The
Faith of Noah
Read Hebrews 11:7
Noah
& the Flood
*
The story of Noah & the flood is recorded in Genesis 6-9. This lesson will
focus on the sixth chapter. Read Genesis 6:5-22.
The
Human Condition
*
After
creating the first humans, "God saw all that he had made, and it was very
good" (Gen. 1:31). However, as a result
of the "fall of man" (3:1-24) the
human condition was corrupted.
1.
What was the human condition during the time of Noah? (6:5,
11-12)
God's
Response
*
"The LORD was grieved that he had made man … and his heart was filled
with pain" (6:6).
*So
God decided to "wipe mankind … from the face of the earth" (6:7,
cp. 6:13). He did this by bringing floodwaters on the earth (6:17).
*However,
"Noah found favor (grace) in the eyes of the LORD" (6:8).
So God instructed Noah to make an "ark" (huge boat) for the salvation
of Noah and his family, as well as the animals (6:14-16).
Furthermore, God told Noah that he would establish a covenant with him (6:18).
2.
What can we learn about God from these verses?
The
Character of Noah
*
Obviously, Noah was different from the other people described in this passage.
3.
In what ways was Noah different from the other people? (6:9,
22; cp. 7:1, 5)
4.
Read Hebrews 11:7 again. What particular
aspects of faith do we see in Noah? (Consider Hebrews
11:1, 6.)
Discussion
Questions
5. Before the flood, humans were "wicked" (sinful),
and "every inclination of the thoughts of [man's] heart was only evil all
the time" (6:5). How does this compare
with the human condition today?
6.
God warned Noah about the coming judgment. Noah believed God and responded appropriately.
The Bible still warns of a coming judgment (see verses
below). What lessons about God's word, judgment, salvation, and human
response apply to us today?
†
Speaking of his second coming and judgment at the end of the age, Jesus said,
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of
Man (that is, Jesus). For in the days before the flood, people were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;
and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them
all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." (Matthew
24:37-39, NIV; cp. Luke 17:26-27)
†
Peter said that scoffers would come and say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised?
… everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But
these scoffers ignore the facts of creation and the flood, both products of God's
word. Peter wrote, "By these waters (of creation) also the world of that
time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth
are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly
men." (2 Peter 3:3-7, NIV)
7.
Noah spent many years building an ark on dry land because of God's word (concerning
an "unseen" future event). What do you think others thought about Noah
and his work? Do you think Noah ever experienced any doubts in his own mind? How
might this relate to the Christian's life and service of God?
