To quickly review the past “Wisdom from Murray” posts…
- Because earthly fathers are made in the image of God, they reflect our heavenly Father. My home can be a glimpse of heaven here on earth, by spending more time with God and learning from Him.
- Not only am I made in the image of God, my children are made in my image and inherit my sin nature/patterns. Selfishness is the root of all sin. To combat selfishness: Love God, love others.
My man Murray sure has a lot of wisdom, huh?
To be honest the first time I read this next chapter I wasn’t sure if Murray made correct conclusions. I’m open to your thoughts/discussion in the comments section.
“Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.” Genesis 7:1
In the last chapter we discussed how sin originated in Adam and has been transferred from fathers to sons for generations. By the time of Noah, the world was corrupt. Sooooo corrupt that everyone but Noah and his family would be destroyed.
In this horrific, epic event, I could focus on the wrath of God and the death of so many people. Instead Murray draws my attention to recognizing God’s grace and mercy in saving Noah & his family.
“It was the first act of redeeming grace on a sinful world…great principles of the economy of grace:
- mercy in judgment
- life through death
- faith as a means to deliverance
Murray suggests not only was sin nature handed down from parents to children, but grace was passed down as well. Noah’s son Ham was worthy of perishing with the rest of the wicked world. Yet in the verse above (Gen.7:1) God calls for Noah and ALL his house/family into the ark. Ham was saved from the flood because of his father’s righteousness.
In God’s sight, the family is one unit. The parents and children are one in sin and in grace. The original “Grace-Based Parenting” started at the ark.
“The parental relation has a nobler destiny: for the eternal life, too, with its blessings, the believing father is to regard himself as the appointed channel & steward of the grace of God“-Murray
No pressure, right? Parents are the givers of God’s grace. Murray goes further to suggest if the parent’s faith is secure, the child will be blessed by the parent’s righteousness. Not only is Noah saved by being in the ark…so are his children, even his sinful, unrighteous children. Undeserved favor (aka “grace”).
Compare God protecting Noah and his family in the ark, to my family. Murray implies, my “ark” (faith) in which I am to be saved is meant for my children too. The saving “ark” is for my children as much as for me.
Not only is salvation not just to me, but also for my children. He commanded Noah to bring his family into the ark. He commands us to bring our children “into the ark”.
“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household.” Hebrews 11:7
Noah believed God would save his family. So much so he gave his entire life for the construction of this gigantic boat. “God always gives grace proportionate to the duty He requires.”(Murray)
The application is this:
- live, act, pray for children’s salvation
- make their salvation my one aim & joy in life
- be assured my children are to be saved with me
- let me confidently trust God for the salvation of every child!
We don’t just “hope” are children are saved. According to Murray we need to accept it in faith. Act in obedience. Bring them into the ark.
Love these words:
“Your house will be to the child the ark where Christ is known and found.” Andrew Murray
What are your thoughts about Murray’s conclusions from the Noah account?
There are other parralels in the Scriptures as well. I just read about Rahab and her family in Joshua today. There was also Joshua himself declaring that his whole house would follow God. In the New Testament we see the Jailer of Ephesus and Lydia who were saved with their whole households.
On the other hand you have God warning Israel in Ezekiel 14 that they had sinned so badly that even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were living at the time they wouldn’t have been able to spare their families, but only their own lives.
We don’t have to worry, but we do have a lot of responsibility to pass on faith in such a way that our children will be able to stand before God on their own without us.
Thank you sooo much for this comment. Very thorough look at various examples in Scripture and fabulous conclusion. Thank you!
I love your application points on this one. That is ultimately what we want to accept!