It is often said that it is impossible to live according to God's commandments in this Generation.  It is also said that God's laws may apply to the earlier days, but now however it would be impractical what with all the sin that is all around us.  Sometimes sin presents itself and is almost forced upon us.  People in the old days must not have had it this hard...  Or have they?

In Genesis chapter 6 we read about Noah.  The Holy Scripture attests to him by saying that "Noah was a righteous man, who was perfect in his generation and well-pleasing to God." (Genesis 6:9).  So far nothing special since there were many good people a long time ago.  However, Noah did not live in any ordinary times.  Just a couple of verses later, the Bible tells us why Noah was special by describing the circumstances as follows:

"Now the earth was corrupt before God and filled with unrighteousness.  Thus the Lord God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh corrupted their way on the earth." (Genesis 6:11,12)

Noah wasn't just righteous.  He was "perfect".  Not only that, he was perfect while everybody else were extremely wicked.  The environment that surrounded Noah was much worse than anything we're seeing today.

We can only imagine what Noah must have gone through.  How much pressure to do evil Noah must have been subjected to throughout his whole life, yet he kept himself perfect.  We imagine also that he would be alienated by these evil doers for not obliging with them.  He might have even gotten many threats from them to conform to their ways, yet he continued to be a righteous man.  Noah was a perfect man, not only because he was righteous, but because he was righteous in the worst generation of mankind.

Noah's senses must have been tortured by seeing and hearing evil day in and day out.  There's no doubt that his circumstances are far worse than anything that we could be subjected to today.  Moreover, imagine having Noah try to teach his kids to walk according to God's commandments in this generation.  This must have been a very tough task.  No wonder he waited 500 years before he had any kids!

Noah was a perfect and righteous man during the worst times of mankind here on earth.  He is truly an example that we should put in front of our eyes at all times when we think to ourselves that it is hard to follow God's commandments when everybody else is not.  Noah will judge us in the last day, not by saying any words at all, but by the example of his life we would have no excuse.  We ask for the righteous Noah's prayers before God the Almighty that He may have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and help us do God's will here on earth.