Nuggets in Genesis

I'm really digging my Old Testament class, though I didn't do so well on yesterday's quiz. I think I blew it off too much after finding the previous week's to be rather easy. Fortunately we get to drop 2 quizzes in the class.

Here is a passage to chew on a little bit:

Gen 6:5-9 ESV
(5) The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
(6) And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
(7) So the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them."
(8) But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
(9) These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

Notice that Noah is first introduced as one who "found favor in the eyes of the LORD". It turns out that this idea of finding favor is the same idea as receiving grace. In other words, Noah first received grace from God. Then he was declared a righteous man.

This sure reminds me of what happens when we are in Christ. First we are sinners. Notice that in verses 5-7 man is described as being wholly wicked. This includes Noah. Again, I am reminded of how we are described in Ephesians 2.

Eph 2:1-3 ESV
(1) And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
(2) in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--
(3) among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Can a dead man change anything about his condition? No, but God can.

I just marvel at how God's sovereignty is so clear throughout Scripture. I certainly can't explain why He chooses to act as He does, but I know that He deserves all the glory and praise.