Day-by-Day Chronological Reading Plan, a 7-Day IntroductionExemplo

We now fast-forward to the time of Noah. The conflict of righteousness versus sin is on display. God’s actions demonstrate His character and power. As Sovereign, He exercises His right to condemn and punish evil. He intervenes in His creation as it pleases Him, sending a global disaster. Yet He is also merciful, sparing one family for a new beginning. Further, He loves humanity so much that He enters a covenant (binding agreement), promising to withhold another such flood. The episode about scattering the people of Babylon shows God’s justice and mercy. It also shows that human sin is an ongoing problem.      

Watch for details as you read today. Also, keep the big picture in mind: the pervasiveness of sin and its devastating consequences. Notice what we learn about God in the first eight verses of Genesis 6, keeping in mind that He is the main actor in the story. Watch for expressions of God’s grace and His desire to preserve life in the midst of judgment. Also notice what we learn about Noah as the story continues: he was a righteous man and walked with God. Noah’s responses called for a great deal of trust in God in the face of cataclysmic events, yet at times it is difficult for us to trust God in minor events of everyday life. Perhaps Noah’s walk with God was the key.

• How might you express your trust in God today and learn to walk with God every day?