This long list of names serves an important purpose at this juncture in Genesis. Here we see how God kept his promise to Noah and his sons, that he would bless them and enable them to "multiply" and "fill the earth". Every nation is blessed by God to some extent; there is no excuse for the nations not to turn in faith and worship the God who has made us.

We all know the story of Noah - or do we?! The record of his life in Genesis ends in a very surprising and perhaps disappointing way. Yet in the midst of human failure we see the promise of God's blessing coming through once more.

Having promised Noah that he would be brought through the Flood, God now promises Noah (and all mankind to come) that he will never destroy the world by a flood again. God will always do what he says; but in his grace, he gives us further reassurance by binding himself to a covenant - a covenant that is still in force today!

The words of Isaiah 43:2 are entirely relevant to Genesis 8. This passage describes the patient obedience Noah had to exercise as God literally brought him through the waters of the Flood. Believers face trials of all sorts and kinds today, but we do so with the great assurance that God "remembers" us, as he remembered Noah.

Genesis describes the coming of the Flood in terms of a decisive victory for the holiness of God in the face of the wickedness of mankind. It is the most solemn of warnings for mankind today to be ready for the Final Judgment when Christ returns.

The whole storyline of the Bible can be summed up in the word "covenant", a gracious way by which God promises to provide salvation for sinners. Here we see how he established his covenant with Noah ahead of the coming of the Flood.

This passage paints a bleak picture of how badly human sin impacted the ancient world. Yet we also see God showing incredible patience and grace: "Noah found favour (grace) in the eyes of the LORD".

Every week, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Sunday - the Lord's Day. Each of the gospels record the eyewitness testimony of those who met the risen Jesus. What are you going to do with this good news?!

Several times the Bible describes the Christian life was walking with God, a wonderful description of the relationship we can have with our Creator! How do we enter into this relationship, and how is it maintained?

How many times have you asked, "how long?" Life is full of frustrations, uncertainties, temptations that leave us asking this question. Psalm 13 shows us the right way - and the right Person - to whom we should put this question.