I want you to take your Bibles
and turn with me to the book of Genesis chapter 6. Genesis chapter 6. In just a
few moments, I want to actually read verses 1 through 9 and make
some comments as we go. And I want to look in this message
at the latter part of the ninth verse where the Scripture says,
And Noah walked with God. Before we read, though, let's
ask our Lord's blessing. Our Father, how wonderful it
is to call upon You to thank you, to bless you, to praise
you. Lord, realizing that we have
this morning to be able to assemble ourselves together and hear the
Gospel, oh, I pray, Lord, help us to hear. Lord, I pray that
You would bless the service to the honor of our glorious Savior. Lord, bless it to our understanding. Help us. These things we ask
for Christ's sake. Amen. Genesis chapter 6, verse 1 says, and it came to
pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the and daughters
were born unto them." Now we see in this first verse, God's
instruction and His blessing being realized. The Scripture
sets forth in Genesis 1 verse 26 to 28. I want you to look at that. Genesis
1, 26-28. And God said, let us make man in our image
after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of
the sea, over the fowl of the air, over the cattle, over the
earth, over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in His own image. in the image of God created
He Him. Male and female, created He them. And God blessed them. And God
said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth
and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea. over
the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth
upon the earth." God created man and it says, "...and He told
them, Replentish the earth." Let it be multiplied. And here
in chapter 6, Genesis, it came to pass. As Brother Scott used to say,
and it always does, men began to multiply on the face of the
earth and daughters were born to them. But because of sin in
the fall, rebellion, corruption is always beheld. Look at verse 2. And the sons
of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair. And they
took them wives of all which they chose. The Scripture reveals
that in the days of the son of Adam and Eve, one of their sons, The Scripture sets forth in Genesis
4.26 that men began to call upon the name of the Lord. God called
some folks out of darkness, revealed Christ to them. This is the way
that men are always regenerated. They are regenerated by grace
and given faith to believe. Give them a heart to believe
God. And they called on the name of the Lord. But the descendants
of fateful Seth mixed with the daughters of men, children of disobedience, and therefore God's commandment,
God's Word, broken. And the Lord gave this decree.
Verse 3, the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with
man, for that he also is flesh. Yet his days shall be 120 years. My spirit is not always going to rule in,
to abide in. It is to strive. What the Lord is saying is because
that men go astray in their flesh, I am not going to strive with
you. I am not going to abide with you. I am not going to be
with you. 120 years. 120 years. That's how
long I'm going to continue until I execute wrath. That's how long Noah preached. 120 years. That's how long you've
got. Oh, the horror when Almighty
God purposes to leave a man to himself. I read this Scripture, Hosea
4.17. It says, Ephraim is joined to
idols. Let him alone. Leave him alone. Ezekiel 16.42, So will I make
my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart
from thee, and I will be quiet. no more angry, here the Lord
of glory declares that because of man's rebellion, I am going
to abandon you. I am going to not have anything
to do with you. I am not going to think on you
anymore. Is there a judgment in this life? that is greater than God being
quiet to a man. Is there a judgment that exceeds
that? That Almighty God would cease
to speak. No chastisement. No conviction. No direction, no leadership of
God's Spirit that draws the heart to long after Christ that would
draw a man to Himself. Is there a judgment like unto
this? My Spirit shall not always strive
with man, for that he also is flesh. Yet his days shall be
a hundred and twenty years. You think, boy, that's a long
time. Boy, how long have that hundred and twenty years been
gone? How quickly! Verse 4 and 5 says, There were
giants in the earth in those days. And also after that, when
the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, they bare
children to them. The same became mighty men which
were of old, men of renown. But God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. There were giants in the land. They were large. There is no doubt about that. They were large men. But the
word, actually, the word giants there means bullies. They were
bullies. They were tyrants. Men that relied on their own
strength, just like man does now in himself. Giants in the
land. And the Scripture says, And when
the sons of God came to the daughters of men, and they bared children
to them, and the same became mighty men which were of old,
men of renown, men that boasted of their own wickedness, and
rebellion against God. Oh, the desperate need of man.
This is man. This is man in his best state. His best state. Man is altogether
vanity. All of his purposes, all of his
desires, according to his carnal nature.
The Scripture sums it up right here. Evil continues. Leave a man to himself and he's
not going to recover from the fall. He's raised up in pride and his
self-worth. God saw that the world was completely
hardened and wickedness only grew worse and worse. Well, I tell you what, if we
really want to see how all of us are as being born in Adam,
this is where we look. And verse 6 says, And it repented
the Lord that He had made man on earth, and it grieved him
at his heart. Now, the Scriptures here speaks
in terms that we're able to understand. I know that God Almighty has
not directed by emotions as we are. I know that. I know that
by that expression it does not mean that God changed in His
mind because the Scripture says, for I am God, I change not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob
are not consumed. But here to our understanding
so that we can perceive the unperceivable Almighty God. God speaks in such
a way and sets forth that He's going to turn the circumstances
of His providence toward man. And that because of their conduct. We cannot say that God changes
because God says, I don't change. But the only understanding that
we have is that God is going to change the way that He's going
to deal with men. 120 years. That's what it's going to be.
And the Scripture sets forth, verse 7 and 8, the Lord said,
I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the
earth, both man and beast, and the creeping thing and the fowls
of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them." Oh,
but the hope in this next verse. But Noah, one man, one man in
all the earth, one man. Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. I think about that verse of Scripture
we've looked at so many times, John 3, 16. For God so loved the world. God loved the order of man. Now right here, God says, I'm
going to destroy. I'm going to blot out mankind. I'm going to obliterate mankind. It repenteth Me. that I have
made them." But Noah found, and that word found
there, it means to receive that which you did not seek. Noah
found. Noah found, received something
that he wasn't looking for. God was propitious to Noah. That is, God chose to show favor
to Noah, not by any works of righteousness that Noah had done. God looked and God saw that every
imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually
every day Noah in himself had nothing to
boast in. Nothing. By grace, Noah found, received
that which he wasn't looking for, God's grace in Christ, because
the Lord of glory had always looked upon Noah in mercy. God had always purposed to show
mercy to Noah. God always in every generation
has always had a witness according to the remnant, according to
election, according to grace, according to God's purpose. God
has eternally purposed to not obliterate the order of man. God is just. God is just, God. Almighty God is going to deal
with sin absolutely. And oh, how we could stay right
there. And Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. But my heart has been drawn to
that latter part of that next verse. This is where I'd like
to look. In that ninth verse of these
are the generations of Noah, Noah was a just man and perfect,
upright in his generations. And Noah walked with God. Boy, what honor! What dignity! Boy, it is so those last two
verses contain. Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. Noah was a just man, justified
in the sight of Almighty God, robed in the righteousness of
Christ alone. That's the only justification
that a man finds before God Almighty. I know that by faith, Noah believed
God by faith. Hebrews 11-7. We're going through
the book of Hebrews on Wednesday. And Lord willing, as we'll come
to this verse here, we'll look at where Enoch walked with God. Here the Scripture says, Noah
walked with God. The Scripture says in Hebrews
11-7, he became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Noah believed God, walked with
God. Just man. Justified by the grace
of God. And he was perfect, the Scripture
says, in his generation. Perfect. Upright. As far as we know, there were
no other persons that this man had and his environment, the
Scripture does not speak of any other person that he had to fellowship
with, worship God with. Can you imagine? The Lord told
him to build an ark. 120 years it took him to build
an ark. It had never rained before. Scripture
says that there was a mist that just hovered over the earth. Watered the plants. That's where
the water came from. Never rained before. Nobody else. This was a man that was justified
before God Almighty by the grace of God, and he walked in uprightness. He was perfect, the Scripture
says, in his generations. This man worshiped God, and he walked with God. Oh, the mercy of Almighty God
that would give a man a heart to be alone as far as other men
were concerned, but that this man would walk with God. 120 years God kept him walking
with God. Boy, you know, that's a phrase
right there that I just read that passage of Scripture, that
verse of Scripture, section of Scripture, Noah walked with God. And it excites within my heart
a thought of desire, a longing for obedience, a heart that would
be faithful. Now, obviously, based on that
Scripture right there, I know this. Men can and believers do walk
with God. I know they do. I know they do. Walking, that word right there,
refers to an attitude. It is a word, an expression of
the behavior of the mind that sets forth in itself and prompts
an action. But it's a desire of the heart. Lord, Psalm 15, 1 and 2, who
shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
He that walketh uprightly, worketh righteousness, and speaketh the
truth in his heart. I know this. The Scripture sets forth in Romans
6, 4, we do walk in newness of life, don't we? We do. We walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit according to Romans
8, 1. We walk by faith, 2 Corinthians
5, 7, and walk in the Spirit, Romans 8, 4. God's people walk
with God. to knowing that men regenerated
by the grace of God are said to walk with the Lord. I want us to look for just a
moment at what the Scriptures reveal concerning this walk. What is it to walk with God? Well, I know this concerning
walking with God. And every believer does. They do. I know this, that our
walk with Almighty God must be initiated by the Lord Himself. Our walk
must be initiated because men are not born desiring to walk
with God. In just a few minutes, I'm going
to show you a Scripture that just sets forth, I believe, as
clearly as I could see, exactly what it is to walk with God. But I do know this first. Before
one can walk with Almighty God, God Himself must purpose to allow a man to walk with Him. Do you agree with that? God must
purpose to allow one to walk with Him. Leave a man to himself.
Leave a man to himself and he's not going to walk with God. He's
not. God Himself. The Scripture we
just read, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah received
from the Lord graciousness in God's eyes. The Scriptures doesn't
say that God found grace in the eyes of Noah. Salvation and walking
with Almighty God does not begin with man. Walking with Almighty
God begins with God. Walking with the Lord is a work
of God's grace, God's gift, God's intervention. And all like Him, objects of
God's mercy, were chosen vessels. Chosen unto salvation. Chosen
to walk with God. Remnants to whom God is going
to be gracious and cause us to walk with Him. I want you to
turn to Ezekiel 36. Ezekiel 36. Ezekiel chapter 36, and let's
just read 26, 27. I said this, Almighty God must
initiate a walk. Verse 26 of Isaiah 36, a new
heart also will I give you. A new spirit will I put within
you. And I will take away the stony
heart out of your flesh. I'll give you a heart of flesh.
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes. And you shall keep My judgments
and do them." Oh, what a promise of authority! What a promise of mercy! What
a promise of grace and kindness I'm going to do something for
you that you can't do for yourself. I'm going to initiate the walk
that you have with me and I with you. I'm going to put a new heart
in you. I'm going to give you a new spirit. I'm going to cause you to walk
in my statutes. I know this. Walking with Almighty
God is initiated by God. Almighty God is not hoping that
men will do something and come and begin to walk with Him because
He desires all men to walk with Him. Oh, no. Those that Almighty
God desires to walk with Him, God gives them a heart to walk
with Him. Here's the second thing I know. Before one walks with
God, God Almighty is going to have to deal with that sinner's
sin. Verse 13, back in Genesis 6. Well, let's look at verse 12,
13 and 14. God looked upon the earth. Behold, it was corrupt,
for all flesh had corrupted His way upon the earth. And God said
to Noah, The end of all flesh has come before me. For the earth
is filled with violence through them, and behold, I will destroy
them with the earth." Does Noah have any hope? Verse 14, "...make
thee an ark of gopher wood. Rooms shalt thou make in the
ark, and shalt pitch it in and without." I'm going to destroy. I'm going to deal with sin. I'm going
to take care of this. Wages of sin is death. Noah,
I want you to build an ark. Here is a glorious picture of
our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope of glory. God was going to send judgment
A flood. And God provided Noah's delivery. He put him in an ark. And you
know how the just judgment of Almighty God fell in Noah's day. God dealt with it. God sent judgment
on the earth. And all that God showed mercy
to, God chose to put them in that
ark. And I'm telling you right now,
Almighty God who everlastingly has loved His people has had
a chosen people unto Himself. God Himself is going to deal
with sin. But for all that He's chosen
to show mercy to, He put them in Christ. Chose them in Him
before the foundation of the world. Why? That they should
be holy and without blame before Him in love. Well, did He deal
with their sin? Yes, He dealt with their sin.
He made Him sin. The Lord Jesus Christ clarified
it. He said, I laid down my life for the sheep. I lay it down. No man takes my
life from me. Almighty God dealt with the sin
of His people in a substitute. He put them in Christ, the ark,
the safety, the security, the mediator. Christ Himself died
and we died in Him. God put away. the sin of His
people. Before a man can walk with God,
God must initiate the walk. Before God is going to allow
a man to walk, He is going to deal with his sin. Just God. Thirdly, before a man will walk
with God, God is going to have to give that man a heart that
agrees with God. Amos 3.3 says, Can two walk together
except they be agreed? Now listen, let me tell you the
heart. I want you to turn. Here's a verse of Scripture.
Psalm 15.2. If you want to know what it is
to walk with God. Here it is. You that know Him. You that struggle like all believers
do. You that struggle. and hear this
blessed Scripture that talks about men walking with God, and
you think you're like, you know, when old Newton wrote that song.
You know, he said, when I look within, all is dark and wild.
Can I deem myself a child? You that know him, Newton says,
is it like this with you? Disappoint I long to know causes me anxious thoughts. Do
I love the Lord or not? Am I His? Am I not? Am I God's? Has God done anything for me?
Has He? Let me tell you, here's the heart.
Here's the heart right here of walking with God. Psalm 15. Let's
read 1 and 2. Psalm 15. 1 and 2. Lord, who
shall abide in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?
Here it is, "...he that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness,
and speaketh the truth in his heart." Men walk with God in their heart. Here's where they walk with God.
They walk with Almighty God in their heart. And all the while, as the desire
of their heart is to long after Him, hunger after Him, thirst
after Him, in their heart they agree with God. How can two walk
together except they be agreed? Let me ask you this. You that
know Him. Do you agree with God Almighty
what you are in yourself? I know that in me that is in
my flesh, Paul says, there dwells no good thing. Do you agree with
that? Do you agree with God Almighty? I know that I can do nothing. You walk with God. You agree
with God. Do you believe that Almighty
God has purposed to save a people? Do you believe that God, according
to Ephesians 1-4, you believe that God has chosen a people
unto salvation? Do you believe that the Lord
Jesus Christ, according to His Word, laid down His life for
His sheep and put away their guilt, died in their stead. Do you agree with God on that? You walk with God. Do you believe that the Spirit
of God is going to surely, effectually, powerfully, for everyone that
God chose to show mercy to and that Christ redeemed by His precious
blood, do you believe that the Spirit of God is surely Without
a doubt, no ifs, ands, or buts, God Almighty is going to save
His people. Everyone that He has ever chosen.
Do you believe that? You walk with God. You agree
with God. Walking with Almighty God is
in your heart. You agree with Him. Lord, I believe
You. I tell you this. A believer agrees
with God. He knows what he is in himself.
He finds no confidence whatsoever in his flesh. He finds no confidence
whatsoever in what he can do. He agrees with God. I know this. It is by grace that I've been
saved through faith and that not of myself. It's the gift
of God. That man walks with God. I know
what the world talks about. I see as far as the world is
concerned. The world sets forth that walking
with God is somehow to walk about six inches above the ground.
And you know, they never do anything wrong. They never say anything
wrong. They never think anything wrong. They're just perfect in
all their ways. I don't know a believer that
thinks that way of himself. No. I'll tell you what I think. I think that every believer is,
according to this Word, that they're struggling. They're pilgrims
in this world, longing after Almighty God, seeking His face,
looking unto Him. Lord, help me. Lord, keep me. Lord, if You don't keep me, I'm
going to perish. That's a man who walks with God.
That man walks with God. He sees in Himself no good thing. God's people, they agree with
Him. They walk with Him. They go in
the same direction as He's going. They see Him according to how
He says He is. They walk in heart. They love
His presence. They believe. He said, where
two or three are gathered together in My name, I'm in the midst
of you. Do you believe that? Do you agree with God on that?
Do you walk with Him? Walk with Him. For me to walk
with God, agree with God, and like I said, those that walk
with Him, they're struggling, struggling, always struggling
in themselves and ever thankful. saying in their heart, I know
whom I have believed, and I'm persuaded that He's able to keep
that which I've committed unto Him against that day. In myself,
I don't find any power. I know. But those that walk with
God, they're instructed, and they know it. You've come this
morning. Why? Why did you come? Brought? Ordered by the Lord? You want
to be taught. Psalm 86, 11, teach me thy way. Lord, teach me of Christ. Teach
me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth. Unite my heart to fear thy name. God's people that reverence Him. They respect Him. They walk with
God. They agree with God. Boy, it's
just a different mindset. Noah walked with God. Noah was
a man who struggled just like any of us. Enoch was too. Enoch
walked with God. Scripture says he was not. God just took him right into
heaven. But that was a sinner saved by the grace of God that
just struggled just like everybody else does. Walking. Fourthly,
lastly, for me to walk with God, God must keep me. because I can't
keep myself. Those that walk with the Lord,
like I said, are sinners struggling with the presence of sins and
thankful that God would keep them. Thankful that they got
up this morning with a heart that would long to hear His Word.
My shearer, John 10, 27, 28, hear my voice. Now you know that is emphatic.
My sheep hear my voice. I know them. I know them in mercy. I know them in grace. He knows
all men. But he is talking about His sheep
here. And they follow me. They walk after me. They agree
with me. They agree with me. And I give
unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand." I tell you this to walk with
Almighty God in heart. Agreeing with God. Agreeing with
Him about myself. Agreeing with Him about who He
says He is. Agreeing with Him about what He says Christ, His
Lamb, has done. Walk with God. The Lord causes
them to hear by the preaching of the Gospel. He gives them
a heart to believe Him. He robes them in His righteousness,
the righteousness of His precious Son. He teaches them by His Spirit
and keeps them by His grace, walking with God. That implies
a nearness, a communion, going in the same direction, safety,
pleasure. hear His Gospel preached. Search His Scriptures. Seek Him
in prayer. Listen to me. I am telling you
something that I know by experience and you that know Him do too.
Slowfulness in these areas. Hearing the Gospel. Consistently
sitting under the Gospel. Consistently searching His Scriptures. Consistently seeking Him in prayer. It causes in our heart loneliness,
distance. You try just not seeking after
Him, asking after Him, knocking after Him, and see if there is
not a loneliness. Paul said in Ephesians 5 now,
Are ye light in the Lord? Walk as children of light. Walking after God. All God's
people, regenerated by the grace of God, walk after Him. They do. They walk after Him.
They agree with Him. They hunger after Him. They thirst
after Him. They see no confidence that they
could possibly see in themselves. And they thank God that for Christ's
sake, God would show mercy to them. May the Lord teach us today
afresh. Settle our hearts. For the name
of the Lord Jesus we pray, Amen.