The Flood: Two Lifestyles & Their Results
Genesis 6-7
Does it really make much difference how we live? Each day's headline news reminds us that good so often goes unrewarded while evil persists without punishment.
GROUP DISCUSSION. What prevalent evils do you see growing and infecting our current society?
PERSONAL REFLECTION. How do you live in a sinful world without being drawn into it or isolating yourself and losing contact?
Although these chapters don't answer all our questions about the struggle with evil, they show how eventually God's justice and judgment can become evident.
Read Genesis 6.
1. What impresses you about the human condition at Noah's time?
2. What words in verses 5 and 11 emphasize the extent of wickedness?
3. In what way has God's attitude toward the creation changed since the beginning (vv. 1:1-31; 6:6-7, 11-13, 17)?
4. How do current newspaper and TV headlines illustrate some ways our civilization resembles Noah's?
5. How is Noah different from his contemporaries (6:5-12)?
6. What do you think God's plans and provision for Noah's family and the various living creatures show about his continuing concern for his creation (6:13-22)?
7. In verse 18 what is meant by God's establishing a covenant with Noah?
8. Read Genesis 7. How do you suppose Noah and his family feel during the long months of building the ark in a very dry land and rounding up the animals (7:1-16)?
9. When have you felt embarrassed in front of others because of your obedience to the Lord?
10. How can you be encouraged and challenged by Noah's example?
11. In verse 16 how does God's action impress you?
12. What details are given about the flood and its results (7:17-24)?
13. The events of these chapters reveal the grace and justice of God. What aspect of this speaks to you personally?
Pray that God will show how your witness, like Noah's, can be evident in your community.
Now or Later
List areas of evil or injustice in your community. What possible activities would help in defeating them?
Does it really make much difference how we live? Each day's headline news reminds us that good so often goes unrewarded while evil persists without punishment.
GROUP DISCUSSION. What prevalent evils do you see growing and infecting our current society?
PERSONAL REFLECTION. How do you live in a sinful world without being drawn into it or isolating yourself and losing contact?
Although these chapters don't answer all our questions about the struggle with evil, they show how eventually God's justice and judgment can become evident.
Read Genesis 6.
1. What impresses you about the human condition at Noah's time?
2. What words in verses 5 and 11 emphasize the extent of wickedness?
3. In what way has God's attitude toward the creation changed since the beginning (vv. 1:1-31; 6:6-7, 11-13, 17)?
4. How do current newspaper and TV headlines illustrate some ways our civilization resembles Noah's?
5. How is Noah different from his contemporaries (6:5-12)?
6. What do you think God's plans and provision for Noah's family and the various living creatures show about his continuing concern for his creation (6:13-22)?
7. In verse 18 what is meant by God's establishing a covenant with Noah?
8. Read Genesis 7. How do you suppose Noah and his family feel during the long months of building the ark in a very dry land and rounding up the animals (7:1-16)?
9. When have you felt embarrassed in front of others because of your obedience to the Lord?
10. How can you be encouraged and challenged by Noah's example?
11. In verse 16 how does God's action impress you?
12. What details are given about the flood and its results (7:17-24)?
13. The events of these chapters reveal the grace and justice of God. What aspect of this speaks to you personally?
Pray that God will show how your witness, like Noah's, can be evident in your community.
Now or Later
List areas of evil or injustice in your community. What possible activities would help in defeating them?
posted by Christinewjc at
6:02 PM
1 Comments:
GROUP DISCUSSION. What prevalent evils do you see growing and infecting our current society?
There is so much sexual sin. Promiscuity, adultery, homosexuality, abortion, porn, pedophilia, rape, etc. I can be so discouraging sometimes. But we must be diligent not to let evil and sin win. The saying, "Evil flourishes when good people do nothing" comes to mind. We must be engaged within the culture in order to fulfill the Great Commission, but at the same time we must not let the culture invade our lives.
PERSONAL REFLECTION. How do you live in a sinful world without being drawn into it or isolating yourself and losing contact?
We must learn and practice the principle of insulation. This shouldn't be confused with imitation or isolation. Don't be infected by the world, but infiltrate the world with the message of the Gospel. We learn the principle of tranformation when we focus our minds on God. As Psalm 16:8,9 (GW) tells us, "Always keep the Lord in front of me. When he is by my side, I cannot be moved. That is why my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. My body rests securely."
1. What impresses you about the human condition at Noah's time?
It was so similar to today! Filled with wickedness, people who have forgotten God and do things that grieve God's heart.
2. What words in verses 5 and 11 emphasize the extent of wickedness?
Man's thoughts were evil all the time. The earth was corrupt and full of violence.
3. In what way has God's attitude toward the creation changed since the beginning (vv. 1:1-31; 6:6-7, 11-13, 17)?
What God saw as "good" became disasterously evil, wicked, corrupt and sinful. So much so that God was sorry he created man in the first place.
4. How do current newspaper and TV headlines illustrate some ways our civilization resembles Noah's?
We live in a culture plagued with death and sin. Every kind of sexual sin imaginable happens every day and oftentimes it is children who suffer the consequences. Murders, rapes, theft, corruption, etc. is ongoing with no relief in sight. Man left to his own devices has no hope.
5. How is Noah different from his contemporaries (6:5-12)?
Noah found favor in the Lord's eyes. He was righteous, blameless, and walked with God.
6. What do you think God's plans and provision for Noah's family and the various living creatures show about his continuing concern for his creation (6:13-22)?
God showed his mercy by saving this small remnant of faithful people and all living creatures by instructing Noah to build the Ark.
God gave Noah detailed instructions so that they would all survive the great flood to come.
7. In verse 18 what is meant by God's establishing a covenant with Noah?
God would never again flood the earth completely to destroy sinful man. It was the first indication that God would deal with the problem of sin in another way. That being, the Savior, Jesus Christ.
8. Read Genesis 7. How do you suppose Noah and his family feel during the long months of building the ark in a very dry land and rounding up the animals (7:1-16)?
They probably appeared foolish to the non-believers who most likely mocked what they were doing and disbelieved that a flood would ever come and destroy them. Noah's family may have worried about how they looked while following God's instructions. But they ended up in safely where the others died.
9. When have you felt embarrassed in front of others because of your obedience to the Lord?
Sometimes the scientific elitists tend to make Christians appear foolish because we believe in ID and/or Creation rather than Macro-evolution. But God's infinite mind is far greater than their finite minds so I don't let their mocking bother me anymore.
10. How can you be encouraged and challenged by Noah's example?
Never give in to the mockery of non-believers. God has kept his promises and will continue to do so, whether mockers believe in Him or not.
11. In verse 16 how does God's action impress you?
God used the symbol of the rainbow, a beautiful sight, to show us His mercy and grace towards us as well as establish an everlasting covenant which would be fulfilled in the Person of Jesus Christ.
12. What details are given about the flood and its results (7:17-24)?
It rained for forty days and nights and every living creature died in the flood except for those of Noah's family. The waters coverd the earth for 150 days.
13. The events of these chapters reveal the grace and justice of God. What aspect of this speaks to you personally?
Just as suredly that God reveals his grace to us, he also is righteous and holy and thus implements judgment upon the disobedient. His grace is sufficient for me. His justice is perfect.
List areas of evil or injustice in your community. What possible activities would help in defeating them?
I think that as Christians, we must be involved in the political issues of our time. We cannot sit back and just wait for the Rapture and Christ to return. We must continue to work towards improving the culture all around us for the sakes of our children and grandchildren should the Lord tarry.
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Christinewjc, at 9:42 PM
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