Beginning Again
Study Scripture: Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 17, 23; 8:14-16; 9:1
Lesson 2

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Key Verse

And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

Genesis 2:7

INTRODUCTION

Genesis (beginning) derives it’s name from that used in the Septuagint, (ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament). 

Authorship of Genesis has traditionally been attributed to Moses, along with the other first four books of the Bible. Together they are called the Pentateuch. Typically, there are those who do not support this view, however the arguments against Moses authorship are tenuous at best. 

Genesis as any historical record, revolves around events and personalities. Chronologically these would be:

-the creation (chapters 1-2)

-the fall (chapters 3-5)

-the flood (chapters 6-9), and the confusion of languages of the    tower of Babel 

-Abraham (12:1-25:18)

-Isaac (25:19-26:35)

-Jacob (27-36)

-Joseph (37-50).

Genesis is without a doubt one of the most important books of the Bible. In the minds of Christians and many others, it definitively

marks the place of all beginnings and gives us our historical point of reference, from which all subsequent events and revelation proceeds. 

Consequently, the other writings of the Bible are inseparably tied to Genesis, inasmuch as it gives us the origin and initial explanation of all that follows. The seed of all major themes and events relating to the Messiah, man’s redemption and salvation are to be found in Genesis.

Genesis, as a historical record of the actual account of creation and the  beginning of history has generated much debate among scholars, historians and Christians alike. This has led to several modes of interpretation of the book. One writer comments in part:

For some this material is simply a Jewish myth, having no more historical validity for modern man than the Epic of Gilgamesh or the stories of Zeus. For others it forms a pre-scientific vision that no one who respects the results of scholarship can accept. Still others find the story symbolic but no more. Some accept the early chapters of Genesis as revelation in regard to an upper-story, religious truth, but allow any sense of truth in regard to history and the cosmos (science) to be lost.

All this and more notwithstanding, for the vast majority of conservative Christians, the New Testament’s affirmation of Genesis as a literal and factual record of actual events settles the argument.  

For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water. Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 2 Pet. 3:5-6.

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. 1 Pet. 3:20. 

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man. Matt. 24:37-39. 

The historical truth of the events of Genesis is categorically affirmed by the words of both Christ and his apostles. 

Our lesson today deals with what happens when men, who were made in the image and likeness of God lost this likeness and attempted to live and rule the earth without the direction of the Spirit of God. This is an attempt to build a house on a extremely shaky foundation, and its collapse is inevitable. This could only result in violence and cruelty between men, the spiralling of fear and hatred, destruction of the environment and the animals over which men were appointed steward, and death. 

We should look at our lesson as Scripture intends us to look at it, namely, that the Great Flood, though an important event, is really a lesson about one man and his family and how and why he survived a great world disaster specifically brought to the world by God himself. Time and again, throughout this section of the Genesis account, we are told that the world was filled with corruption and violence, widespread and intense in character. These are the sure signs of the imminent collapse of any civilization. This diagnosis was repeated many times to stress that the delicate balance of life was tilted irrevocably beyond the critical point, and a collapse was inevitable. 

We should therefore focus on why this sort of man was accounted worthy to survive this world disaster. 

Let us make no mistake! The imminent possibility and in fact certainty of worldwide destruction hangs over our present society. As well there is the certainty of another judgment that is coming. The marks of the times of Noah are again becoming more and more evident. 

We know from Scripture, as in 2 Chronicles 16:9, that God’s eye go to and fro throughout the entire earth to show himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is right toward him. 

So we know that God intends to teach several lessons through this incident, and one would involve the direction in which he is leading events and people. 

The Apostle Peter gives us the correct focus for in 2 Peter 3:4, in looking at the Great Flood incident, he points out that in the last days many scoff at the return of Jesus Christ, raising doubts about his return, thus indicating that the whole notion of believing in the person and work of Jesus Christ is foolishness. 

These scoffers say that all things continue as they were, and Christians have no right to expect any return of the alleged person of Jesus Christ and any supernatural intervention of God in this earth. Everything now existing is as a result of natural laws and all the laws of nature operate now, as they have always operated in the past.

 Peter argued that these scoffers ignore deliberately the fact of the Great Flood, a literal, distinctive, unusual, earth-shaking, supernaturally brought about event. 

God does intervene dramatically, suddenly, and abruptly, in the world of men and in nature. He did it before and he will do it again. There is a parallel between the Flood of Noah’s day and the judgment that awaits this present world.

 This lesson also presents, as the Apostle Peter does, the basis of salvation. It presents a picture of salvation and deliverance from overwhelming, irresistible and unstoppable judgment. 

Salvation follows the invitation of God to men to come into the ark, to the place where he awaits; so that he will take those who accept his invitation safely through whatever judgments, disasters, catastrophes, and floods that will come. 

It was not easy for Noah to obey God, for the skies were always clear and the sun shining, but he was required to pass his test of obedience, just as we are required to pass the test of obeying everything that God has commanded us to do. 

Noah believed God, and he became an heir to the righteousness that comes by faith. (Hebrews 11:7.) 

He believed God and he obeyed God, because true belief will always motivate a person to obey God, and be active for Him.  

WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN?

The simple answer is that everything got broken.

Within a generation of a creation that God had labelled as good, Eve was deceived by the Devil. Subsequently sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve to God’s command (the Fall). 

The effects of man’s disobedience was immediately felt, as the pure and pristine creation began to experience decay and degeneration. Eve, Adam and Satan were judged but God’s grace and mercy were also demonstrated in His ‘Seed of the Woman’ promise, (Gen. 3:15). 

Man had self-destructed by following the sinful counsel of Satan rather than trust in God. Sin started the corrosion of man’s heart as they hid themselves from God, blamed Satan for their troubles, and covered themselves in shame. 

Social and personal disintegration and dysfunction started. It was decreed that woman would now begin to suffer during pregnancy and have great labour pains in childbearing. 

There would be tension between her and her husband and her desire  would be for her husband; indicating that wives will want more from their husbands than they are going to get. Her position was now such, that the relationship with her husband would be, or perceived to be one of he ruling her, rather than loving her.  The woman's alienation from her God had brought about alienation from her husband.  The relationship between the sexes would now be one of turmoil, sadness, suffering, anguish, and ongoing difficulty. 

For Adam, there would be monotonous duty, physical suffering, a deteriorating body, constant stress from scratching for a living and dealing with his wife’s alienation.  This cycle of meaninglessness would end when his body would go back to the dust from which it came.  

The alienation from God quickly led to godlessness. The first child ever born, named Cain, had everything going for him but he disregarded the advice of God and killed his brother. 

Then he made a deliberate decision to reject the instruction, influence, and presence of God and went out from God’s presence to live and wander away with his guilty conscience. Genesis 4 16:26.

He went and created his own city, a city that was successful economically, and his descendants are mentioned as people that accomplished remarkable things.  One was a great economic thinker who developed the practice of raising large flocks and using them for sundry purposes, bringing himself great wealth. 

Among a long line of firsts were the first great artist and musician.  Another was the first great scientist and technologist, discovering the physical properties of matter, and forging tools to improve human life. 

This story of Cain and his descendants then was not one of only failure and misery.  But because of Cain, his tormented soul, his restlessness and his godlessness, his city was home to violence that grew steadily worse. This is illustrated in the second recorded case of murder. 

Cain had been conflicted and anxious about killing his brother, but his  descendant Lamech, a real villain, the first man recorded to have more than one wife, bragged about killing people, obviously liking it.  He even wrote songs about it. (Genesis 5:19-24). 

That kind of civilization obviously would inevitably end in only one way.  It became so thoroughly wicked that it would need to be destroyed.  They had gained the whole world, and yet forfeited their souls. (See Mark 8:36). 

The Scriptures do however present an alternative way of life.  This was one chosen by Seth, Adam's next son.  His side of the family began to put their relationship with God first, in other words, these men began to call on the name of the Lord.  They desired intimacy with God more than anything else and got his love, his presence and his concern. 

There is no record that they were rich or prosperous like the descendants of Cain but quite suggestively, they are listed in chapter five in the Book of the genealogy of Adam, marking them out as special and different, and introducing us to the line which led to Noah. 

Though the people in this line all died eventually, we are told that there was one named Enoch who began to walk with God in the middle of that brilliant but godless generation. 

One writer tells us that this means that he went in the same direction as God went, moving as God did, always in unswerving hostility to sin; refusing to make up with it or permit it to rule or reign in his life.

It also meant that there was unison between Enoch and God, for they were in agreement, and thus could walk together. 

Enoch was given a great revelation from God, and he saw the end of  days, and the Lord coming to execute judgment on the world.  Jude 1:14- 16. 

Enoch prophesied about this coming of the Lord and the angels in judgment.  His world could never say they had no warning that God would not allow human evil to increase endlessly, and did not know that God would restrain and judge evil. 

All the signs of inevitable judgment were there. The sickness of the human heart, the self-centeredness, the self-exaltation as cruelty and violence grew. Still men did not stop, and the pace of evil quickened.    

 As we approach our text in chapter six, the world is at the eve of destruction, as sin runs amuck and God declares His judgment to destroy the entire creation, except for Noah, Noah’s family and some of the animals. 

 It is interesting that God saved the race through Noah, even though sin would emerge with Noah at the other end of the Flood and would remain as offensive to God and as deserving of judgment then as it was before the Flood. Even so God determined not to destroy creation in that fashion again on account of man. I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done; (Gen. 8:21).                                                                                                                                            

 The reason for God’s resolve is based upon the nature of man. One writer explains:

The problem was not with creation, but with sin. The problem was not with men, but with man. To erase the slate and start over is inadequate, for what is needed is a new man for creation. This is what creation eagerly awaits.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:20-21).

God has therefore determined to deal differently with sin in the future. While sin has suffered a temporary setback at the flood, it will be dealt a fatal blow at the coming of Messiah. It is at this time that men will become new creatures (II Corinthians 5:17). After men are dealt with, a new heaven and a new earth will be provided as well (II Peter 3:13). 

The eternal purpose of God to save men was made long before the days of Noah (cf. Ephesians 1:4; 3:11; II Thessalonians 2:13; II Timothy 1:9, etc.). Righteous Noah (6:9) will soon be found naked in a drunken stupor (9:21). No matter how many times the earth’s slate is wiped clean by a flood, the problem will remain if but one man exists. The problem is within man—it is his sinful nature. His predisposition toward sin is not learned, it is innate—he is “evil from his youth.” As a result, a full restoration must begin with a new man. This is what God historically purposed to accomplish. 

Today’s lesson will detail a qualified ‘new beginning’, as God’s judgment on an incorrigibly corrupt world and also his gracious mercy to one family of man unfolds. A world-wide flood of apocalyptic scope destroys all life except for Noah, his family and some animals, safely secured in the Ark by God.

THE TEXT

POTENT EVIL

Verses 1-4.   These are some of the most debated verses in all of Scripture and the discussions centre on the interpretation of the terms ‘sons of God’, ‘daughters of men’ and ‘giants’ in verse four. The following is a brief summary of the more acceptable interpretations of these terms. 

The ‘sons of God’ are variously thought to be fallen angels, the descendants of the godly Seth or members of the then nobility. Support for the various views is as varied as the views themselves. ‘Daughters of men’  is thought to be the daughters of the evil Cain or just women of that time in general. This possibility of angels, even fallen angels, having sexual relationships with women and producing children, has created quite a controversy in scholarly Christian circles.  If this interpretation is indeed a description of human conditions prior to the flood, then it means the human genetic pool would obviously have been contaminated. Meanwhile ‘giants’ is considered by the angelic beings interpreters, to be a reference to physical stature, while others see it as a reference to fame and notoriety.

One understanding common to all the interpretations is the impact of the union of the ‘godly’ and the ‘ungodly’. The righteous element of mankind, abandoned their place of separateness as the people of God, through promiscuous intermarriage with the wicked element of the population. The result was the total corruption of humanity.

The commandment to avoid being unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corin. 6:14) is and was one for all ages of mankind. 

Whatever the interpretation, the end result was God’s displeasure with mankind in general, a definite statement of the limitation of man's lifespan, as well as an enigmatic statement that God did not intend to contend with men forever, since he was only a mortal creature. 

Typically, the withdrawal of God’s Spirit is as a result of the hardening of the heart against God and always as in this case, led to the proliferation and intensity of sin. 

In the space of a few short generations, sin had already separated man so far from his Creator, that men had already begun to enthrone themselves as verse four records.

Verse 5.   Whatever the impact of the ungodly unions of verse four, we are told here of the incorrigible state and utter depravity of the race at this time. There was absolutely no hint of any redeeming values and only a burgeoning appetite and propensity for sin. 

This is the total corruption of humanity in the sense that all were corrupt, except for Noah. All the faculties of all other men were directed toward sin.

Sinning was not an incidental thing or done through carelessness, but was deliberate, defiant and by design. 

Some consider this some form of judicial hardening and always this condition is a prelude to God’s judgment. 

Remember that wickedness always follows when God is absent from the lives of people; for then their thoughts and deeds are always opposed to God. These works of the flesh are named as ‘enmity against God’ and are described in Galatians 5:19-21. 

“The “imaginations of the heart” are the desires and urges for ever more stimulating experiences, which Paul calls in Ephesians “deceitful lusts”…. This outward wickedness shows a deeper corruption inside….Corruption is inward pollution, the pollution of the mind, the heart, the imagination, the inner nature. The inner kingdom becomes extremely sensual and is polluted. The result is outward violence, destructiveness, the outbreak of cruelty and violence on every side.” 

The wickedness and evil God observed seems tied to the mighty men of renown. One commentator observed:

The wickedness of a people is great indeed when the most notorious sinners are men of renown among them. Things are bad when bad men are not only honoured notwithstanding their wickedness, but honoured for their wickedness, and the vilest men exalted. Wickedness is then great when great men are wicked.   

Verse 6.   God is not indifferent to sin but the scale and magnitude of the offences grieved the Lord to the point of regret over man’s creation.   

We can sense the strong feelings of God and his overwhelming disappointment, that his precious creation over which he had lavished such care and creativity, from which he would have loved to see so much, had sunk to such a level of ruin. 

The language used here is what theologians called anthropopathic; for example, the Lord is described as having human emotions. We can  appreciate God’s holy grief. We should likewise appreciate and understand that God has other emotions such as love, mercy, affection, wrath, among others. Some of our emotions mirror his emotions, though ours are qualitatively different from his. 

Let us not miss the extraordinary connectivity that God had with human beings.  He was grieved in his heart, and so we see that God had lost something that was extremely precious to him. 

We note that God loved these human beings so much, despite their hellish condition, that he would send his Son to die for men, rather than lose all men again.   

The grief in the heart of God is a declaration of his love for us. 

At this stage we should examine the path that our lives are taking and see whether we're listening to God and believing him, acting in the way that he wishes and walking with him in full agreement. In the face of such love shouldn't we simply love him back, enjoy his presence, love his truth, and rejoice in fellowship with him and his people?  

We should make a new beginning, begin again, recapture our first love, live rationally, and avoid the foolishness that inevitable leads to bitter judgment. 

Some have interpreted this verse to suggest it is a case of God changing his mind. There are other passages in Scripture where it appears that God changed his mind, see Ex. 32;9-10, 14; Jonah 3:10; Amos 7:3, 6. 

In considering this passage and others it should be kept in mind that God is immutable (unchanging) in His person, His perfections, His purposes and His promises; 1 Sam. 15:29; Psalm 33:10;

Heb. 1:11-12; James 1:17 and many others. Consequently these passages must be interpreted so as not to cast doubts on God’s unchanging nature. 

The expression ‘it repented the Lord’ is a case where a description we normally associate with humans is applied to God. One writer sheds some light on this passage as follows:

While God’s will (His decree) cannot and does not change, He is free to change His emotions. Genesis 6:6-7 describes the response of God to human sin. Grief is love’s response to sin. God is no stoic; He is a person Who rejoices in men’s salvation and obedience, and Who grieves at unbelief and disobedience. While the purpose of God for mankind never changed, His attitude did. Surely a Holy God must feel differently about sin than about obedience. That is the point of verses 6 and 7. God is grieved about man’s sin and its consequences. But God will accomplish His purposes regardless. While such a state was ordained from eternity past, God could never rejoice in it, but only regret man’s wickedness and wilfulness. 

God responds with different emotions to the behaviour of his creatures; pressed, Amos 2:13; wearied, Isa. 43:24; broken, Eze. 6:9; grieved, Psalm 95:10. Here God is grieved as one that has been wronged by those to whom they have shown kindness. 

Note however that God had declared the principles under which his emotions operate. He is a God of extremely great love, mercy and patience, but in the face of continuing and worsening sinful attitudes and behaviour, he has told us that there is a point of ‘no return’. 

In the era of Noah, when he said that man’s days would be one hundred and twenty years, it clearly indicated that this was the time left before the Flood arrived. Noah thus knew the length of his ministry, which incidentally brought no converts. Note that the timing of events is completely under the control of God.

Verse 7.   The inevitable judgment in the light of the total, unrepentant, wanton, hard-hearted and sheer arrogance of sinners is pronounced. God will destroy the entire creation for it was now out of control!

Verse 8.   In Noah, God graciously preserved one individual from the corruption that engulfed the rest of humanity and thus preserved a seed for a new beginning. Here was the type of man that God considered worthy to survive this world disaster.  

Since we are told that the days of the coming of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah, we can watch, and not sleep. 

 It is not to be understood that Noah was sinless, or essentially good by nature, that is the exclusive province of Jesus. He had imperfections, and so did his family, as indicated by the behaviour after the great stress the Flood had brought on them. 

Still, Noah certainly had a right relationship with God. He is described as just (righteous), meaning God had made him righteous and then he became good, because he believed God and he conformed to a standard. He was said to be  perfect (blameless). The nearest English equivalent of the Hebrew word translated “blameless” is the word “whole”. 

As Hebrews 11:7 put it ‘He believed God….and became heir of the righteousness which comes by faith’ (RSV). He was complete, his was a well rounded relationship, summarised as; Noah walked with God; v.9. 

Noah believed those things he undoubtedly had learnt about God, such as creation and it’s related events and he had a strong faith, because the full text of Hebrews 11:7 states:

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. 

Salvation has always been by faith, not of works but unto good works,

(Eph. 2:8-10).

Note that people can do good deeds, but that is not the kind of righteousness of which the  Scriptures speak. That righteousness the Scriptures laud comes from believing God.

When we see good deeds done, and a person thinks that this is righteousness, one writer advises us against :

“merely judging from the effects the deed had upon the persons benefited, but …taking no consideration of the effects the deeds had upon the persons who performed them, or that the motives of the heart would make considerable difference.

I have known many good deeds that were good in the common usage of the term, but they were really very evil deeds because of the motives from which they were performed.” 

Note that Noah’s secret of remaining blameless was in his righteousness as discussed above. This was the secret of his self control. He had an inner peace because of the indwelling God. He was whole, well adjusted, at peace with himself  and thus able to handle the special situations that God had placed in front of him. 

To maintain this he had to walk with God daily, being in continuous contact and communication with God. 

God’s grace to the rest of humanity should not be overlooked during the one hundred and twenty years that Noah warned that wicked generation. God presented a way of escape and thus he instructed Noah to build an ark, a place of safety, security, rest and comfort. 

Let us not miss the emphasis on the promise (verse 19) that God would establish a covenant with him. It was therefore not just the ark which saved Noah and his family, for that was only the means by which God protected them. It was the promise of God, His Word, that really saved Noah. 

Let us remember that it is the promise of God, the covenant of God, on which everything rests. The Cross and the Resurrection are really the means by which we are saved, but all rests on the great love of the Father, the motivation for our salvation. 

With this in mind then, we must be careful, and this applies especially to the young, not to fall into the trap of using Jesus as a Saviour to prevent them from going to Hell, but with no real intention of having him govern and rule their lives while they are on earth. 

Noah obeyed God, and did all that God commanded. We too must understand that when we come to Christ, brought to Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit, we, if we truly believe, will recognize that he has rights over us, we totally belong to him, and we must obey him in everything as Noah did.

Genesis 7:1-5.

Verse 1.   After the Ark was completed one week elapsed, as God seemed to wait to give the disobedient men one last chance to be saved.  Then God spoke directly to Noah, befitting one who walked with Him. The invitation is comforting ‘come thou…’, implying God was already in, would lead him in or accompany him into the Ark. Noah truly walked with God, for though the construction was complete and he knew it was for him, he made no move to enter the Ark, until invited in by the Lord.   

It is a true blessing to be a part of and belong to a godly family, …and all thy house…We are not told the condition of Noah’s family but it must have been a comfort to him, to have his entire family saved and in the Ark with him. 

In that sea of iniquity and sinners, the one righteous man was not lost to God’s attention but God took note of Noah. The one that is righteous before God is righteous indeed. God is a witness to our virtues and will testify on our behalf before men and angels. 

Note, Noah was a good man in bad times and as one writer observes:

Those that keep themselves pure in times of common iniquity God will keep safe in times of common calamity; those that partake not with others in their sins shall not partake with them in their plagues;

Verse 2-3.   God gives more details as to the birds and animals to be preserved for the continuation of the species after the coming deluge. 

It is believed more of the clean animals were preserved since they would be used for sacrificial purposes. 

Here we are given divisions between clean and unclean animals, and we know that this division was recognized long before the birth of Moses and long before the nation of Israel was ever created.   

It is therefore not as temporary and artificial as some like to believe, and not simply designed to teach spiritual truth.  The fact that animals are called unclean do not mean that they are not good, and that they are not necessary, useful, and productive.  They have their place and function.  But as the prophet Isaiah points out (Isa. 66), when Jesus returns, he will discipline those that have been breaking food laws and other commandments.   

It is simply a misinterpretation of the Apostle Paul's writings to dispose of all food laws.  This type of approach is proposed by men that also try to dispose of the Sabbath law, something that denies the inspiration of Isaiah.  The same people teach or imply that the Apostle Paul is at odds with the supposedly Jewish Apostles like Peter. They present Paul as being in conflict with the other Apostles and with the prophets, thereby indicating that the Holy Spirit has given two or three different sets of conflicting inspiration.   

Note also the thoroughness of the Flood and the precision in the descriptions; for Noah was told the precise day that the rains would begin and the precise duration of the rains.  

The entire earth and all it’s inhabitants would be affected and the structure of the world would be changed.

Verse 4.   Noah is given a week to settle and organize affairs inside the Ark before the forty day/forty night deluge begins. We should note in this coming destruction the terror of God’s wrath against sin, every living thing save those in the Ark would be destroyed.  

Even at this ninth hour when the completed Ark is in full view, there is no sign, no whiff of interest on the part of those who might have once been curious; the hardening is complete.

Verse 5.   Obedience to God was a way of life for Noah and this command would have been another in a long line that he obeyed.

Noah’s faith is once again evident, no expressed reservations about exchanging the comforts of home, to share living quarters with animals but a ready compliance.   

Note, when we walk with God, obedience becomes a way of life and so it should be as our sanctification moulds us into the image of Christ. 

Verse 17 & 23.   God’s words are true and must come to pass. When Noah went into the Ark the Lord shut him in.  The door had been kept open until the last possible minute, but when it was shut no one could open it.  

Not surprising the Ark proved sea-worthy and floated when the water level rose. Many take comfort in the picture of the Noah and his family safely ensconced in the Ark, while the storm and flood raged on the outside.   

The destruction was complete in both scope and thoroughness. Every life-form was destroyed in the flood, save for those in the Ark.  The Flood destroyed the civilization of that day.                                                                                                                                                                 

As with so much of the early chapters of Genesis in particular, there is much discussion and debate over the historical record, this flood being no exception. One writer comments in part on the difficulties faced by sceptics:

Natural man has a rough time with this; it is totally beyond his capacity to believe or accept it, resulting in the response: "It has lost contact with history entirely!” There are simply too many things in this that men cannot explain for some of them to believe it, but, we might add, such men are exactly like Noah's generation who also could not conceive of such a thing. Did it really happen? Of course it did! Every nation under the heaven, in all continents, testifies to the truth of this report by its myths and legends, which are nothing but distorted and perverted tales of the same event, but this account is different. It is accurately and precisely dated; it is embedded in the matrix of a moral theology that assigns plausible and accurate moral reasons for the catastrophe. Both the judgment and the mercy inherent in the event are fully in character with the nature of God, as revealed in both Testaments.   

What is the lesson from the flood? 

There was a warning, but it was ignored and the catastrophe came as a great surprise to those who were destroyed.  There was no physical sign of the coming judgment and so they did not believe the offer that God had made through Noah. 

One writer warns:

“We do not have to wait until after a second heart attack; we must make the decision on the basis of what is set before us now.  We cannot demand to wait until some tremendous catastrophe occurs”.

We should therefore not be foolish and ignore what the Holy Spirit is telling us about the second coming of Jesus in judgment.

GENESIS 8:14-16.

This chapter begins by telling us that God remembered Noah and all the creatures that were in the ark. The rains had come and roared for forty days as God had said, and then deafening silence followed.  Everything was gone and death was everywhere, and we have no record that God spoke during that time.  Noah had been enclosed in this great wooden Ark with only a tiny window at the top. 

When the Scripture uses the term God remembered, it indicates that God is acting on behalf of those whom he remembered.  This statement that God remembered Noah is called an anthropomorphism. God is described in human terms as behaving like a man. God never forgot Noah, it really means that God turned his active attention to Noah again

Verse 14.   The precise date Noah left the Ark allows for some calculation of the duration of his stay aboard, (Gen. 7:11).  This would make his stay one year and ten days. This assumes thirty day months and a twelve month year, the basis favoured by scholars.  Of course we can’t be sure Noah’s year was solar or lunar. 

…the earth dry…meaning fit for habitation. The ground did appear dry to Noah from the first day of the first month but he was not allowed to venture out, until the twenty seventh day of the second month, when the ground was actually dry. Everyone aboard might have been getting restless and anxious to leave the Ark earlier but God kept them aboard so much longer. 

In retrospect we are always thankful that God acts to our benefits rather than our desires, for He knows better what is best for us than we do ourselves. God knows the opportune time for blessings and when we are ready for them. 

We can only imagine Noah’s excitement upon leaving the Ark, for mercies restored are so much more appreciated than mercies continued.

Verses 15-16.   The official word to depart the Ark is finally given to Noah and his family. True to His word, God kept them through the flood and to his credit, Noah did not stir until God gave the word. 

The invitation to enter the Ark was to a clan but the order to leave was given to families; Noah and his wife, his sons and their wives. The task of repopulating the earth was ahead and families would be the instrument for that task. 

Note that the first thing that Noah did when he came out of the Ark was to worship God with a sacrifice.  He did not stop to build a fire and cook a meal to satisfy himself, but thanked God for his deliverance. 

Interestingly it was then that God spoke, and his words were both encouraging but also discouraging. 

God made it clear that the human race could not be fixed.  Neither the flood nor destruction would change the heart of men.  Apparently each succeeding generation would repeat the wickedness of the previous lot and just maybe continue to create new ways of iniquity.

God defines for us the nature of man.  The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.   

This of course is something that men have always tried to deny but history has proved the truth of what God said. 

Now God would lay the groundwork for a new emphasis and a fresh proclamation of His redeeming grace.  They were given another chance, but it was now indicated that they would again fail. God would be so gracious that he would not repeat the destruction by a flood.  The seasons would continue on an even keel.

GENESIS 9:1

The blessing preceded the command and in a sense was a reassurance to the tiny group, as the task of repopulating and settling the earth might have appeared daunting. 

Note, God will equip those he has appointed to any task and the continued assurance of his presence should ensure our perseverance. 

This is the same command given to Adam and Eve in Gen. 1:28, marking Noah as a second progenitor of the human race.

CONCLUSION

The world that Noah entered after departing the Ark was very much different from the one that he had known. 

God therefore establish the rules of the game under which all men would have to live and men would have obey them, whether they liked it or not.   

This covenant with Noah was necessary, since men had become enslaved and twisted by sin. Now God reiterated that some things were directly put off limits.  No deviations would be allowed.  Man was not the absolute king that he had thought he was. 

For the protection of animals, God put a fear of mankind in them, initiating a completely different relationship. Now man would begin to eat animals.  Absolutely no blood should be eaten

Man would have to accept the absolute sacredness of human life.

They would not be allowed to stick together and conspire but would have to go out to multiply and replenish the earth. 

God waited long for the entire time the Ark was being built but the time for salvation did end. There are those who delude themselves, who even if they concede that there is a God, regard Him as indifferent to the affairs of men and continue merrily along the path of sin. This account of God’s intervention is conveniently forgotten as the Apostle Peter noted: For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 2 Pet. 3:5-6. 

The difference between Noah and those who perished was their response to God’s grace. Those who perished interpreted God’s grace as divine indifference. They concluded that God neither cared nor troubled Himself at the occasion of men’s sin.

Noah, is a fine example of the life lived in obedience. He spent his years walking with God, building the ark, and proclaiming God’s Word. 

Noah is a striking contrast to the people of his day and the unchanging God will deal with men even as he dealt with them then. Those who believe in Him, those that come to Him through faith in Jesus will be saved while the wicked will be destroyed.  

Noah’s society was totally godless and though the particular sin of that generation is not identified, we know it was characterized by men seeking to make a name for themselves, the underlying assumption being, there is no God. In our present western societies that were once nominally Christian at least, there is a strong movement to remove the God of the Bible from all spheres of human endeavour and relationships. 

Our Lord taught that the days preceding His final appearance to judge the earth, would be just like those preceding the flood:

For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be (Matthew 24:37-39). 

These days were not described in terms of debauchery or decadence, but of normality—business as usual. Men in the last days will be doing what they always have. There is nothing wrong with eating and drinking, giving in marriage, or buying and selling. What is wrong is doing so without God, and supposing that we may sin as we please without paying its penalty. The age of grace will end. Let us respond rightly to God’s grace.