Let’s notice what the life of Noah teaches about worship. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings (Genesis 8:20).

1. The importance of worship. What would you do immediately after having been in an ark for over a year? Noah immediately worshiped God. What is the first thing you do as each week begins? Christians assemble to worship God (Acts 2:42; 20:7; Hebrews 10:24-25).
2. The focus of worship. Where is the focus of Noah’s worship? Was his worship focused on being fun, exciting, casual, or brief? No, yet those things are often the focus of people’s minds when they worship. If these things are missing, they leave thinking “I didn’t get anything out of that worship.” They should learn from Noah that the focus of worship belongs on God, not self.
3. Worship God’s way. Why did Noah build an altar and use clean animals in his burnt offerings to God? Why not just “release” the animals while speaking God’s name? Because, Noah worshiped the way God taught him to worship. How badly this lesson is needed today.

“Noah built an altar to the Lord” (Genesis 8:20)

For Noah, acceptable worship clearly required an altar, so he built one. What if Noah built the altar but decided not to sacrifice the animals? Would God have been pleased?

Today, the Father is seeking acceptable worship (John 4:23). He has instructed Christians to worship together at the beginning of every week (1 Corinthians 16:2). This worship includes the breaking of bread, which is the Lord’s supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:24-26).

Many churches assemble on the first day of the week but do not remember the Lord’s death in this way. This is like building an altar but failing to sacrifice on it. Noah knew the importance of worshiping God’s way. Do you?

"Noah offered burnt offerings to the Lord” (Genesis 8:20)

Have you thought about Noah’s worship at the altar? It was outside (in the heat of the Middle East), standing around a fire, and killing then butchering animals (messy and stinking!). We typically find this repulsive. Why did he do this? It was God’s way of worship.

In the New Testament, new Christians had to learn about acceptable worship from the apostles, and there was much to learn (Acts 2:42). No longer was worship at Jerusalem’s altar-- the perfect sacrifice had been made (Heb. 9:26). No longer was incense offered, now prayers. We never read of instruction concerning flutes and harps as in the Old law, but we oft read of the instruction to sing (1 Cor. 14:15). The Passover’s memorial was fulfilled; now they remember Jesus’ death (Matt. 26:28). No apostle taught tithing—they taught Christians to give as they purposed in their heart (2 Cor. 9:7)-- much for Jews and Gentiles to change and learn!

Today, we must learn of acceptable worship and be thankful (and faithful) to offer it to God.

Noah & Clean/Unclean Animals

In reading about Noah, we learn that God classified some animals as clean, others as unclean. God told Noah to bring two of every sort of unclean animal onto the ark. Noah did not have permission to bring two plus one more. God did not have to say “Not one, not five, not seven...,” did He? He said “two.”

Today, the New Covenant has brought many changes (Hebrews 8:7). Animals are no longer considered unclean, nor are they a part of worship (Acts 10:15). No longer is incense burned in worship. Neither do Christians have permission to gather as a church to worship by playing the harp, cymbal, or piano. Christians are told to sing with the spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15). We have permission to sing but no permission to play to worship God.

A common response to this study concerning the use of musical instruments in worship is “But God did not say that the use of instruments in worship is sinful.”

However, remember that God did not tell Noah, “Do not bring ten unclean animals on the ark.” God simply said to bring in “two.” That eliminated other numerical options.

So, when we read about the worship of Christians who were taught by the apostles and we find the command to “sing” in worship to God, unless the apostles gave additional instruction elsewhere, we cannot add to God’s command. When we only read of the instruction to “sing,” that eliminates other musical options.

God recorded the events of Noah’s life for our benefit. Are you learning from it? Playing is more than singing just like five animals is more than two. Noah did not add anything to God’s instruction—do you?