“we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteouness dwells”
2 Peter 3:13
We see in lesson 3 the tragic downward spiral of mankind. Man separated from God while living according to his sinful nature as we read in Genesis 6:5; “Every thought was only wicked all the time”. Then we see God’s protection of a ‘righteous’ Noah and his family as judgment is passed on the ungodly people of that generation (2 Peter 2:4). This righteousness ‘floats’ Noah and his family above the sea, separated from the waters of destruction. Hebrews 11:7 elaborates on this righteousness that saves Noah, speaking of how he acted in faith to God’s warning. Noah hears and responds to God’s word and warning which in contrast condemns the rest of mankind because of their wickedness and failure to heed this warning of judgement.
Noah was declared ‘righteous’ by God, which spares him from judgment. We see examples of this righteousness throughout scripture. A striking illustration of this is the response of the corrupt people of Nineveh described in the book of Jonah. These corrupt people, like Noah, heard and responded to God’s warning of judgment. Christ emphasizes this righteousness in Matthew 12:41, explaining that the people of Nineveh would stand in judgment of the spiritual leaders of Israel who ignored the warnings given. It is amazing to think about how this must have been received by the spiritual leaders who spent their lives trying to please God by their actions, but fail to recognize the Messiah standing right before them.
In 2 Peter 3, this same warning is presented to us as Peter uses the flood to remind us of the impending day of judgment by fire. He describes the new heaven and new earth as a place where ‘righteousness dwells’, contrasting this to the destruction by fire for those who ignore this warning. Peter goes on to emphasize in 2 Peter 3:16, urging his readers to ‘be forewarned’. This is our warning. Our response to this warning is critical. Or like the spiritual leaders of Christ’s time, the people of Nineveh will also stand in judgement of us.
It’s no wonder why Peter (1 Peter 3:17-22) relates the events of Noah’s day to baptism in the New Testament. The water of baptism illustrates this separation and protection from the destruction of sin in this world as our sin is left behind in the waters of chaos and turmoil and we pass through as a new creation. It is a response of faith, an outward demonstration of our commitment to live separate from the sinfulness of this world. As the earth was cast into the sea, the righteousness of Noah escaped this judgement; we escape this judgement as we are made righteous a righteousness only obtained through the blood of Christ.
One year after the flood begins, Noah and his family leave the ark, make a sacrifice to God where he establishes his first covenant with mankind – a promise binding God to all future generations through the line of Noah and his family. Interesting that years later we find a reminder of man’s position before God. ‘Righteous Noah lays naked in his tent’ exposed and still under the judgment of sin. Teaching us that although the world was cleansed through the flood, the shame from the sin of man has still not been resolved and the punishment for sin remains. Emphasizing this further, in the actions of Noah’s sons, we see 2 different responses to this ‘nakedness’. One of ridicule and mockery, with no sense of shame to the exposure of sinfulness (Ham), and the other respectfully seeking covering for this judgment (Shem and Japheth). We should not miss the transition here in scripture as Noah curses his younger son, identifying him with the people of Canaan, a crucial element to what follows in scripture with consequences extending throughout the history of Israel.
Later we transition to Babylon (interestingly, another city descended from Ham) where the tower of babel is being constructed. Man’s effort to ‘build a tower to the heavens’ (‘Babil’ means tower to the heavens) so that they can make a ‘name for themselves’. Notice the spiritual war beginning here as the decedents of Noah’s son Ham attempt to reach the heavens through their own efforts and abilities. God frustrates these efforts by confusing their tongue and scattering them. Their efforts to ‘ascend’ to heaven through their own efforts are futile. Notice specifically the difference to the disciples in Jerusalem at Pentecost. Instead of man ascending to the heavens, God ‘comes down’ to mankind. When He does, He provides the promised Spirit of God, and the various tribes and tongues are all able to understand the message of salvation through Christ.
Notice the incredible meaning here. Pentecost is the Jewish celebration 15 days after Passover, celebrating the giving of the Law of God to Moses at Sanai. It was at this time, during a celebration of the giving of the law, that God descends to man and the Holy Spirit is given. Christ is the fulfillment of the Law given to Moses, man’s personal efforts to reach the heavens and become righteous through obedience to the Law of God are rendered futile just as the efforts of the men of Babel.
So we conclude this week with the emphasis and call to righteousness. Adam and Eve were stripped of this righteousness and exiled from the garden due to their sin. We learn here, the road back to the garden is started with a man named Noah. Noah was a ‘righteous’ man, this righteousness saved him from the destruction of the flood as Noah responds to God’s impending warning. God teaches us that our salvation from the flames of judgment is also based on our righteousness, to be ‘just as if we had never sinned’ before God. So the question remains, how do we obtain the righteousness of Noah?