Almost everybody has heard about Noah and the ark. Although his entry in this directory of faithful people is brief, the Old Testament account of his life occupies four whole chapters (Genesis 6:1-9:29). It is a real-life demonstration of the judgement of the wicked, and salvation of the righteous. Genesis 6:5-12 exposes the contrast between Noah, a solitary righteous man, and a godless world.

God warned Noah that He would use a mountain-covering flood to destroy all the inhabitants of the world – according to His divine principle to reveal what He is going to do, to people who will listen (Amos 3:7). God entrusted Noah with His plan. He then gave detailed instructions for building a huge boat (Genesis 6:15-16) which would save Noah, his family and pairs of every living land creature and bird (Genesis 6:18-21).

And Noah obeyed because he believed. As he built the giant structure on dry land he was proclaiming his faith that God would fulfil His Word (2 Peter 2:5). Doubtless the wicked scoffed at Noah. They had never heard of a destructive flood and assumed it could not happen, and then continued to live for their own pleasure (Luke 17:27). But the flood proved they were wrong and Noah was right because he trusted and obeyed God's Word. Noah's faith was active. He trusted what God said and obeyed. That is the stuff of saving faith.

Jesus used Noah's life-story to emphasise the urgency of trusting in Him for salvation, even though the world runs to hell. 'But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.' (Matthew 24:36-39). The Hebrews writer did not need to retell the story but simply states that Noah believed and was saved. It was the same message Paul and Silas gave to the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:31) – the same message that continues to bring people to salvation, however foolish the world thinks it is.