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Notes: Genesis 6-7

January 4, 2008 by

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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Notes: Genesis 4-5

January 3, 2008 by

Notes for January 3, 2008

Why are my children so bad? They’re just like their father.

Genesis 4

1-2: When Cain was born, the happy mother said, “I have gotten a man from the Lord.” Indeed, children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3); and parents are to teach their children about God (Ephesians 6:4; Deuteronomy 6:7).
3-4: Adam and Eve seem to have been faithful in that responsibility; for we find both Cain the farmer and Abel the shepherd bringing offerings to the Lord.
3: “In process of time”. Are we to understand the usual weekly sacrifice, an annual sacrifice, or some other occasion?

NOTE: Whenever you find “LORD” in all capital letters in the King James Bible, remember that the Hebrew word thus translated is “Jehovah”. This typographical convention, although not inspired of God, is useful to readers of the English Bible.

4-5: The LORD accepted Abel and his offering, but He had no regard for Cain or his offering.
Both came “in process of time.”
Both came to the LORD.
Both came independently and without coercion.
Both brought the fruit of their labors.
Why then the disparity?
Hebrews 11: 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). It doesn’t matter whether we follow the outward teachings of religion completely, if our actions are not because have heard God commanding us to do them and we have believed Him, then our actions are in vain. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17).
5-7: God spoke to Cain about the matter and encouraged him to repent and to do right. And, if Cain would be right with God, then Cain, the older brother, would maintain his firstborn rights. Otherwise, God said, sin will enter.
8: Apparently, Cain chose not to follow the Lord’s instruction, for we find that one day, as the brothers were in the field talking, Cain killed Abel. How many murders have been committed because of religious jealousy?
9-10: What have you done? What a convicting question from the mouth of God!
11-12: The criminal’s curse
13-14: The criminal’s complaint. Why would he be afraid that someone might kill him? Did ancient society have laws against murder? (Not until Genesis 9:5-6) do we find God granting Man the responsibility of capital punishment.)
14: To be cast out from the presence of God. What is hell?
15: Cain carried a mark to indicate that he was under the curse of God and that men might not take matters into their own hands.
17: Cain’s 3rd son and grandson were both named Enoch; and neither of them was the prophet Enoch who was translated to God (Genesis 5).
17-22: The genealogy of Cain is enumerated; but soon forgotten. This record does however speak of nomadic herdsmen, musicians, and craftsmen. Even today some people groups are known for their talents or abilities. What are you known for?
23-24: When Adam and Eve sinned, they were ashamed and attempted to hide from God (as though a sinner might actually hide from God! [ Psalm 139]). And not too many generations later we find their descendants not only without shame, but we actually find men boasting of their sin! Little has changed since then.
25-26: Seth is born; and declared to be a replacement seed (KJV: offspring) for Abel. Do you not see how the seed of the woman promised in Genesis 3:15 would have come through Abel, but now the Messiah is to be born of the family of Seth. It is not the “seed of Abraham” alone that should inspire us, but also the “seed of the woman”, the “seed of Seth”.
26: And with the continuation of the promised seed through Seth, we find that men began to call upon the name of the Lord. In what sense can it be said that men “began” to call upon the name of the Lord? Perhaps we find the spread of true religion, or perhaps we find men joining together to call upon the Lord.

Genesis 5

From Adam to Noah

 

 
Father
Age at Son’s Birth
Son
Years after Son’s Birth
Age at Death
1. Adam 130 Seth 800 930
2. Seth 105 Enos 807 912
3. Enos 90 Cainan 815 905
4. Cainan 70 Mahalaleel 840 910
5. Mahalaleel 65 Jared 830 895
6. Jared 162 Enoch 800 962
7. Enoch 65 Methuselah 300 365*
8. Methuselah 187 Lamech 782 969
9. Lamech 182 Noah 595 777
10. Noah 500 Shem Ham Japeth    
           

 

*Enoch never died (Genesis 5:24)

1: This genealogy of Adam begins by reminding us that Adam was made in the likeness of God. And Seth, the seed through whom Messiah would come, was begotten in that same likeness. Of Cain’s descendants we learned that they were builders, artisans and musicians.  Which would you rather be: in the line of Christ, or a famous architect, educator, politician, athlete, artist, or entertainer?

22: Why did Enoch choose the name "Methuselah" for his son? The name means something like "when he dies, something happens". If you compare this chart with the time indicators of Genesis 6 you will see that Methuselah died the year of the flood!

24: Enoch walked with God.  Can two walk together unless they are agreed (Amos 3:3)? Do you walk with God?  Do you agree with God concerning Christ, your sin, God’s providence and salvation by grace?

24: One day God took Enoch from the earth, and Enoch was seen no more. Hebrews 11:5 says that Enoch was translated that he should not see death. And before his departure from this world, Enoch had this testimony, that he pleased God. How did he get to this enviable position of pleasing God and walking with God and not seeing death?  By faith!  Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. This kind of faith is not something that one turns on Sunday morning and turns off Sunday afternoon.

27: Methuselah lived 969 years. (One preacher said that since 1000 years is as a day to the Lord (2 Peter 3:8), then Methuselah was only a day old. He further proposed that with 1000 years being a day to the Lord, then Adam really did die the "day" that he ate the forbidden fruit.)

29: Lamech expected his son Noah (meaning: rest or comfort) to bring comfort to his people who tilled soil and the sin-cursed ground. I doubt he was looking forward to Noah’s discovering new agricultural methods.

Math question:  How many generations of his descendants would it have been possible for Adam to witness and to witness to?

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