God told Noah, “You have I seen righteous before Me in this generation” (Genesis 7:1). It is interesting that the world saw Noah as a wild man, a crazy man. Noah surely was not highly regarded by most people in his society.
Very likely, Noah was not accepted in people’s gatherings or social circles, as they saw him as someone who told tales and tried to deceive the society in which he lived. Yet God told Noah, “You have I seen righteous in this generation.” Let us find out five reasons that made God call Noah righteous.
1. Noah Saw His Society as Wicked
Noah saw that his society was wicked and corrupt, from the leaders of his day to the lowest of men. Most people in Noah’s time were unrighteous and trusted only what was accepted by the media of the day. Unrighteous people followed whatever the great men of their time told them was truth. Whatever came from the mouths of the leaders of the day was treated as truth.
God is not unrighteous to forget (Hebrews 6:10), and God did not forget Noah in the ark, who was saved by faith. Noah saw that most people in his time sought only their own comfort and well-being and did not care about others. Noah saw that most people in his time were selfish, proud, unloving, and uncaring. In fact, the Bible says:
Genesis 6:11 — The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
2. Noah Believed the Truth, Not Men’s Hearts
Noah preferred to follow the truth rather than what people with diplomas were saying. Sometimes people with diplomas do tell the truth — but usually:
Luke 16:15 — For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
The way people talk, what people respect and do not respect, how people speak, what they value in today’s society — all of this has become an abomination to God. Imagine that many women today value evil, proud men. Many women love men who are aggressive, liars, robbers, and selfish. Can you imagine what kind of society we have come to?
This was the society in which Noah lived. As in Noah’s days, God is not unrighteous to forget your deeds and to see that you do not follow society. Noah did not care what was fashionable in his day — Noah followed what was true. How few people today follow what is true. Even when told the truth, most people would rather follow their own wishes and prefer to distort the truth into a lie.
People today are unrighteous — they will even go so far as to say there is no such thing as truth, and they regularly lie and mock the truth. Worse than that, no one talks about this — no sermon, no preacher, no church stands up and exposes this incredible evil. Noah knew what was taught in his day, yet Noah preferred to follow what God’s word said.
Unrighteous people built each other up to follow society rather than truth, and they perished in the flood. We see the same thing happening today. And it is only going to get worse, until God sends terrible judgments upon wicked humanity, who will have passed the boundary of God’s patience.
3. Noah Did Not Follow Crowds
Noah did not follow crowds. Noah followed what God told him to follow. In fact, the Bible says:
Exodus 23:2 — You shall not follow a multitude to do evil.
Galatians 1:4 — Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.
Noah did not follow lies, because following society while knowing it is contrary to the will of God is embracing the lie and becoming a liar. All honest people will accept the truth; all dishonest people will reject the truth. Noah did not follow crowds, and the Bible says that we are hated for being different. The unrighteous hate the good — it is as simple as that. Most people are afraid to be good because they are afraid of being hated.
Matthew 24:9 — And you shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake.
If you are a Christian and you are not hated, then you are very likely not a true Christian — and you are very likely proud, dishonest, and a mocker, since all humble, honest, and sincere people are hated.
But because Noah loved the truth more than the applause of men, he was rejected by society. Unrighteous people, all who hated Noah, stopped laughing only when water came pouring down from the sky and up from the earth.
Romans 1:25 — Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
4. Noah Loved God More Than Men’s Applause
Most people do everything to be accepted by society. They want to fit in and to be loved by others. But:
James 4:4 — Know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
This world’s history is all about loving truth and hating the lie. Many Christians in the Middle Ages died terrible deaths because they loved the truth.
When debating with people, we find that some have gone so far into lying that they believe what they are saying is the truth. Unrighteous people love to lie. They might think, unconsciously, that they are preserving themselves, but they are destroying themselves. No lie is worth it.
Many robbers and liars working the subways of our capitals are still poor. It does not pay to lie. It does not pay to rob others. It does not pay to be dishonest.
This is why many people in our world may be highly accepted by society, yet God can see their hearts. God can see that they are dishonest.
Unrighteous people, all liars, will be destroyed. God can help you tell the truth and love the truth — by faith, His righteousness can transform you.
Revelation 21:8 — All liars shall have their part in the lake of fire.
5. Noah Had Faith Shown in His Life
By following the truth, Noah showed his faith in God — that the flood was coming and that God could be taken at His word. No rain had ever fallen on the earth at that time, yet Noah believed that the world was wicked. Noah believed that his society had gone too far and had reached the limit of God’s forbearance. Noah knew that the judgments of God were about to fall.
It is incredible to see that Noah’s society did not perceive any of this. They were so spiritually blind that they thought everything was fine. This is what I see today when talking to people. I explain to them what is happening in the world, and only sometimes do I see them open their eyes. Some people think I am imagining things.
Noah seemed to be imagining things too — yet God’s judgments fell, and fell hard, and every living creature died. They died because of their pride, because of their selfishness, because of their unloving character, because of their unbelief. They all died. Will you die too in the soon-falling judgments of God?
Or will you follow truth and accept the small voice of the Holy Spirit in your heart? Repeat after me: Father God, I pray that You forgive my sins. Help me see what truth is and how wicked the world is today. Help me walk close to You and be faithful to You until Jesus comes. In the name of Jesus, amen.