This is part 16 of a series exploring how the Bible teaches that Jesus was greater than all who came before him.  This series is not intended to be exhaustive.  The topic of Jesus as “greater than” or “better” than those who came before him is inexhaustible.  Libraries could and should be written on this subject.  But we have attempted in these pages to explore what such a rich subject would look like. (Each entry is excerpted from There Is No Greater Love)

Christ Greater than Noah

This is the genealogy of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth…. These were the families of the sons of Noah according to their generations, in their nations, and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood (Gen 10:1, 32).

The three sons of Noah bore sons who became the builders of Babel. The city of Babel suffered division and the scattering of its people as the descendants of Babel’s builders spread abroad over all the earth. Who could bring together into a brotherhood of love and truth what sin had set asunder?

Jesus came with a gospel of peace, which upheld no distinction between the nations—only an equality of love and joy.  Thus, the Apostle Luke describes the gospel going forth into all the earth, just as Jesus had commissioned (Acts 1:8), by telling us about three “road narratives.”  The first is the road to Gaza (Acts 8:26).  The second is the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3), and the third is the road from Joppa to Caesarea (Acts 10:23-24).  Each “road narrative” describes the conversion of a prominent man who hears the good news of the gospel.  The Ethiopian eunuch comes to faith on the road to Gaza.  Saul of Tarsus comes to faith on the road to Damascus.  And the road to Caesarea brings the gospel of salvation to Cornelius.  The Ethiopian is a son of Ham. Saul is a son of Shem.  Cornelius is a son of Japheth.  In other words, Christ’s gospel message is a welcoming invitation to all of the estranged descendants of Noah’s sons—calling them back together in a brotherhood of true faith and love.

Noah was great because he bore noble sons.  But Jesus is greater because he has given them a new birth!