Remembering Noah
March 12, 2006. The lesson this morning is Matthew 24.36-44. The study guide is from Genesis 6.1-8.22 where you find the story of Noah and the Flood.
Open It
What is the most significant natural disaster you have witnessed or experienced?
What do you find most disturbing about society today?
Explore It
Why did God say that life would be limited to a hundred and twenty years? (Genesis 6:1-3)
What are the main events in these verses? (Genesis 6:1-8:22)
Why did God say humankind would be wiped off the face of the earth? (Genesis 6:5-7)
What kind of man was Noah? (Genesis 6:8-10)
What did God tell Noah to build? Why? (Genesis 6:11-14)
What did God tell Noah was going to destroyed? (Genesis 6:17)
What did God say he would establish with Noah? (Genesis 6:18)
With what did God instruct Noah to fill the ark? (Genesis 6:19-21)
Why did God tell Noah he was allowed to enter the ark? (Genesis 7:1)
What happened to all the living creatures that were not on the ark? (Genesis 7:21-23)
What happened after the Flood ended but before Noah and his family got off the ark? (Genesis 8:1-14)
Why did God tell Noah to bring the animals off the ark? (Genesis 8:15-17)
What did Noah do when he got off the ark? (Genesis 8:20)
How did the Lord respond to Noah's offering? (Genesis 8:21-22)
Get It
How does Noah's world compare to our society?
Why did God allow most every living thing to be destroyed?
Who is someone you know whom you would describe as blameless?
How can we maintain a blameless reputation?
What is the significance of God's covenant with Noah?
Why did Noah worship God after getting off the ark?
Why do you think God promised never to destroy the earth with a flood again?
Among whom do you have a reputation for serving God?
Apply It
What is one thing you can do to cultivate a blameless reputation among your coworkers? Neighbors?
What is one act of protection or provision from God for which you want to praise Him?
Notes
Genesis 6:1-4: Some people have thought that the "sons of God" were fallen angels. But the "sons of God" were probably not angels, because angels do not marry or reproduce (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25). Some scholars believe this phrase refers to the descendants of Seth who intermarried with Cain's evil descendants ("the daughters of men"). This would have weakened the good influence of the faithful and increased moral depravity in the world, resulting in an explosion of evil. Nephilim refers to a powerful race of giants.
Genesis 6:3: "His days will be a hundred and twenty years" means that God was allowing the people of Noah's day 120 years to change their sinful ways. God shows his great patience with us as well. He is giving us time to quit living our way and begin living his way, the way he shows us in his Word. While 120 years seems like a long time, eventually the time ran out and the flood-waters swept across the earth.
Genesis 6:4: The Nephilim were giants, people probably nine or ten feet tall. These may have been the same people mentioned in Numbers 13:33. Goliath, who was nine feet tall, appears in 1 Samuel 17. The Nephilim used their physical advantage to oppress the people around them.
Genesis 6:6-8: Does this mean that God regretted creating humanity? Was he admitting he made a mistake? No, God does not change his mind (1 Samuel 15:29). Instead, he was expressing sorrow for what the people had done to themselves, as a parent might express sorrow over a rebellious child. God was sorry that the people chose sin and death instead of a relationship with him.
Genesis 6:6-8: The people's sin grieved God. Our sins break God's heart as much as sin did in Noah's day. Noah, however, pleased God, although he was far from perfect. We can follow Noah's example and find "favor in the eyes of the LORD" in spite of the sin that surrounds us.
Genesis 6:9: To say that Noah was righteous and blameless does not mean that he never sinned (the Bible records one of his sins in Genesis 9:20ff). Rather it means that he wholeheartedly loved and obeyed God. For a lifetime he walked step by step in faith as a living example to his generation.
Genesis 6:14: Pitch was a tar-like substance used to make the ark watertight.
Genesis 6:15: The boat Noah built was no canoe! Picture yourself building a boat the length of one and a half football fields and as high as a four-story building. The ark was exactly six times longer than it was wide-the same ratio used by modern shipbuilders. This huge boat was probably built miles from any body of water by only a few faithful men who believed God's promises and obeyed his commands.
Genesis 6:18: A covenant is a promise. This is a familiar theme in Scripture-God making covenants with his people. How reassuring it is to know God's covenant is established with us. He is still our salvation and we are kept safe through our relationship with him. For more on the covenant see Genesis 9:8-17; Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 15:17-20.
Genesis 6:22: Noah got right to work when God told him to build the ark. Other people must have been warned about the coming disaster (1 Peter 3:20), but apparently they did not expect it to happen. Today things haven't changed much. Each day thousands of people are warned of God's inevitable judgment, yet most of them don't really believe it will happen. Don't expect people to welcome or accept your message of God's coming judgment on sin. Those who don't believe in God will deny his judgment and try to get you to deny God as well. But remember God's promise to Noah to keep him safe.
Genesis 7:1ff: Pairs of every animal joined Noah in the ark; seven pairs were taken of those animals used for sacrifice-the "clean" animals. Scholars have estimated that almost 45,000 animals could have fit into the ark.
Genesis 7:16: Many have wondered how this animal kingdom roundup happened. Did Noah and his sons spend years collecting all the animals? In reality the creation, along with Noah, was doing just as God had commanded. There seemed to be no problem gathering the animals-God took care of the details of that job while Noah was doing his part by building the ark. Often we do just the opposite of Noah. We worry about details over which we have no control, while neglecting specific areas (such as attitudes, relationships, responsibilities) that are under our control.
Genesis 7:17-24: Was the flood a local event, or did it cover the entire earth? A universal flood was certainly possible. There is enough water on the earth to cover all dry land (the earth began that way; see Genesis 1:9-10). Afterward, God promised never again to allow the earth to be destroyed with a flood. Thus this flood must have either covered the entire earth or destroyed all the inhabitants of the earth.
Genesis 8:6-16: Occasionally Noah would send a bird out to test the earth and see if it was dry. But Noah didn't get out of the ark until God told him to. He was waiting for God's timing. God knew that even though the water was gone, the earth was not dry enough for Noah and his family to venture out. What patience Noah showed, especially after spending an entire year inside his boat!
Genesis 8:21-22: Countless times throughout the Bible we see God showing his love and patience toward men and women in order to save them. Although he realizes that their hearts are evil, he continues to try to reach them. But God has promised never again to allow the destruction of everything on earth until the judgment day when Christ returns to destroy evil forever. Now every change of season is a reminder of his promise.