Our story picks up from last week: "Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord" (v. 8). "Favor" is the Old Testament's word for "grace," God's love for his creation. He wanted to give this "favor" to all of mankind, but they would not accept his mercy. As we will soon see, they rejected every opportunity for salvation.

On the other hand, Noah positioned himself to receive such grace. Note that Noah "found" this favor--he did not earn it. Here's how he "found" it: "Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God" (v. 9). His righteousness did not earn God's favor, but it put Noah in position to receive what God wanted to give. He was by no means a perfect man--remember his drunkenness in Genesis 9. But he responded to God's grace, for himself and his family. So can we.

Noah built his Ark for a hundred years in the face of ridicule and rejection: God "did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others" (2 Peter 2:5). Across these hundred years Noah did all he could to warn others. But everyone excepting his own family rejected his message and the grace of God.

And so a Flood obliterated all human life on the planet except for Noah's family, and every living organism (presumably excepting fish, which are not mentioned). This is the record Genesis has left us.