In brief
Noah is a righteous man in Genesis who finds favor in the eyes of the Lord in a world filled with violence. God asks him to build an ark to save his family and the animals from the flood. Noah obeys everything God commands him. After the waters, he offers a sacrifice, and God establishes a covenant with him, of which the rainbow is the sign. The New Testament cites him as an example of faith.
What does the name Noah mean?
His name is generally linked to the Hebrew word suggesting rest. In Genesis 5:29, his father Lamech expresses the hope that he will relieve people of their painful toil on the ground the Lord has cursed.
The story of Noah
A Righteous Man in a Violent World
Genesis 6:5-13God sees that human wickedness is great on the earth and that violence fills it. He decides to put an end to this corruption. But Noah finds favor in the eyes of the Lord. He is righteous and blameless, and he walks with God in the midst of his generation.
Building the Ark
Genesis 6:14-22God orders Noah to build a wooden ark with compartments, sealed with pitch. He announces the flood and establishes his covenant with him. Noah, his family and a pair of every kind of animal will enter it. The text notes that Noah does everything God commanded him.
The Flood
Genesis 7:1-24Noah enters the ark with his family and the animals, as God commanded. Seven days later, the waters of the flood come on the earth. The Lord himself shuts the door behind him. The waters rise and cover everything, and only Noah and those with him in the ark are spared.
The End of the Waters
Genesis 8:1-22God remembers Noah and sends a wind over the earth. The waters recede and the ark rests on the mountains of Ararat. Noah sends out a raven, then a dove, which returns with an olive leaf. He finally leaves the ark and offers a sacrifice to the Lord, who promises never again to curse the ground.
The Covenant and the Rainbow
Genesis 9:1-17God blesses Noah and his sons and tells them to multiply. He establishes a covenant with them and with every living creature: never again will a flood destroy the earth. God sets his bow in the cloud as the sign of this covenant, and he will remember his promise whenever he sees it.
What Noah teaches us
- God's grace comes before obedience: Noah finds grace, then walks with God.
- Obeying God for years, even without seeing rain, is an act of faith, as Hebrews 11:7 recalls.
- God himself opens and closes the door of salvation: he is the one who keeps his own.
- After the trial, Noah begins by worshiping, and God answers with a lasting promise.
Key verses
Noah finds favor in the eyes of the Lord. He is presented as a righteous and blameless man in his time, who walks with God.
God remembers Noah and all the animals with him in the ark. He sends a wind over the earth, and the waters begin to recede.
God sets his bow in the cloud as the sign of the covenant between him and the earth. The rainbow recalls each time the promise never again to destroy all life with a flood.
Sermons about Noah
Frequently asked questions
Why did God choose Noah?
Genesis 6:8 says that Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. The next verse describes him as righteous and blameless, walking with God. God's grace is therefore the cause of his choosing, and Noah's righteousness is its fruit.
What does the name Noah mean?
His name is generally linked to the Hebrew word suggesting rest. Genesis 5:29 records the words of his father Lamech, who hopes that this child will relieve people of their painful toil on the ground that God has cursed.
Where can I find the story of Noah in the Bible?
It fills Genesis, chapters 6 to 9, with the ark, the flood and the covenant. The New Testament mentions him elsewhere, notably in Hebrews 11:7 as an example of faith and in 2 Peter 2:5 as a preacher of righteousness.