The account of Noah and the Flood should never be dismissed as just a children's Bible story. This account gives some good lessons for all of us to learn and remember.
1. God can be grieved. The flood came about because God was sorrowed over man's sinfulness. "And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart" (Gen. 6:6). God is not an impersonal cosmic force. He is capable of being touched - both by our goodness and by our wickedness. It pained God to see what man had become. God is likewise grieved by the sin that exists in the world today and, more specifically, He is grieved by my sin.
2. Noah's faith moved him to obey God. "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (Heb. 11:7). God called upon Noah to exercise a great amount of faith. It had never even rained before, yet God promised that a flood would destroy every living thing upon the earth. Noah believed, was moved with godly fear, and obeyed God's instruction.
3. By faith, Noah made the ark according to God's exact specifications. Noah did not argue with God about the materials or the dimensions. He made it with one window and one door (Gen. 6:14-16). This is significant because most modern artwork depicting the ark includes numerous windows. If Noah had built the ark the way most people draw it, he would not have done "according to all that God commanded him" (Gen. 6:22, 7:5). Noah's efforts are set forth specifically as an example for us to follow in securing our salvation (1 Pet. 3:20-21; 2 Pet. 2:5, 3:3-6). Are we as careful to obey God to the saving of our souls as Noah was to the saving of his life?
4. Grace does not negate works. Many people falsely claim that "salvation by grace" means no works are necessary. I have heard some say that one work on the part of man will negate God's grace. Salvation by grace means God has given us as a gift what we are not capable of earning through our righteous efforts (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7). While it is true we can never earn our salvation, there are still conditions we must meet before we can be saved. "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord," (Gen. 6:8). In His grace, God warned Noah of the approaching flood and told him how to escape this coming destruction. Noah's deliverance came as a result of God's grace, but Noah still had to build the ark according to God's instructions. In His grace, God warns us of the penalty of our sins and the coming judgment. He also tells us what we must do in order to escape this coming judgment. It is up to us to meet the conditions set forth in the gospel (Heb. 5:9). We are saved by grace when we accept God's gift of salvation on His terms.
5. Judgment will come. Some believe that a God of love would never punish men with destruction. Peter says the flood of Noah's day is assurance that God will one day destroy the world with fire.
"By which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men... The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:6-7, 9).
God was patient with the wicked men of Noah's day, yet the flood eventually came. God is likewise patient with wicked men today, but His divine patience will one day reach its limit and destruction will certainly come.
6. It is possible to live a godly life in a wicked world. We do live in a wicked world. Moral standards plummet while violence seems to escalate. Our children are no longer safe. The good that one is capable of doing seems to be swallowed up in a sea of evil and sin. How can the Lord expect us to live godly lives today?
Consider the conditions of Noah's day. "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). Despite these conditions, Noah was a just and blameless man (v. 9). It is important for us to note that God was aware of Noah's goodness. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord" (v. 8). God is likewise aware of our efforts to rise above the sinful standards of our day. We can live godly lives in a wicked world, and God knows when we do.
Conclusion: The account of Noah and the Flood is not a myth, nor is it to be dismissed as a children's story. It is a part of God's inspired word, teaching us important lessons and preparing us to meet the Lord in judgment on the Last Day.