Verse:
Genesis 6:9
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just (tsaddiyq) man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Commentary by Coffman
Noah was a righteous man Perfect in his generations
This does not refer to the intrinsic righteousness of Noah but to his status in the eyes of God. In Hebrews we learn that by faith he obeyed God and became the heir to the righteousness which is according to faith (Hebrews 11:7). (See more on this under The Covenant, below.)
Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Source
The last clause is limitive, conveying the sense of relativity regarding Noah's perfection. That is, in comparison with the people among whom he lived, his life was perfect in the sight of God.
Commentary by David Guzik
When we are told Noah was a man perfect in his generations (a term unique to Noah), it not only refers to the righteous life of Noah, but also to the fact he was yet uncorrupted by Satan's attempt to sow a "virus" among the genetic pool of mankind. We could translate, "Noah was pure in his genetic profile." Source
b. Noah's three sons will figure into the account in a significant way; God will use them as a foundation for the rest of the human race.
Commentary by Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
. Noah ... just ... and perfect Source
--not absolutely; for since the fall of Adam no man has been free from sin except Jesus Christ. But as living by faith he was just (Ga 3:2; Heb 11:7) and perfect --that is, sincere in his desire to do God's will.
Ga 3:2 Heb 11:7
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Commentary by John Gill
These are the generations of Noah Noah was a just man;
Or this is the account of his posterity, of the persons that were generated by him, that sprung from him, and peopled the earth after the flood, who are mentioned in the next verse, what follows being to be put in a parenthesis; as the genealogy of Adam is carried on from Adam to Noah, (Genesis 5:1-32) so the old world ending at the flood, the genealogy of the new world begins with Noah: though Aben Ezra and Ben Gersome interpret the word "events", things which days bring forth, (Proverbs 27:1) these are the events or the things which befell Noah, of which an account is given in this and some following chapters, whose character is next observed:
Proverbs 27:1
Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.and perfect in his generations;
not only before men, but in the sight of God; and not by his own works of righteousness, for no man is just by them before God, but by the righteousness of the promised seed, the Messiah; for he "became heir of the righteousness which is by faith", (Hebrews 11:7) the righteousness which was to be brought in by the Son of God, and which was revealed to him from faith to faith; and which by faith he received and lived upon, as every just man does, and believed in as his justifying righteousness before God; though he also lived a holy and righteous conversation before men, which may rather be intended in the next part of his character:
Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. [And] Noah walked with God:
not that he was perfectly holy, or free from sin, but was a partaker of the true grace of God; was sincere and upright in heart and life; lived an unblemished life and conversation, untainted with the gross corruptions of that age he lived in, which he escaped through the knowledge, grace, and fear of God; and therefore it is added, that he was holy, upright, and blameless "in his generations": among the men of the several generations he lived in, as in the generation before the flood, which was very corrupt indeed, and which corruption was the cause of that; and in the generation after the flood: or "in his ages" , in the several stages of his life, in youth and in old age; he was throughout the whole course of his life a holy good man. Source
walked according to his will, in the ways of truth and righteousness; walked in a manner well pleasing to him, and enjoyed much communion with him, as Enoch had done before him, (Genesis 5:22,24) .
Genesis 5:22,24
22 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
Commentary by John Wesley
Noah was a just man Source
Justified before God by faith in the promised seed; for he was an heir of the righteousness which is by faith, Hebrews 11:7. He was sanctified, and had right principles and dispositions implanted in him: and he was righteous in his conversation, one that made conscience of rendering to all their due, to God his due, and to men theirs. And he walked with God as Enoch had done before him: in his generation, even in that corrupt degenerate age. It is easy to be religious when religion is in fashion; but it is an evidence of strong faith to swim against the stream, and to appear for God, when no one else appears for him: so Noah did, and it is upon record to his immortal honour.
Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Commentary by Matthew Henry
These are the generations of Noah (this is the account we have to give of him), Noah was a just man, Genesis 6:9. This character of Noah comes in here either, Source
(1.) As the reason of God's favour to him; his singular piety qualified him for singular tokens of God's loving-kindness. Those that would find grace in the eyes of the Lord must be as Noah was and do as Noah did; God loves those that love him: or,
(2.) As the effect of God's favour to him. It was God's good-will to him that produced this good work in him. He was a very good man, but he was no better than the grace of God made him, 1 Corinthians 15:10. Now observe his character.
1 Corinthians 15:10 [1.] He was a just man, that is, justified before God by faith in the promised seed; for he was an heir of the righteousness which is by faith, Hebrews 11:7. He was sanctified, and had right principles and dispositions implanted in him; and he was righteous in his conversation, one that made conscience of rendering to all their due, to God his due and to men theirs. Note, None but a downright honest man can find favour with God. That conversation which will be pleasing to God must be governed by simplicity and godly sincerity, not by fleshly wisdom, 2 Corinthians 1:12. God has sometimes chosen the foolish things of the world, but he never chose the knavish things of it.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. [2.] He was perfect, not with a sinless perfection, but a perfection of sincerity; and it is well for us that by virtue of the covenant of grace, upon the score of Christ's righteousness, sincerity is accepted as our gospel perfection.
Hebrews 11:7 2 Corinthians 1:12
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace.
[3.] He walked with God, as Enoch had done before him. He was not only honest, but devout; he walked, that is, he acted with God, as one always under his eye. He lived a life of communion with God; it was his constant care to conform himself to the will of God, to please him, and to approve himself to him. Note, God looks down upon those with an eye of favour who sincerely look up to him with an eye of faith. But,
[4.] That which crowns his character is that thus he was, and thus he did, in his generation, in that corrupt degenerate age in which his lot was cast. It is easy to be religious when religion is in fashion; but it is an evidence of strong faith and resolution to swim against a stream to heaven, and to appear for God when no one else appears for him: so Noah did, and it is upon record, to his immortal honour.
Commentary by Scofield
Genesis 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
walkedSource
Noah and Enoch are the two antediluvians of whom it is said that they "walked with God" Genesis 5:24; 6:9. Enoch, "translated that he should not see death" Hebrews 11:5 becomes a type of the saints who will be "caught up" before the great tribulation ; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; Revelation 3:10; Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21.
Genesis 5:24
Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. Noah, preserved through the Flood, is a type of the Israelitish people who will be preserved through the tribulation Jeremiah 30:5-9. See "Tribulation" ; Psalms 2:5; Revelation 7:14.
Hebrews 11:5 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. Revelation 3:10
14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.Daniel 12:1
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. Matthew 24:21
"At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people-everyone whose name is found written in the book-will be delivered.
For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again.
Jeremiah 30:5-9
5 "This is what the LORD says:
" 'Cries of fear are heard-
terror, not peace.
6 Ask and see:
Can a man bear children?
Then why do I see every strong man
with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor,
every face turned deathly pale?
7 How awful that day will be!
None will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,
but he will be saved out of it.
8 " 'In that day,' declares the LORD Almighty,
'I will break the yoke off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;
no longer will foreigners enslave them.
9 Instead, they will serve the LORD their God
and David their king,
whom I will raise up for them.
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Prepared by William C. Barman for George Young Memorial United Methodist Church -- Palm Harbor, FL on 9/25/03; 5:10:02 PM