“The Lord then said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.’ … And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.” Gen. 7:1,5.
The biblical account of God’s response to corruption and violence – sending a flood to wipe out humanity – is a blunt reminder of how serious our sin is to a holy God. Thankfully, even though “every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood,” God promises that He won’t do that again — “as the long as the earth endures … day and night will never cease.” (Gen. 8:21-22.) Most importantly, God sent Jesus to provide a way of reconciliation between sinful man and a holy God; Jesus took the punishment the whole world deserves. But the story of Noah’s obedience is also a reminder that one righteous person can literally change history – and also preserve his own family.