Genesis 6-7Notes: Genesis 6-7(mobile)

Notes for January 4, 2012

Genesis Chapters 6-10 speak of Noah-his society, his God, his character, his work, his experience, and his descendants. Nearly everybody I know has heard of Noah and the ark; but very few actually know why he built it, or what happened after the flood.

Other Biblical references to Noah:

Isa 54:9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

Eze 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.

Eze 14:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

1 Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

2 Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Genesis 6

The last chapter ended on a high note–God’s promise to send one to conquer the serpent was not thwarted by Cain’s murder of Abel, as evidenced by the birth of Seth and men calling on the name of the Lord. Sadly, chapter 6 shows us that humanity was divided into two groups: those who loved God and those who had no thought of God at all. Today the same division exists. Not political divisions, not educational divisions, not economical divisions. There is a great spiritual divide today as there was in the days of Noah– the sons of God separated from sons of men, those who have been twice born and those who have been born but once.

2: Biblical separation, the eternal truth that God’s people should not ally themselves with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1), was ignored by the children of God. Unlike Adam who received the wife of God’s choosing, these who represented God’s saving family chose wives for themselves from among the daughters of the unsaved.

3: God tolerated this confusion for a while, as He so graciously and often does (Acts 17:30). Note mention here of the Spirit of God (remember Genesis 1:2?) and see how early in the Bible we are introduced to God in multiple persons (not personalities!). The concept of a triune God was not foreign to Old Testament saints.

4: Mighty men, men of renown, giants, were born of these unholy marriages.

5: The world soon turned away from God (turned by these mighty men?); and thoughts of God’s Savior were replaced by contemplation of evil. God was not in all of men’s thoughts (Psalm 10:4).

6-7: God doesn’t sin-so God cannot repent of evil that He has thought or done. God doesn’t make mistakes–so He can’t be sorry for a decision that He made. Maybe “repent” in these verses is used because we understand the concept in our own experience and it comes close to describing God in terms that understand.

8: God’s testimony regarding Noah: I will bestow my grace upon him.

9: The result of God’s grace upon Noah: he was a just man, perfect in his generations (2 Peter 2:5), and he walked with God (like Enoch before him, Genesis 5:24).

11, 13: God was disturbed by violence in the world. Shouldn’t we be disturbed by violence in our world also?

12: Further, God was disturbed by men having corrupted His way. Shouldn’t we be disturbed by widespread corruption of God’s word and way in our world also?

7, 1, 17: Although it appears that God was cutting His losses and going to Plan B, we know that from the beginning, even before the beginning, God’s eternal plan was that Christ would be born to save His people from their sins. Worldwide corruption in Noah’s day was no more surprise to God than is similar worldwide corruption in our day. Don’t despair; have faith in God.

8,18: God chose Noah; and God announced His intent to save Noah, his three sons, and the wives of the four of them from the coming judgment. Would anyone question the justice of this limited salvation? Only eight souls from the total world population? That’s only a remnant of the needy. Yes, God always saves a remnant of undeserving souls.

15-16: 300 x 50 x 30 cubits. As Bill Cosby asked, “What’s a cubit?” Usually a cubit is said to be the distance from one’s elbow to the tip of his outstretched fingers, or approximately 18 inches or 1 1/2 feet. That’s a rather large wooden box.

18-21: God’s covenant/promise with Noah was to save him and along with him would be his family and a sample of all kinds of animals and birds. Talk about protecting endangered species!

22: And Noah did everything as God commanded. Wouldn’t you? Do you?

Genesis 7

1: Come into the ark. Not “Go”. God was inside inviting Noah and his family to join Him. Imagine a whole world, and safety was only to be had inside a small and unglamorous wooden box. Jesus Christ-to the Jews, a stumblingblock; to the Greeks, foolishness. Yes safety for the sinner is to be found only in Christ.

2: Most people are ignorant of this verse! By 7’s and by 2’s. What is this clean/unclean distinction? Where did that idea come from? God, of course. It’s a distinction that will be explained in more detail in the book of Leviticus; and it illustrates the eternal principle that what God declares to be right is right; and what God declares to be wrong is wrong.

4: Noah and his family were shut up inside the ark for 7 days before the rain started. Remember that it had never rained before. Remember that God’s creative act encompassed six days and that God rested on the seventh–culminating a week of creation activity. From the beginning time has been reckoned by days and weeks.

4, 12: How many days did it rain? How old was Noah when he entered the ark.

16: Who shut the door?

20: How high above the mountain peaks did the water rise?

21: What happened to the animals and men who were not inside the ark? What happens to men who are outside Christ?

 

 Notes for January 4, 2008

Genesis Chapters 6-10 speak of Noah-his society, his God, his character, his work, his experience, and his descendants. Nearly everybody I know has heard of Noah and the ark; but very few actually know why he built it, or what happened after the flood.

Other Biblical references to Noah:

Isa 54:9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

Eze 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.

Eze 14:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

1 Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

2 Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Genesis 6

The last chapter ended on a high note–God’s promise to send one to conquer the serpent was not thwarted by Cain’s murder of Abel, as evidenced by the birth of Seth and men calling on the name of the Lord. Sadly, chapter 6 shows us that humanity was divided into two groups: those who loved God and those who had no thought of God at all. Today the same division exists. Not political divisions, not educational divisions, not economical divisions. There is a great spiritual divide today as there was in the days of Noah– the sons of God separated from sons of men, those who have been twice born and those who have been born but once.

2: Biblical separation, the eternal truth that God’s people should not ally themselves with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1), was ignored by the children of God. Unlike Adam who received the wife of God’s choosing, these who represented God’s saving family chose wives for themselves from among the daughters of the unsaved.

3: God tolerated this confusion for a while, as He so graciously and often does (Acts 17:30). Note mention here of the Spirit of God (remember Genesis 1:2?) and see how early in the Bible we are introduced to God in multiple persons (not personalities!). The concept of a triune God was not foreign to Old Testament saints.

4: Mighty men, men of renown, giants, were born of these unholy marriages.

5: The world soon turned away from God (turned by these mighty men?); and thoughts of God’s Savior were replaced by contemplation of evil. God was not in all of men’s thoughts (Psalm 10:4).

6-7: God doesn’t sin-so God cannot repent of evil that He has thought or done. God doesn’t make mistakes–so He can’t be sorry for a decision that He made. Maybe “repent” in these verses is used because we understand the concept in our own experience and it comes close to describing God in terms that understand.

8: God’s testimony regarding Noah: I will bestow my grace upon him.

9: The result of God’s grace upon Noah: he was a just man, perfect in his generations (2 Peter 2:5), and he walked with God (like Enoch before him, Genesis 5:24).

11, 13: God was disturbed by violence in the world. Shouldn’t we be disturbed by violence in our world also?

12: Further, God was disturbed by men having corrupted His way. Shouldn’t we be disturbed by widespread corruption of God’s word and way in our world also?

7, 1, 17: Although it appears that God was cutting His losses and going to Plan B, we know that from the beginning, even before the beginning, God’s eternal plan was that Christ would be born to save His people from their sins. Worldwide corruption in Noah’s day was no more surprise to God than is similar worldwide corruption in our day. Don’t despair; have faith in God.

8,18: God chose Noah; and God announced His intent to save Noah, his three sons, and the wives of the four of them from the coming judgment. Would anyone question the justice of this limited salvation? Only eight souls from the total world population? That’s only a remnant of the needy. Yes, God always saves a remnant of undeserving souls.

15-16: 300 x 50 x 30 cubits. As Bill Cosby asked, “What’s a cubit?” Usually a cubit is said to be the distance from one’s elbow to the tip of his outstretched fingers, or approximately 18 inches or 1 1/2 feet. That’s a rather large wooden box.

18-21: God’s covenant/promise with Noah was to save him and along with him would be his family and a sample of all kinds of animals and birds. Talk about protecting endangered species!

22: And Noah did everything as God commanded. Wouldn’t you? Do you?

Genesis 7

1: Come into the ark. Not “Go”. God was inside inviting Noah and his family to join Him. Imagine a whole world, and safety was only to be had inside a small and unglamorous wooden box. Jesus Christ-to the Jews, a stumblingblock; to the Greeks, foolishness. Yes safety for the sinner is to be found only in Christ.

2: Most people are ignorant of this verse! By 7’s and by 2’s. What is this clean/unclean distinction? Where did that idea come from? God, of course. It’s a distinction that will be explained in more detail in the book of Leviticus; and it illustrates the eternal principle that what God declares to be right is right; and what God declares to be wrong is wrong.

4: Noah and his family were shut up inside the ark for 7 days before the rain started. Remember that it had never rained before. Remember that God’s creative act encompassed six days and that God rested on the seventh–culminating a week of creation activity. From the beginning time has been reckoned by days and weeks.

4, 12: How many days did it rain? How old was Noah when he entered the ark.

16: Who shut the door?

20: How high above the mountain peaks did the water rise?

21: What happened to the animals and men who were not inside the ark? What happens to men who are outside Christ?

 

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