January 6--Evening
January 6—Evening "The end of all things is at hand."
Genesis 6:5-22 At first men lived for hundreds of years, but a few generations of long-lived men sufficed to make the race very wicked; and, when the holy seed of Seth intermarried with the graceless race of Cain, the people of God degenerated, the salt lost its savour, and the whole earth became corrupt.
Genesis 6:5 What a charge against man, and it is true of us all still.
What a blessed but was that. In the midst of wrath the Lord remembered mercy; even as in punishing sin he remembers Christ and all those who are of his family. The distinction made was the fruit of grace. It is not said that Noah deserved preservation, but Noah found grace.
Genesis 6:9 In this he was a worthy descendant of Enoch.
Genesis 6:11 Those who are corrupt towards God are sure to be violent towards men.
Genesis 6:15 In all our actions we must follow the divine rule. If our religious observances have not this inscription upon them—"Thus saith the Lord," they will profit us nothing.
Noah must make the ark after God's plan, and those who expect to be saved must receive salvation in God's way. Not our whims but God's word must guide us.
Genesis 6:18-20 As Noah was the preserver of life so is Jesus; and as he became the new head of the saved race, so our Lord is the Head of his church, which is the seed saved out of the world.
Noah's faith led him to obedience. If we would be saved from the destruction which is coming upon the world, we must submit ourselves without reserve to the commands of our Lord Jesus. We shall not be saved for keeping the commands of God, but if we have true faith we shall prove it by following the Lord's directions.
O Lord, we praise thy sovereign grace, Grace o'er the raging flood supreme.
How well didst thou secure the race Thou hadst determined to redeem.
They in the ark serenely housed, Smiled on the universal wreck.
Fierce were the waves by vengeance roused, But mercy held them all in check.