One of the most memorable events described in The Holy Bible is the story of Noah and the flood (Genesis chapters 6, 7, and 8). We seldom take notice of how God mourned at all the evil men planned and carried out against one another (Genesis chapters five through seven). His love could not continue to overlook the cruelty and suffering that was continuing to increase with no hope of a change of heart.

We get a glimpse at the beginnings of the violence (which increased to include everyone during Noah's time except for Noah) when we look back at Cain who killed his brother. He was afraid he would be killed by someone else looking for revenge (Genesis 4:13-16). God marked Cain to prevent vigilante “justice.” Then we read about Lamech who took revenge by killing someone who had done him wrong (Genesis 4:23-24). We are not given any more detail about how men carried out their evil inclinations of their hearts. We only have to look around us today, read our newspapers and listen to news reports to know what evil minded men are capable of doing.

God hoped for repentance (2 Peter 3:8-9). But he found only one righteous man willing to obey God and be saved. Noah must have been ridiculed as he built this huge floating ark on dry land. He was called a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) so he must have been telling others what was going to happen. Only seven others, his family, were invited and willing to go.

There is a judgment coming when only those righteous in God's eyes will be saved (Ezekiel 14:12-14). There is a deliverance God has made possible through Jesus, the Son of God for those who are willing to come aboard with faith (Ezekiel 14:14, 20; 1 Peter 3:18-22). Those who accept this deliverance have a new purpose—to live the rest of his or her life doing the will of God (1 Peter 4:1-19). In Jesus and by the Holy Spirit all who accept this deliverance will be given a new heart, one not inclined to evil, but a heart, an inclination, not to evil, but to love God and our neighbors (Ezekiel 36:26-27; Acts 2:38-41).