Noah: Bible Character Study

Introduction

The earth was corrupt and full of violence, and God was sorry he had made man. But Noah found favor in his eyes. God told him to build an ark, gave him its measurements, and Noah did all that God commanded him.

Genesis never records Noah speaking until after the flood. He built, he went in, he waited, he sent out birds, and when he came out he built an altar. God set his bow in the clouds and promised never again to destroy the earth by flood. Then Noah planted a vineyard, got drunk, and lay uncovered in his tent. Scripture tells the truth about its heroes.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
(ESV)

Name means: Linked to “rest” or “relief” ()
Home: The land before the flood; then the mountains of Ararat
Role: Builder of the ark, father of the nations after the flood
Read in: ; ; ;

Noah's story

Beginning
Found favor
In a corrupt world, Noah walks with God and finds favor.
High point
Build an ark
God gives him the plan, and he does all that God commands.
Low point
The flood
The fountains of the deep burst open. Everything outside the ark dies.
High point
The bow in the cloud
He builds an altar. God makes a covenant with every living creature.
Ending
The vineyard
He gets drunk and is shamed; he curses Canaan.

Starts as one righteous man in a violent world. Ends as a father of nations, saved by grace and still a sinner.

Where Noah lived and went

Only places Scripture records. Softer, dotted pins are traditional or uncertain sites. Tap a pin for the passage.

HomeMinistryKey momentTraditional or uncertainPinch or use + to zoom. Tap a cluster to spread it out.

Scripture does not say where Noah lived before the flood.

How Noah is wired

The Reformer

Enneagram 1, Peacemaker wing

To do what is right, carefully and completely.

Scripture doesn't give us much here, so treat this as a best guess.

At their best, toward 7 Under stress, toward 4

Why we think so

He does it all. Twice Genesis says he did all that God commanded him. ()
He is blameless. He is righteous and blameless in his generation. ()
He is careful. He waits and tests the land with birds before leaving the ark. ()

The 9 wing shows in his quiet. He says nothing before the flood. ()

Other lenses

Big Five. Read from what is recorded in Genesis 1-9.

ReservedOutgoing

SteadyReactive

ChallengingAccommodating

SpontaneousDisciplined

TraditionalCurious

DISC style: Steady, careful, faithful

Strengths & struggles

What's good in Noah

Walked with God when no one else did (). Obeyed in full and in detail (). Patient through a long wait (). Worshiped first when he came out ().

Where Noah struggles

Drunkenness that shamed him before his sons (). His recorded words are a curse on Canaan, spoken in anger ().

What Noah wanted most

Scripture does not say. His life shows a steady wish to do what God said ().

What Noah feared most

Scripture does not say. Hebrews says he built in reverent fear ().

Noah's people

The Lord

The LORDWarned him, saved him, and made a covenant with him ().

Family

Shem, Ham and JaphethHis sons, saved with him in the ark ().

LamechHis father, who named him hoping for relief ().

Tension

CanaanHis grandson, whom he cursed ().

Family of Faith

See where Noah fits

AbrahamJesus

Before Abraham, undated. No recorded connection yet.

Open the timeline

Where this points to Christ

Noah's family was carried safely through judgment in the ark. Jesus carries his people through judgment in himself.

Peter says eight people were brought safely through water, and that baptism now saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (). Jesus said the days of the Son of Man would be like the days of Noah (). The ark had one door; Jesus says, I am the door ().