Bang! Thump! Bang! Thump! Noah hammers the last of the nails to finish the ark. God told him to build the ark and in spite of the people mocking him (for until now it had never rained, so why build a boat?) he finished the work. Noah and his wife, his three sons, and their wives, all entered the ark, along with the animals that God commanded Noah to put in.
Can you imagine it? What is the scene in your head like?
Not in the story
Did you know that the account in Genesis never mentions Noah being laughed at? Perhaps we add this to the story out of logical assumption, our imagination, or could it be out of our own fears of being made fun of if we obey God?
Now, before you go feeling all relieved for Noah, consider what the Bible does say (Gen 6,7):
Noah found favor with the Lord, was righteous, blameless, walked with God, and did all that God commanded him concerning the ark. Noah preached righteousness. (2 Peter 2:5) Sounds good, right?
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The world he lived in was the opposite: man’s wickedness was great, every intention of the thoughts were evil continually, the world was corrupt and filled with violence. God was grieved. Until the day Noah entered the ark, the people carried on as usual. (Matthew 24:38 and Luke 17:27)
Consider with me a worse reaction than mockery: apathy. Complete ignoring of a glaring truth. (THE ARK!)
Until now, I pictured Noah and his sons on ladders, working on the ark while neighbors stood around pointing and laughing. But now, I picture people walking by, barely giving a second thought to the first-in-the-history-of-the-world-ever monstrous boat.
Why?
Because…
They are headed off to a wedding.(See Matthew and Luke references mentioned above.)
Perhaps Noah stands there in front of the ark watching the people. Dumbfounded.
“Don’t you want to know why I built this?”
But they don’t.
They are late for a party.
He’s not alone
Noah was not alone in this. Since the days of Noah, many prophets preached to unresponsive crowds. And Jesus lamented in Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”
Does it matter?
OK, so what if now one laughed at Noah?
Why does it matter? Well, maybe it doesn’t. It is not anti-biblical to conclude that the people laughed at Noah. But I believe it is worth the consideration that we are among a people today who, until the day of judgment will live to satisfy their own desires, while ignoring the truth around them.
Jesus said, when asked about the end of the age, “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12)
What are we to do?
We are called to stand for righteousness, just like Noah.
No matter if we are laughed at, or ignored.
Let’s follow the encouragement of Paul when he said “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” (Phil. 2:14-16a)