The Flood


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Study

Genesis 1-11

7

The Flood Introduction Genesis 6vs9-9vs29, forms a single narrative unit, presenting the reader with the ‘account of Noah’ and giving us a detailed description of God’s gracious intervention to rescue Noah and his family from the judgement sent upon the whole earth. This judgement was anticipated in Genesis 6vs7, but it is only as the narrative unfolds that we discover that the judgement will come in the form of a universal flood. Whereas Noah was described in Genesis 6vs8 as a recipient of the “grace of the LORD”, he is now described in relation to his fellow human-beings. We learn that Noah was ‘righteous’ and ‘blameless among the people of his day,’ – so much so that the LORD determines to save both Noah and his family and to ‘establish His covenant’ with Noah. The word translated ‘establish,’ refers to something existing which is now being upheld or made to stand! Since this is the first mention of the word covenant in the Bible and given the terms of the covenant which the LORD establishes with Noah, we may assume that by establishing His covenant with Noah, God is in fact upholding His creation – covenant with humankind. Though the flood is universal, God does not abandon His purposes for the human race but brings them to fulfilment through Noah who is if you like a second Adam. Tragically however we note that though the flood destroys an evil generation, it does not destroy sin itself or fully remove the curse. The comfort that Noah brings (remember his name!) is short-lived. Noah sins, is naked and shamed by his son Ham. Though there is a blessing for Shem and Japeth, Ham and his descendants are cursed. The search for the ‘crusher’ of the serpent’s head – the one who will bring full and final salvation to the world remains unfulfilled. This fact sets the scene for he story of Babel and the call of Abram to whom God makes promises which are ultimately fulfilled in Chris, the seed of woman and Abraham’s seed. The story of the flood thus provides us with a pattern of judgement but it also reminds us that in the midst of the judgement God acts to save His people. At the end of this study you should be able to answer the following questions:  What lesson can we learn from the account of the flood?

Read Genesis 6vs9-9vs29

Observe: 1. The description of Noah in Genesis 6vs9 2. The description of the people of the earth in Genesis 611-12 3. God’s response to world-wide wickedness 4. The reference to the covenant in Genesis 6vs18 5. God’s detailed commands to Noah and Noah’s obedience to God 6. The LORD’s remeberance of Noah (Genesis 8vs1) 7. The Lord’s response to the offering made by Noah 8. The Lord’s covenant with Noah and its sign 9. Noah’s drunkeness, his sons’ response and Noah’s words of blessing and curse

?Think: 1. Why did the LORD send the flood upon the earth?

2. Why was Noah saved? (How does this connect with Genesis 9vs8?)

3. What does God’s covenant with Noah mean?

4. Why is Noah not the ultimate Comforter?

! Understand / Apply 1. What answer can you give to our key question?