Before getting involved in Alpha in New Zealand, I never used to ask the question that so many other people ask: "Why God, is there so much suffering in the world?" That also meant that I didn't have an answer either so I made it my business to find out the answer. I read some amazing books that really helped - "The Case for Faith" by Lee Strobel was particularly insightful as well as "Aftershock" by Adrian Holloway. I soon found that there were plenty of opportunities to help others answer that question and for some it was life-changing.
So lately I've been thinking about that question with Noah in mind. So often the Bible encourages us to embrace trials, rejoice in suffering and endure through it to the end to gain the reward and I believe that with all my heart. But in the moment, how many times do we wish it would all just end? How many times have we wished it were all over? How much do we doubt while going through the tough times that it will actually be worth it in the end? How could any amount of good possibly be worth this much suffering?
The story of Noah and the flood tells us that the Lord himself can understand your thoughts and how you feel because for a brief moment in history, He allowed Himself to ask the same question. Before the Great Flood, He looked at the amount of sin in the world and was so grieved that he regretted even making us in the first place. (Genesis 6:5-7) In Noah's lifetime, there was so much sin that no one could be content because of all the greed, no one could be safe because of all the abuse of each others belongings and bodies, no one could be at peace because you couldn't trust even your dearest friend. There was a lot of sin and there was a lot of suffering too. Just like we do sometimes, God looked around and was so heartbroken at the state of things that He was sorry He had even started this venture called mankind. But that is not the end of the story.
Remember Leelo in the movie The Fifth Element who came to save mankind and lost heart when she saw the amount of destruction we have caused to each other over the years? She was reminded by Bruce Willis's character, Korban Dallas, that there is more than evil in the world - there is also love.
What was it that inspired God to take heart once again and believe in His creation, believe that we are able to live up to the great destiny He has designed for us? The destiny that involved preparing the way for the Messiah who would then in turn prepare a people to be His bride, to judge angels and reign alongside Him when He comes into His kingdom? Who was God's inspiration? Noah. "But Noah found Grace in the sight of the Lord." (Gen 6:8)
What was it about Noah? Genesis gives us this description of Noah: "Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God." (ch6:9). Who else in the Bible walked with God? Noah's Great-Grandfather, Enoch, walked with God and he was one of only two men in the Bible to be spared death - he was also taken at a relatively younger age than the rest of his family line so he was also spared the horror of living in a world that was so awful God wiped it out and started again with Noah. So walking with God was a pretty rare and special thing.
Who else walked with God? The first man, Adam, walked with God in the cool of the day, probably every day, before He and Eve sinned (Gen 3:8). Noah was a direct descendant from Adam - Adam actually died 130 years before Noah was born, when Noah's father, Lamech, was 56 years old.
Noah was a direct descendant from Adam - the ninth firstborn male from Adam - through that line would come the Seed that was prophesied to bruise the head of the snake prince of earth (Gen 3:15) and ultimately restore us back to right relationship with God, the earth and each other. If Adam had a title, Noah would have inherited it.
Perhaps Noah learnt something through his immense line of great-grandfathers about what it meant to walk with God unashamedly, unhindered in the cool of the day. Noah carried a mantle, an authority, a knowledge that his lifeline carried hope. He was taught well and He learnt what he was taught. In fact, he took it so seriously that when everyone else in the world was unjust, he remained just. When everyone else compromised, He remained perfect and when everyone else went their own way, He chose God.
God looked at Noah and saw a reflection of himself. He decided that there was Hope for mankind after all. He saw that human kind had not been utterly corrupted but could still live up to their divine destiny. Thank God for Noah!
Perhaps the heartache it caused the Lord to destroy all he made and start again was too great a cost - the massive death of people, potential, His own dreams He had dreamt for them, love He had invested in them, lessons he had taught them - all gone. Perhaps it was even greater than the cost God could see ahead - the cost of His Son. The cost of sticking with these humans for the future was going to be big but perhaps not as big as what the Flood would have cost if He had not chosen to save Noah.
Whatever the reason, after the flood, God brought a rainbow that was a symbol of promise - a promise to never again curse creation because of people (Gen 8:20-22). A promise not to wipe us out like that again (Gen 9:12-17). God make a promise in a rainbow to remind Himself that He had not given up on us and that He would never, ever give up on us again - ever. No matter how bad things would get, God decided to put all his grief behind him and invest himself 100% in mankind - He made covenants with Abraham and then sent His Son to suffer and die so we could follow Him through death to the resurrection and live forever as His bride. Why? Because He sees something in us and has decided we are worth it all - all the pain and sorrow Jesus went through was nothing compared to the Joy He knew we would bring Him afterwards (Hebrews 12:2). Isn't it wonderful to think that we bring Him joy?
God is so invested in your life and in mine - He never has any doubts about you or about me. He put any possibility of that behind him at the Flood and He never goes back on His promises. That promise to us was not conditional - it does not depend on our behaviour or how good we are - it is a promise that he will never again flood the earth. He will never give up on mankind ever - he will one day bring in a new heaven and earth but he is 100% committed to first getting as many of us through the door of Jesus that will come.
He is 100% committed to bringing about good from all the disaster that goes on around us (Romans 8:28). He is 100% committed to making sure that every trial and valley we go through will indeed be worth it. He is 100% committed and invested in me and in you. As long as we are living, He refuses to give up on us.
If you are ever tempted to give up on your dreams, your marriage, your life or give up on God because the situation is too dark to see any light in it - cling on to that promise that was first hinted at through a rainbow, spoken through a covenant with Abraham and finally sealed at Calvary: it will be worth it. He is 100% committed to making sure of it.
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