Genesis 7-9:17

Recap

Key Genesis Events:

• Creation – God creates the world and calls it good.
• The Fall – Adam and Eve rebel, introducing sin and death.
• Cain and Abel – Cain kills Abel, sin escalates.
• Genealogy to Noah – Humanity descends deeper into sin.
• God commissions Noah – God chooses Noah to build the ark as judgment approaches.

Key Genesis Themes:

• God’s Creation is Good – God’s original design was perfect.
• Image of God – Humans are created to reflect God’s character.
• Knowledge of Good and Evil – Truth comes from God, not from within ourselves.
• Promise of a Messiah – A deliverer from Eve’s offspring is promised.
• Sin’s Spread – Sin crouched at Cain’s door; now it’s rampant across humanity.

1. Noah’s Righteousness

Noah is described as “righteous” (Genesis 6:9), but what does that mean?

• Did Noah earn this title, or was it something attributed to him by God?
• Righteousness after the fall isn’t something we generate; it’s given by God through faith (Romans 4:3).

2. The Flood as a Time of Testing

How long did the flood last? 40 days and 40 nights — a common biblical symbol of trial, preparation, and testing.

When else does the time period “40 days and 40 nights” occur in the Bible? (Jesus’ fast in the wilderness)

How do teachers prepare students for a test on new material:

1. Teach them what they need to know.
2. Provide the material for them to study.
3. Step back and let them take the test.

💡 The way to fail is to refuse to take the test — to reject God’s commands.

3. God Remembers

After the flood begins, God is silent — Noah endures without hearing from Him.

• After the Lord shut him in (7:16), there is no mention of God until Genesis 8:1.
• What’s the first thing God does? “God remembered Noah.”
• God’s silence isn’t abandonment. His remembering means He is faithful to His covenant promises.

4. A Pleasing Sacrifice

When Noah leaves the ark, his first act is to build an altar and offer a sacrifice. Why was this so pleasing to God?

• Noah’s sacrifice reflects faith and worship — pleasing God comes from a heart of obedience and trust.

5. The New Covenant and Commission

• God renews the command from Genesis 1:28 to “Be fruitful and multiply.” When have we seen this before?
• God is faithful to His purposes behind creating mankind.
• Why was it important for God to promise never to destroy life like this again?
  • THERE IS A STORY THAT IS NOT FINISHED.

6. The Story Isn’t Over

• The serpent’s head hasn’t been crushed yet (Genesis 3:15).
• YES, we do have the NT to understand that Noah points to Jesus — the true ark of salvation.
  • 1 Peter 3:21 connects the flood to baptism:
    • Just as Noah was saved through water, we are saved through Christ’s death and resurrection.
    • The ark represents the church — there is no salvation outside of Christ.

Discussion Questions

1. How are WE deemed righteous before God? (Answer: the gospel says we are righteous by faith)
2. What do you think Noah’s neighbors thought when he started building the ark?
3. Have you faced resistance for your faith, like Noah might have?
4. How can we ‘walk with God’ when the world feels distant from Him, especially as post-grads/young adults?
5. Obedience for Noah meant trusting God even when he couldn’t see the outcome. When have you felt called to obey God when it didn’t make sense at the time?
6. God was silent to Noah while the earth was flooded. When have you struggled to believe God ‘remembers’ you in hardship?
7. God made a covenant with Noah and set a rainbow as a sign of His faithfulness. What are some reminders of God’s faithfulness in your life?