Genesis 6.5—7.24 Noah and the Flood
Chapter 6
5-6 What had begun as a small act of disobedience in the garden (Adam and Eve eating from the tree God forbid them to eat) has, over time, become widespread wickedness. In the beginning God had called his Creation “good” but by the time of Noah God can find no good remaining. And God regrets having made man. “God grieved in his heart.” God’s desires and God’s hopes had been dashed. People, given a choice, turn away from God and embrace evil.
7 And God determined to destroy the creatures he had made. Please note that humanity’s sin infected all of creation, not just human beings—all creatures became detestable before God.
8 The exception: Noah. Noah found favor in God’s eyes.
9 Noah possessed three characteristics that explain God’s favor towards him. He was “righteous.” He was “blameless.” And he “walked with God.” The third characteristic: “he walked with God,” explains how Noah was able to remain righteous and blameless.
10 Noah’s sons will survive the flood because they are his offspring
11-12 A restatement of verses 5 and 6
13-17 God informed Noah of the impending flood. And He instructed Noah to build a ship. The ship (ark) would carry Noah and his family. It would guard and protect the seed of a new creation.
18-21 God would spare Noah, his sons and their wives. He would also spare one breeding pair of every creature in earth. God’s mercy is great. Even in the face of great evil God spared his creation from total destruction and provided the means for life to go on.
22 Noah obeyed God’s command to build an ark and equip it as God directed. Of course! Noah “walked with God.”
Chapter 7
1-5 When the time had come God ordered Noah to pack up. He told him to get the animals onboard. He told him that in seven days the flood would begin. Once again, Noah obeyed.
6 Noah was 600 years old when the flood began. Before the flood the ages of people were reported in the hundreds of years rather than the tens of years ever since.
7-20 We are told the specifics of the how and when the flood came to pass, and about Noah’s activity to load the ark with the “living creatures.” The flood lifted up the ark with all the pairs of animals and the remainder of the earth was flooded. Even the high mountain tops were covered by 15 cubits. A cubit is about 20 inches (the length of a forearm from the end of one’s fingers to the elbow).
21-23 All flesh on earth died. Only Noah and the contents of his fragile little ship survived.
24 The flood continued for nearly six months
Sunday Morning Prize Question:
What were the names of Noah’s three sons?
Study questions:
Do you think that people continue to turn away from God and to prefer evil in our lives? Can you site an example?
Why do you think God spared Noah and his family?
Sometimes being spared isn’t so easy. Noah and his family had to endure great hardship in order to be spared. Can you remember a time in your life when God was “sparing” you?
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