This post was last updated on January 29, 2026

Day 332, Year 1

Noah’s Faith

“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” (Hebrews 11:7 NASB)

According to the Book of Genesis, when Noah was 500 years old, he gave birth to Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 5:32). Then God commanded him to build an ark (6:13-21). When he was 600 years old, the great flood came upon the whole earth (7:11). Between the ages of 500 and 600, Noah was probably ridiculed and insulted while he built the ark for such a long time. But Noah’s actions of faith saved him and his family, and condemned that sinful generation. Similarly, if we, Christians, prepare ourselves now for God’s final judgment, many may make fun of us. But our actions of faith can save us from the coming great tribulation and condemn the people of this age. In the past, people ridiculed Noah. But what God saw was Noah’s reverence for Him. So, what do you see when you obey God? And how will you choose for your future and take action from now on?

The fear of God drives His people to act. By acting according to the faith in God, we can then become His righteous heirs. At the end of the verse today, he “became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith,” which could be translated as “and he who was by faith became the heir of righteousness.” The Greek word for “righteousness” is dikaiosune, which means two things here: first, to be accepted by God and to become what we should be; and second, to have qualities or virtues in life such as righteousness and justice.

In the process of acting according to God’s guidance, we need to let go of our own wills, then truly find our true selves. We should persist in doing what God has commanded, no matter how dull, difficult, or seemingly useless, but always hoping for His presence, strengthening, and grace upon us. In this way, when we keep on believing in and obeying God’s promptings, we gradually become more righteous in our lives. We are first accepted by God because we believe in Jesus Christ. Moreover, we accept the life of the Lord and learn to obey Him step by step. As a result, we will feel that we are indeed the righteous heirs of God. This verse tells us three things: be warned by God and obey His words; take the initiative to prepare ourselves for the end-time Judgment; and finally, become His righteous heir.

Reflection questions:

1) Are you afraid of ridicule or insult from others? If so, how can you overcome it with the Lord’s help?

2) Faith brings righteousness and changes in our lives. Is this your personal experience? If so, what has been your relevant experience lately?