There is no doubt that the Bible is packed full of unique personalities.
Some of these men and women are good examples and some are bad examples.
I have been challenged by every one of them to either add the right or
subtract the wrong in my life. One of the women in the Bible I most admire
is Noah's wife. I am looking forward to meeting her in heaven! Actually,
scripture does not even give us her name and there is not a whole lot
plainly stated about her but if you read between the lines, you'll see
why I admire Noah's wife so much…
Genesis 6:5-8 (KJV)
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
[6] And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him at his heart. [7] And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom
I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the
creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have
made them. [8] But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
As is the case with any man, when we observe the life of Noah, we will
learn much about the woman behind him. In the midst of an age when the
wickedness of the human race had reached it's peak, the Bible states that
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. While everyone else was bathing
in sin, Noah was bathing himself in righteousness. He kept himself pure
though surrounded by perversion. He walked with God and gained His favor.
What a rare testimony! No wonder the Lord chose to use him in a big way…
What might that tell you about his wife?
NOAH'S WIFE WAS NOT A WORLDLY WOMAN - SHE SHARED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS GOD
COMMENDED.
Genesis 6:9-10 (KJV)
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in
his generations, and Noah walked with God. [10] And Noah begat three sons,
Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Here we gain a glimpse of the character and family life of a man who lived
in a corrupt world. One cannot help but observe they were a radiant light
in a very dark place. While everyone else was occupied with sin, Noah
was busy building a godly home and God blessed him with three sons. What
might that tell you about his wife?
NOAH'S WIFE ENJOYED INTIMACY WITH HER HUSBAND - SHE WAS SATISFIED WITH
THE MAN SHE MARRIED AND LOVED HOME LIFE.
Genesis 6:11-16 (KJV)
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
[12] And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all
flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. [13] And God said unto Noah,
The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence
through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee
an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch
it within and without with pitch. [15] And this is the fashion which thou
shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits,
the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. [16]
A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish
it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof;
with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
Because of the violence that filled the earth through wicked vessels,
God instituted a divine plan to destroy it and Noah was appointed to the
difficult task of building an extremely large vessel three stories high.
His current line of work would come to an end and a new calling was put
before him. There were specific details involved in this construction
of which God expected Noah to pay strict attention, to the end that the
ark was well built. He would also be employed preaching righteousness
to the ungodly and warning them of God's impending judgment. No doubt
such a vocation would bring daily ridicule upon Noah and opposition of
all sorts. Nevertheless, he obeyed. What might that tell you about his
wife?
NOAH'S WIFE WAS FLEXIBLE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS SUBMISSIVE. NOAH'S WIFE COOPERATED
WITH MATTERS OF JUDGMENT AND DISCIPLINE WITHOUT FEAR. NOAH'S WIFE HELD
A HIGH REGARD FOR EXCELLENCE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION
TO ASSIST HER HUSBAND IN HIS GOD GIVEN DUTIES.
Genesis 6:18-20 (KJV)
But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the
ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
[19] And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou
bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and
female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of
every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall
come unto thee, to keep them alive.
God made a covenant with Noah that would save him and his whole family
by way of the ark. They would not face death, as would the others. Their
want of righteousness invited God's mercy and would not be wasted but
preserved and utilized. The Lord intended to separate Noah's family unto
Himself and use them to bring a new beginning to the world. Father, Mother,
sons and daughters-in-law would all live together in this large vessel,
having also to share their new situation with a large array of living
cargo while tending to a wide variety of their needs. What might that
tell you about his wife?
NOAH'S WIFE WAS NOT CONTENTIOUS. NOAH'S WIFE ADDED TO THE TENOR OF FAMILY
UNITY. NOAH'S WIFE GAINED THE RESPECT OF HER SONS & DAUGHTER'S IN LAW.
NOAH'S WIFE POSSESSED A NURTURING PERSONALITY. NOAH'S WIFE WAS A WORKER.
NOAH'S WIFE WAS NOT EASILY OVERWHELMED. NOAH'S WIFE WAS ABLE TO LEAVE
THE PAST BEHIND.
Genesis 6:21 (KJV)
And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather
it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
Yes, food for the family would need to be loaded in the ark, but so would
food for all the species of animals be necessary. Now I don't know about
you ladies, but I am not familiar with the diet of most animals. If I
were Noah, I would have to do some research to properly prepare for such
an undertaking. What might that tell you about his wife?
NOAH'S WIFE WAS SKILLED IN MEAL PLANNING. NOAH'S WIFE WAS NOT OPPOSED
TO MEAL PREPARATION OR COOKING. NOAH'S WIFE WAS GIVEN TO HOSPITALITY AND
SPARED NO EXPENSE FOR PROVISIONS FOR ALL. NOAH'S WIFE WAS NOT OPPOSED
TO EDUCATING HERSELF IN ORDER TO BETTER ASSIST HER HUSBAND.
Genesis 6:22 (KJV)
Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Having been entrusted with no small mission, the Bible says that Noah
followed God's instructions in every respect. What a sermon this man consistently
lived and preached before a wayward, self-serving generation! Noah was
unaffected by the opinions of his day. What might that tell you about
his wife?
NOAH'S WIFE DID NOT INTERFERE IN HER HUSBAND'S RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
NOAH'S WIFE FAITHFULLY ENDORSED HIS OBEDIENCE AND WAS A TRUE HELP-MEET
IN ALL HIS WORK. NOAH'S WIFE NEVER FELL PREY TO POOR OPINION OF HER HUSBAND.
Genesis 7:1 (KJV)
And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark;
for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
When the work was finished, God invited Noah and his whole family into
the ark; he never crossed the threshold before the Lord bade him. Imagine
taking that last step out of normal life to new life in the ark, out of
disaster and into safety. Casting himself on the providence of God, Noah
accepted the Lord's invitation and one by one each of his family members
followed in his footsteps. What might that tell you about his wife?
NOAH'S WIFE RESPECTED HIM AS A LEADER AND WAS IN THE HABIT OF FOLLOWING
HER HUSBAND WITHOUT DISPUTE. NOAH'S WIFE TRUSTED GOD.
Genesis 7:4 (KJV)
For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days
and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy
from off the face of the earth.
In the hustle and bustle of life, there are many things we take for granted
on a daily basis that pertain to creation. Bright sunshine, soothing blue
skies, all types of multicolored flowers with their uplifting fragrances,
soft, green grass, attractive trees standing erect, each one displaying
their own unique character, the encouraging songs of various birds, the
background noise of numerous insects and the mild caress of a gentle breeze
are all part of everyday life on earth. Can you imagine what it must have
been like after washing all that away? Little by little the rain fell
over the course of forty days and nights. This element of daily living
for Noah and his family was gradually covered over as the water level
increased and God flooded the earth. What might that tell you about his
wife?
NOAH'S WIFE WAS NOT PRONE TO DEPRESSION. NOAH'S WIFE WAS ABLE TO ENDURE
HARD TIMES. NOAH'S WIFE WAS CAPABLE OF LIVING UNDER UNPLEASANT, REDUCED
CONDITIONS.
Genesis 7:5-7 (KJV)
And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him. [6] And Noah
was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with
him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
According to the scriptures, Noah was 480 years old when he began working
on the ark and finished approximately 120 years later. When the flood
of waters came, the Bible says he was 600 years old. Noah and his family
were not back on dry ground until his 601st year. Notice that the men
entered the ark first with the women coming after… What might that tell
you about his wife?
NOAH'S WIFE WAS A SOURCE OF GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT TO HER HUSBAND THROUGH
THE YEARS. NOAH'S WIFE DIDN'T RESENT OR COMPETE WITH MALE LEADERSHIP.
NOAH'S WIFE DIDN'T INSIST SHE HAVE A CHANCE TO CHECK THINGS OUT BEFORE
DISEMBARKING. NOAH'S WIFE RESTED IN GOD'S PROTECTION AND GUIDANCE.
Genesis 7:8-10 (KJV)
Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of
every thing that creepeth upon the earth, [9] There went in two and two
unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded
Noah. [10] And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the
flood were upon the earth.
Not surprisingly, God instituted an orderly way for the various species
to enter the ark. Everything the Lord carries out is done decently and
in order for it is reflective of His character. Hence, God teaches His
children to avoid disorder at all cost. God commanded that the beasts
and fowls and creeping things would enter two by two, male first and then
female. There was no stampede, no chaos, and no confusion allowed on the
ark - a place for everything and everything in its place. What might that
tell you about his wife?
NOAH'S WIFE RESPECTED GOD'S MODE OF OPERATION. NOAH'S WIFE WAS AN ORGANIZED
WOMAN. NOAH'S WIFE MADE CERTAIN ALL FEMALE SPECIES MAINTAINED THEIR POSITION.
Reading between the lines, we have gained much insight into the character
of Noah's wife! I hope you have come to admire her as much as I have.
Ladies, God titled this woman exactly as He wants us to remember her -
as NOAH'S wife. Regrettably, there are many Christian women today who
are more focused on the ministry OF their husbands than they are focused
on their ministry TO their husbands. It matters not whether your husband
is a pastor, an evangelist, a deacon, a mailman, a policeman, a chef,
an electrician, a janitor etc. You are married to the MAN, not his vocation.
(If you were married to his calling and he left it, then you would have
to leave him!) Focus on the condition of your heart, not his position.
Leave your husband's vocation with God and support him in whatever he
has to do. If we were to read between the lines of your husband's life,
what would we learn about YOU?
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60: 1&2
Copyright 2003 Pamela A. Iannello
