Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/85



The Goodness  of  God. Almighty  God,  in  His  loving  mercy,  remembered not  only  Noe,  but  the  beasts  in  the  ark;  for  He  hateth  nothing that He  hath  made. We, too,  should  be  merciful,  and  carefully  avoid cruelty to  animals. He who  wantonly  ill-treats  dumb  beasts,  proves  that he has  a hard,  cruel  heart.

God's Faithfulness. Just  as  the  punishment  with  which  God  threatened sinful  man,  was  brought  to  pass  in  the  most  terrible  way,  so  the promise which  He  made  after  the  Deluge,  never  again  to  destroy  the world by  water,  has  been  kept  for  more  than  four  thousand  years.

Confidence in  God.  In  Noe  we  have  a glorious  example  of  this virtue. Full of  a living  faith  in  God’s  presence,  wisdom  and  power, he gave  himself  over  entirely  to  the  direction  of  divine  Providence. Full of  confidence  in  God,  and  in  complete  submission  to  His  will,  he built  the  ark  and  shut  himself  up  in  it;  nor  did  he  leave  it,  till  God Himself told  him  to  do  so. Fear might  very  well  have  seized  him, and he  might  very  well  have  asked  himself  how  the  animals  would fare in  the  ark,  and  so  forth:  and  when  the  ark  was  driven  about hither and  thither,  the  anxious  thought  of  how  long  it  would  be  able to resist  the  beating  of  the  waves,  might  very  well  have  occurred  to him. But he  allowed  no  such  fears  to  take  possession  of  him,  and confided himself  entirely  to  the  Lord  God  and  His  holy  word. Belief in the  wisdom  and  power  of  the  ever  present  God  ought  to  fill  us  also with courage  and  comfort  in  time  of  tribulation,  and  make  us  trust  in God,  and  be  content  with  whatever  He  wills. “Commit thy  way  to  the Lord, and  trust  in  Him,  and  He  will  do  it”  (Ps.  36,  5). He who  puts his trust  in  God,  builds  on  a sure  foundation.

Gratitude to  God.  Why  was  God  well  pleased  with  Noe’s  sacrifice? Firstly, because  it  was  offered  with  faith  in  the  future  Saviour; and, secondly,  because  it  was  offered  in  thanksgiving. You may  imagine and picture  to  yourself  how  Noe  and  his  family  knelt  round  the  altar, praying with  fervour  and  devotion,  thanking  God  from  the  bottom of their  hearts,  and  promising  Him  that  they  would  serve  Him  all  the days of  their  life,  and  avoid  those  sins  which  had  called  down  such  a terrible  punishment. Gratitude to  God  is  a holy  and  essential  part  of our  worship  of  Him.

The reward  of  gratitude. Noe’s  thankfulness  pleased  the  Lord God, so  that  He  gave  him  still  greater  blessings. When we  thank  God for benefits  we  have  received,  we  prepare  the  way  for  new  ones.

The olive-branch, brought  back  to  the  ark  by  the  dove,  showed those who  were  inside  that  the  destruction  on  the  earth  had  ceased,  and that the  time  of  their  liberation  was  at  hand. On this  account,  the olive-branch has  ever  since  been  a token  of  peace  and  joy.