Not long after Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden of Eden did sin begin wreaking havoc on the world. Genesis 5 recounts Adam’s genealogy and not two generations pass before a pattern begins to develop: “When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son, in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died” (vv. 3–5). As for Seth, he “lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died” (vv. 7–8). “All the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died” (v. 11). “All the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died” (v. 14). And so on.
But something happens as we continue reading. The pattern is interrupted when we come to the son of a man named Lamech. “When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son and called his name Noah, saying, ‘Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands’” (Genesis 5:28–29). Rather than simply giving the name of Lamech’s son and an account of the years he lived, nestled between one death and another, we find an explanation. And just as quickly as the pattern is broken, it’s picked up again as we read that “Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died” (v. 31).
When we find these kinds of abnormalities in Scripture, we have to ask, what’s going on here? The name Noah literally means “rest.” So why the added explanation?
What we’ll find, as we delve into our study of the Noahic covenant, is that this “explanation” is not really an explanation at all. What reads like an explanation is actually a declaration of hope, a look forward to a promise of rest and relief in the midst of a world full of toil and struggle.
This is how we’re first introduced to Noah, and what a way to make an entrance! In a world surrounded by death, Noah’s birth breaks through with a promise of something better, a promise that there will come an end to the struggle and the toil. Pain and death will not rule forever. Something’s coming, and it will bring us rest.
This is what the Noahic covenant invites us into: hope. And isn’t that exactly what we’re all looking for? No matter our circumstances, we could all use hope, because we, like Lamech—and Enosh and Seth and Adam— know what it’s like to live in a world ravaged by sin. Sin has separated us from God, too, and we feel it. Death is in our world, too, and it robs us of the ones we love. But there’s good news. Hope has broken through to remind us that there is one who is coming to bring us relief, and in him we will find our rest.
As a nurse, this pandemic has taken peace & rest away. Especially with all the uncertainty around it. It brings weariness. It makes me worn out & listless. What should I do- to protect my family? What could I have done- especially thinking of my earthly father dying of it? So much uncertainty- would’ve… could’ve… should’ve. I seek to find peace & rest in the one & only Comforter- my Heavenly Father!!! The Great Physician. The Healer. In His word, thru His music, in prayer…. Help me, O Lord!!
I find rest in God’s comfort. I’m still a sinner but want a relay with God forever. Covid is making me weary.
I am so weary of trying to figure things out by myself. I know I should let God lead me, but I keep taking back control and it is exhausting. I am trying to decide whether to stay in a relationship (5 years) with a great guy who is not a believer, or to leave and start over at the age of 56. This is such a hard decision to make because he treats me really well. I am sensing God telling me to leave, but fear of the unknown and what comes after is causing me anxiety and frustration. I know if I give it up to God, then I will find rest. I still struggle trusting God and I hate that. I want to trust Him fully.
It is so hard to leave – however, no relationship is worth sacrificing the relationship you have with God. Someone once told me this when I was dating and dealing with the same situation you are. Imagine you, as the believer are standing on a chair. You’re trying to pull that nonbeliever up to stand on that chair with you because you know how great that life is. Who will win that battle? Him pulling you down to the ground or you pulling his full weight up to the chair?
It is HARD to leave. It is HARD to face the unknown when you desire that comfort and relationship. However, you won’t regret it when you obey what you already know God needs you to do. Praying for you friend. <3
Let go let God completely get off social media build bridges not walls
Even though the semester has just started, my classes at college are piling up quickly. Between that, work, and just trying to be a normal kid, I feel so exhausted at the end of every day. For me to find rest in these areas, I think it could start with surrendering my to-do list to God. Instead of focusing on getting every single thing done every day, I could invite God into my assignments and schedule, to see where He is telling me to rest and where to be productive. I could make wise use of my time by listening to His voice and relying on His strength alone, and not my own.
The whole entire world feels impossible right now with all of the polarization happening. What scares me most is that the church is being divided. I feel very much like Abraham living in Sodom and how Noah must have felt seeing the world falling apart all around him. The devil seems to be working overtime lately. It is comforting to know that God holds are future. Hanging on to that promise. Psalm 5:11- “Let all who take refuge in you rejoice, and let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love you may exult you.”
I am so beyond exhausted. I fear everything, change, decisions…. I am paralyzed by the anxiety of my life. I have lost my hope, my vision of where God was leading me. It hurts feeling so cut off
I love not only the promise of a beautiful, perfect, joyful rest in eternity but that we can also rest in Christ now, on earth. We can rest from our striving to measure up because we already do in Christ. We can experience joy here. We can serve and honor Him from His strength and that we already measure up by His blood rather than our own strength which fails us. We can abide in Him and know that He is God and not we ourselves. I know I won’t even rest in Him perfectly and will fail miserably in that, but the beautiful process of growing in that rest, dependence and fellowship with Him is a crazy, amazing adventure! So thankful.
Right at the moment I am not weary. However, I recently experienced a long weary season where I was discouraged, listless and hopeless. My recent breakthrough came after I decided to take my eyes off of the circumstance (person) and rest them on Jesus alone. Resting in his power, love, care and surrendering the person and my loss to Jesus alone.
I am worn out every day with everything that I do. From being a mom, wife, teacher, cook, house cleaner, and the list goes on and on…. Do not get me wrong, I love being all of these things and I would not trade it for nothing in this world, I just sometimes feel so burnt out and useless, because I am doing too much and I never have any down time, except for right before I go to bed. I just feel that since I am not taking care of me and my needs, that I am failing at being the best mom, wife, and teacher that I can be.