather provides a description of a truly catastrophic event: the great flood (see Genesis 6:11-7:24). Heavy rain pours down for forty days and forty nights. The waters rise rapidly. Most people and animals perish.
We are told that human corruption and violence brought about this harsh response from the righteous Creator.
Yet one man, Noah, “found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” Noah was righteous and walked faithfully with God. The Lord saved Noah and his family from the flood by means of an ark that he told Noah to build.
Has your home or street ever been flooded? If not, you’ve likely seen pictures of devastation caused by floods elsewhere. I have seen some regions that were flooded by rising rivers, and the amount of destruction was staggering. But our sin is even more destructive to our lives than natural catastrophes can be.
The gospel is God’s revelation of how to find favor with him and be saved from the destructive forces of our sins. We have to board the “ark” that is Jesus Christ, through faith in his gracious love. Our walk with God includes reading his Word, prayer, and love for others. And God assures us that no force will ever separate us from his love and protection (Romans 3:38-39).
Father, thank you for giving us salvation through Jesus Christ! Help us to seek your favor and righteousness in him. Amen.
About the author — Sergei Sosedkin
Rev. Sergei Sosedkin is the Russian-language ministry leader for ReFrame Ministries. He is a native of Moscow, Russia. As he oversees the Russian-language ministry, Rev. Sosedkin works from our office in Grand Rapids and in various locations in Russia.
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