In this message, a parenthesis in our Life-study of Genesis, I am burdened that we see a crucial point regarding Noah's life — that Noah's life and work changed the age. Although I had seen this previously in my study of Genesis, I never saw it so impressively as in these days. It is not a small thing to change the age.
There is a great contrast between Genesis 1 and 6. If you read the latter part of Genesis 1, you will see that God created man in His own image for the purpose of expressing Himself (1:26). God intended that man be His expression. Man was made in the image of God to express nothing less than God Himself. Man was like a photograph, made in the image of God to express God. Furthermore, man was also committed with God's authority that he might exercise this authority for God's dominion on earth. We must see how great a commission this is. Man was created in God's image that he might express God, and he was entrusted with God's authority that he might represent God and set up a dominion on earth over all God's creatures. God did not charge man to work or to establish a mission. No, God's intention was that man should express Him with His image and represent Him with His authority.
After God created man and had a thorough look at him, He said, "Very good" (1:31). After His work on some of the six days, God simply said, "Good." On the second day, God did not say anything, because on that day there were fallen angels in the air and demons in the water. It was impossible for God to say, "Good," on that day. God did not say anything about the second day. On the sixth day, the day in which God created man, God looked at His work, especially on man, and said, "Very good!" In God's eyes, man was very good.
Five chapters later on, in Genesis 6, God took another look at mankind. When God had His first look at mankind in Genesis 1, He was happy and pleased with man. When God had another look at man in Genesis 6, He saw that man had become wicked and corrupt to the uttermost, and it grieved Him that He had made man. What a change from Genesis 1! Originally, man was on such a high level, but, beginning at chapter three, he descended lower and lower. What would you have done if you had been God? Perhaps you would have said, "Forget about it." But what about God's eternal purpose? Is not God the eternal God? Can the eternal God change? God is not a temporary God, but an eternal God. In Him there is no shadow of change (James 1:17). Once He makes a decision, it stands for eternity. If God had forgotten His eternal purpose, His enemy would have laughed at Him, saying, "You intended to create man to defeat me, but instead of You defeating me, I have defeated You." Will God be defeated? Never! Then what should God do? The answer, the same in principle throughout the centuries, is found in Genesis 6:8: "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."
Let us read verses 5 through 8. "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." In Hebrew, the words "every imagination" signify not only the imagination, but also the purposes and desires. "And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 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." If that had been all, there would have been no hope. But hallelujah for verse 8! This verse begins with a big "But." "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." This is one of the greatest verses in the book of Genesis. Satan was glad to hear that God was going to destroy man from the face of the earth, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. That turned the situation and changed the age. Hallelujah, God was not defeated! In the midst of apparent defeat, there was victory through a man who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. That was the turning point. If you read history along with the Bible, you will see that in every generation, when Satan has done his best to damage the situation to the uttermost, there has always been one man or a few people who found grace in the eyes of God and who became the ones who turned the age. Remember the history of Israel. Although they degraded lower and lower until they reached the bottom, there was, much to the surprise of the enemy, a young man named Daniel. Daniel 1:8 says, "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank." There in the book of Daniel it says, "But Daniel"; here in Genesis 6:8 it says, "But Noah." At the bottom of man's fall, there is always a "but."
If we look at Noah's life, we shall see that it was not simply a matter of walking with God or of building the ark. The basic and crucial point is that God used Noah to change the age. The enemy had driven the situation to the bottom, and even God repented that He had made man. There seemed to be no hope. But Noah found grace. Noah's life was a life that changed the age.
Look at the situation today. If you read the Gospels and if you see God's purpose for the church, you will realize that the church has such a high commission. The church was produced with God's life to express Him in this New Testament age. The church has been entrusted with such a glorious commission. There is no need for us to look into the past. The present situation is sufficient to show us how much the church has fallen and deviated from God's proper goal. But do not be disappointed. Though Satan has done his best, God still has a way to carry out His original purpose. Among all the defeats, God today has raised up local churches to change the age.
Let us now look into the life that changed the age. What kind of life was it? I have such a heavy burden about this. I fear and tremble that I may fail God in His revelation. I am not trying to give you a good sermon. I want to discharge my burden upon you, passing on the burden that the Lord has given me. How we need to see the kind of life that God can use to change the age!
This life always inherits the godly ways of the forefathers. Thank God that Noah, the tenth generation from Adam, had many good forefathers. Enoch was the seventh generation, Methuselah the eighth, Lamech the ninth, and Noah the tenth. All of Noah's nine forefathers from Adam to Lamech were godly men. Although Genesis gives us a record of man's fall, that is only a background showing us the true picture of the godly ways.
Noah inherited Adam's way of salvation (Gen. 3:20-21). In Adam, we see the way of salvation. Although Adam had fallen, he was given the way of God's salvation. If you had never fallen, you would never be able to taste the sweetness of God's salvation. Since we have been fallen and saved, we can testify of the sweet taste of God's salvation. Let us come with joy to draw water out of the wells of God's salvation (Isa. 12:3). Adam was the pioneer in drawing water out of the wells of God's salvation. He was so joyful that he called his wife's name "Living" (3:20 — "Eve" means "living"). Do you not think that he was joyful when he called her "Living"? I am quite sure that he joyfully drew water out of the wells of salvation. I have no doubt that Noah inherited this way of salvation.
Noah also inherited Abel's way of offering (4:4). Adam's way was the way to get himself saved, but Abel's was the way to please God by offering gifts to Him (Heb. 11:4). Can you imagine that a fallen man could please God? Abel was a fallen man who pleased Him. His way of pleasing God was that of offering the type of Christ to God. I can please God in the same way. Although I am a fallen man with a fallen nature, I can please God by offering Christ to Him as a gift. I am not boasting, but I can declare to you that I have pleased God very much in these recent days. I know that God has been pleased with me. Even this morning and this afternoon I was happy because my God was pleased. My God was happy, and I was happy too. What is the way to please God? It is the way of Abel, which is to offer Christ to God, not only as the sacrifice for our sins, but also as a gift for pleasing God. Whenever you give a person a gift, he will be happy. Likewise, whenever we bring Christ to God, He is very happy with our gift. God is pleased with Christ. Noah surely adopted Abel's way.
The third godly way that Noah inherited was Enosh's way of calling on the name of the Lord to enjoy all that He is (4:26). This was an addition to the first two godly ways. It was not only a matter of being saved or of pleasing God, but of participating in and enjoying what God is by calling on His name. We may partake of the riches of God by calling on the name of the Lord. Noah must have practiced this.
Noah also inherited the way of living and begetting (5:3-28). Noah, like his forefathers, was not idle, but was living with a purpose for God and begetting children for man's proper multiplication that God's purpose might be fulfilled on this earth through mankind.
Noah also inherited the fifth way, the way of walking with God (5:22, 24). How good it is that a fallen man can walk with God! Although it is marvelous to see that a fallen man can be saved, we must further realize that such a person can walk with God. In the seventh human generation, Enoch discovered the way of walking with God.
We can be saved, please God, call on His name, live and beget, and walk with God. What else do we want? It seems that we have been fully satisfied. We are saved; we can please God; we can call on His name to enjoy all that He is to us; we can live with a purpose and beget, that is, bear fruit, for God's multiplication; and we can walk with God. What do we lack? Nothing. We are pleased and satisfied. However, God has not been satisfied. This is the burden that the Lord has shown me. It is inadequate simply to see that Noah inherited all the godly ways of his forefathers. If this ministry only helps you to see this much, it has failed God. We must see something more.
God gave Noah what was nearly an all-inclusive revelation, a further revelation which none of Noah's forefathers saw. Although Enoch prophesied that when his son Methuselah died the deluge would come (the meaning of the name "Methuselah"), and that God's judgment would be executed upon the corrupted earth, and although he even prophesied about the Lord's coming (Jude 14), Enoch never received the vision of the way that God would terminate the corrupted generation and bring in a new age. None of Noah's forefathers saw this revelation. One day, God came to Noah and revealed it to him. As a result of this, Noah's view of godly things was greatly broadened, and he saw much more than all his forefathers did. He saw the vision and received a definite revelation from God. We all need such a revelation.
In principle, our situation is exactly the same as Noah's. Today's generation is corrupt, and the earth is filled with evil and violence. It seems that, according to man's concept, God has been defeated and driven out of the earth. However, do you not realize that today there is a big "but"? Some dear ones have inherited all the godly ways of the saints from the first century of the Christian era until the present. We have inherited all the godly ways that were exercised in the past centuries. But should we stop here? Should we say, "Look at what we have"? No. Although we have inherited so many godly things and are satisfied and contented, how about God? How about God's purpose? God needs to terminate this age. He needs a change of generation. He needs an ark that can bring His people out of this generation and start a new age. God needs an ark. I have seen this and I cry out for this.
Have you been saved? Praise the Lord! Do you have a way to please God? Thank the Lord for this. Can you call on His name to partake of His riches? Since 1967, we have practiced this matter of calling on the name of the Lord. Are you living and begetting? Yes, day by day we are living for the Lord and are begetting for the Lord's multiplication. Are you satisfied? Hallelujah, we are satisfied. But what about God and His purpose? Do you realize that God intends to terminate this generation and bring in another age? In order to do this, He must have an ark. We cannot build the ark by our imagination. Like Noah, we must receive a revelation concerning God's need of the ark.
God not only revealed to Noah His need of an ark, but He also showed him the true situation of his generation. That generation was thoroughly exposed in the eyes of God. It was also exposed to Noah through God's revelation. Do you realize that most people, including many Christians, are not clear about the generation in which we live? Mankind has been veiled, "doped," and befuddled by all their lusts and evil pleasures. Even the so-called Christian churches are "doped" with the tide of this age. We need a revelation. We need God to come to us and reveal the genuine situation of this evil generation. We need to see this. I received this revelation nearly fifty years ago. God has shown me this evil generation.
God not only showed Noah the evil generation, but also revealed to him His intention. God was and still is a God of purpose, and He can never be defeated in His purpose. Years and years ago, God showed us His purpose. Many of you have read Brother Nee's own testimony in which he says that once he had a dream, meaning a revelation, in which he saw local churches raised up throughout China. He saw churches raised up by God. What he called a dream was actually a revelation. Through him, many years ago, God showed us His need of the churches. Before the Lord comes back, He needs the churches to be raised up. Otherwise, He will have no way to return. What is today's ark? What is God's way of terminating this evil generation and bringing in a new age? It is the churches. God revealed the ark to Noah, and I must testify that God has revealed to us the need for the proper church life. The proper church life is the ark God needs today. The church life is needed to terminate this generation and to bring in a new age.
Ever since the day we received this revelation and stood up to declare it, we have been opposed, rejected, and condemned. While Noah told people what God had shown him and while he was building the ark, one hundred twenty years went by. During that time, Noah must have experienced a great deal of mocking. People probably said to him, "Noah, what are you doing? Are we all wrong? Are you the only one who is right? Will everything that we do be judged and only the poor ark that you are building remain?" Perhaps Noah said, "Time will tell. Just wait. If the flood does not come after ten years, then perhaps it will come after fifty years. If it does not come after fifty years, perhaps it will come after eighty years, or a hundred years, or a hundred nineteen years. Wait for another period of time, and the flood will come. Then you will realize that you need the ark, but it will be too late."
I strongly feel that we are in the same situation today. Because of our firm testimony of the church according to God's revelation, a great deal of criticism and opposition have come out against us. Some even say that we are a "cult." How could we be a cult? Honestly speaking, we believe the Holy Word in a pure way more than others do in this age. We are not boasting, but simply speaking the truth. At least we are the same as others in believing the Holy Word, but not in a leavened way. Do our dear critics have the assurance in their conscience that we are heretical? Every Christian has a conscience. They should listen to their conscience before the Lord. Listen to your conscience, please, and to what the Lord tells you in your conscience.
I have asked the brothers here in the United States to tell me how a little man from China coming to the leading nation on earth can receive so much attention. Why do they pay attention to me? They should simply forget about this little man. Now from the west coast to the east there are rumors that Witness Lee is heretical. Even in 1964 when I went to Texas, some Christians tailed me like spies, following me from one place to another. They took down what I said in my messages and, after twisting it, put it into print. So for ten years this small man has received much undeserved attention. Why do so many people pay attention to such a small man? Because this small man has brought something to this country that disturbs the enemy and threatens the kingdom of darkness. This testimony touches the territory of darkness.
I am a small man. However, from the depths of my being and from my pure conscience, I have the full assurance that this ministry is telling God's people what is today's revelation. America is a country of Christianity. There is no need for a man from the Orient to come here and speak to people about Christianity. But there is the need for the dear saints in this country to see today's revelation of God. What does the Lord want to do today? He does not simply want to save people, cause them to please God, teach them to call on the name of the Lord, enable them to live, beget, and walk with God. What He wants to do today is more than all this. He needs the churches to be raised up. His intention is to attract His lovers and seekers and gather them together to practice the proper church life as a testimony against the enemy's kingdom of darkness and as a preparation for His return. This is His intention today. We all need to see this and build this "ark" to be today's Noah that we may terminate this generation and usher in the new age of the kingdom.
God not only has an intention, but also a desire. God does intend to do something and He is also hungry and thirsty for this. God desires to have the church life. In 1933 a good pastor came to me. He did not call me Brother Lee; he addressed me as Mr. Lee. He said, "Mr. Lee, if you would not have the church and just minister the Word, we all would invite you to speak in our churches. We would make the arrangements for you to rotate the year round from church to church. If you would close the door of your meeting place, disband the people who meet with you, and simply preach the Word, we would all open our doors to you." I said, "Thank you. I have my burden and I have enough to do."
When I went to Taiwan, a missionary came to see me. Firstly, he praised me very much, saying, "Brother Lee, how we thank God that He has used you and how we thank Him that He has raised up such a wonderful work on the island of Taiwan." While he was praising me, I knew what he was going to say next. He continued by saying something about the church in a dissenting way. Some of the missionaries in the Far East considered our church practice as "the dead fly in the ointment." Some said to me, "If you don't talk anymore about the church, you will be welcomed by all Christians." I said, "Sorry, it does not depend on me. The Lord has burdened me so." I used to say to them, "We are grateful to you brothers who came from countries afar off for the gospel, especially to those pioneers a century ago who came to China after a six-month voyage. We appreciate the fact that you have given up your country, your family, your home, and everything to come here to preach the gospel. But our burden is not only for the gospel, but also for the church. God needs the church. Gospel preaching should be for the church. We also preach the gospel, as you know, but our goal in doing so is the building up of the church. Sorry to say, it seems to us that you do not care for this goal that God has shown us."
I was invited to visit London and Denmark in 1958. I cannot tell you how warm a welcome they extended to me in both places. Eventually, most of the leading ones were displeased with me over the matter of the church. I am for the church. Some friendships in the Lord which had been deep were severed just because of this.
Because of my standing for the church life according to what the Lord has shown us, a number of the saints whom I know have deserted me. I have not the slightest doubt that time will tell that the church life is what God desires to have today. I came to Los Angeles in 1962 to stay with the brothers for the Lord's recovery. At that time, I told that small group of brothers to wait for five or ten years and they would see something. Today I say the same thing. I hope that the Lord will come back soon. In case that He delays, I ask you to wait for another ten years and see what will happen. The Lord is going to take this country and the other leading countries for His recovery.
We all need to see the vision. We all must have today's revelation to see what is God's heart's desire. Are you going to be today's Noah? If you are, you must see what Noah did. God's desire is not only that thousands of people be saved, but to have the wonderful church life.
How we thank God for all the saints who have been used by God in the past. We have been greatly helped by their life and work. But we believe that in this age the Lord has shown us something more. We do follow the godly ways of all of our forefathers in the Lord, but the Lord's revelation has brought us further in His goings on this earth. This revelation of the Lord surely has made us different from the dear ones who remain in the traditions. May the Lord have mercy upon us that we would be faithful to His revelation, not caring about being different from others.
After Noah received the revelation, he believed it and practiced it (6:22). He practiced it in a way of not caring about being different from his forefathers and from his generation. Perhaps people said to him, "Noah, what are you doing? Adam never talked this way. Neither did Abel or Enosh. All the fathers lived, begat, and died, but none of them talked the way you do. Who are you? Are you greater than Adam or Enoch? We admire Enoch, for he walked with God. What are you talking about, telling us that a flood will come? What do you mean by building an ark?"
The principle is the same today. We are following God's revelation that is according to the Bible in order to practice the church life; however, most Christians lack this revelation. God's revelation will always make you different. Daniel and his three companions were different, for they refused to eat the royal food. Paul was different, and so was Martin Luther. Everyone who has seen God's revelation is different. The revelation makes him different. We must be different from our folks, our schoolmates, our neighbors, and even from our fellow Christians. Only those who are void of God's revelation are so common. Whenever we see something, it makes us different. It is good to be different.
Now we must consider Noah's work. Firstly, Noah worked in preaching righteousness (2 Pet. 2:5). If you read the whole context of the Bible, you will see that in Noah's day preaching righteousness was to protest against the evil generation. His generation was evil and filled with violence, but Noah was a man who preached righteousness and protested against all the unrighteousness, evil, and violence. He testified of the righteous way of God.
While Noah was preaching righteousness, he was building the ark. In principle, we are doing the same thing. We are preaching righteousness and we are protesting against the evil age. While we are preaching, we are building a corporate ark. Noah built the ark by faith according to God's revelation (Heb. 11:7). He did not construct it according to tradition or his own concept and invention, but absolutely according to God's revelation. This is the reason that in everything we must return to God's revelation in His holy Word. We must come back to the pure Word of God.
The building of the ark was absolutely against the tide of Noah's generation. He was against the trend of that age and "he condemned the world" (Heb. 11:7). No one besides Noah's family appreciated that work. The work of Noah and his family was unique, peculiar, and strange. In human eyes it was impractical. It was according to God's revelation and, thus, it was against the trend and tide of that generation. Do you not think that the principle is the same today? What we are preaching and doing is altogether against the tide of this generation. But we praise the Lord that we are in His flow. We are not in the tide of this generation; we are in the flow from the throne according to His revelation. Praise Him!
