God Saves Noah

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Lesson Preparation

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AStudying God’s Word

Optional Supplements

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Studying God’s Word

Introduction

In last week’s lesson we talked about how Noah was called by God. We made several points of comparison between Noah and others.

• • Write on the board, “How do fairy tales begin?”
  Compared to the world around him, how would we describe Noah’s character? Noah had faith in God while the rest of the world around him is described as being corrupt and filled with violence (Genesis 6:11). Noah’s character is described as righteous and blameless (Genesis 6:9).
• Why was it necessary for God to judge the sin of the earth? God is holy and just and must judge sin. If he did not judge sin, he would not be just. If he did not hate sin, he would not be holy.
• Was Noah righteous because of his actions, or was there another source? Noah found favor (grace) in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8); his faith in God’s power to save (Hebrews 11:7) through the work of the Messiah to come was the source of his righteousness. Noah responded to God’s grace by obeying his commands.
  • Don’t forget! Review the Optional Supplements and determine where you can use them.
  When discussing the history in the Bible, avoid calling the events a “story.” Stories are not always true, and what we have in the Bible is absolutely true. Use words like account, events, history, and record to emphasize that what is being described is true.

  As we move forward in understanding the truths that are found in the account of the flood, we will look at what the flood destroyed, examine the timeline of the events of the flood, and compare the salvation by way of the ark to the salvation found in Christ.

The Worldwide Flood

Rather than having you read today, we are going to listen to a reading of Genesis 6:1–9:19. This covers the entire account of the flood from God’s pronouncement of the coming judgment to all of the creatures disembarking the ark. As we listen, you can follow along in your copy of the Scriptures and this timeline. Pass out the sheet.

This timeline shows the day-by-day timing of the flood events, as well as the biblical references for each event. Remember that we are listening to understand what perished and what survived, as well as to understand the timing of the events in the flood. Make sure that you bring this sheet for the next several weeks, since we will be using it in the remaining lessons on the flood.

Play the audio for Genesis 6–9 (approx. 15:00). You can find the audio online at www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio/. Or read it dramatically.

Now that we have heard the entire account, let’s think about what type of literature this passage represents. Many people suggest that what we just heard never actually happened—that it is just a story about a man that can teach us some good moral lessons. It is viewed as a fairy tale or, at best, an allegory.

• How do fairy tales typically begin? Once upon a time . . .
• How is this passage different? It starts with very specific details of Noah’s age and the day of the month on which the flood began (7:11). It also contains very specific details of the ark’s size, the items Noah should take, and the specific days on which significant events occurred.

  With all of the detail that is given, we can certainly say that the author intended for us to understand that what he was recording were real events in history—a historical narrative. We will deal with some of the other challenges that skeptics bring against this account in the next few lessons. One of the key principles in interpreting Scripture is called authorial intent. When Moses recorded this account under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he had a specific meaning in mind. We don’t get to decide what we think the text means to us (a view known as reader response). Rather, we should seek to understand what it says and what the author meant. While we may find many applications of the truths and principles from a text, a text generally has one meaning (though many prophetic passages often have layered meanings that are still clear in the text).

• What other elements of what we just heard point to the fact that this is an actual account of what happened? Discuss various points including the details of the construction, the promises of God, and others.
• Based on what we have read in the text, from the perspective of Noah how long did the flood last? 371 days from the beginning of the flood to the time they got off. This assumes a 360-day year which was common in ancient history. Have the students note this on their worksheet.

  Let’s look at the next question: what perished in the flood and what survived?

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  What words are used to describe what perished in the flood? Man, animals, creeping things, birds of the heavens, every living thing, all flesh, swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, etc. Genesis 6:7, 6:13, 6:17–21, 7:1–4, 7:13–16, 7: 21–23.
• What words are used to describe what survived the flood? Noah, his wife, his sons (Shem, Ham, and Japheth), and the sons’ wives, male and female of all flesh, birds, animals (beasts and livestock), creeping things that were on the ark.

Discover the Truth

• Based on what we have read in the text, is it accurate to say that every land-dwelling, air-breathing animal that was not on the ark perished? This seems to be an accurate representation: anything living on the land (birds, beasts, livestock, animals, creeping things, and man) that breathed air (had the breath of life in their nostrils) perished in the flood.
• Based on this description, did Noah need to prepare an aquarium on the ark for the dolphins? No, since dolphins do not live on the land, they would not have been on the ark. This will be covered in more detail in a future lesson. No sea creatures would have been aboard the ark as they would have been able to survive outside the ark.
• What language did you notice in this passage that connects back to the creation of the animals? The idea of kinds of animals is present in both contexts: 6:20 and 7:14.
• Who was saved on the ark? Noah and his wife, and Shem, Ham, Japheth, and their wives were saved.

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  How does 1 Peter 3:20 confirm this? It refers to eight persons being saved on the ark. Here we see an example of Scripture affirming Scripture and assuring our interpretation (the analogy of Scripture).

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  How does 2 Peter 2:5 relate to this? It also says Noah was one of eight people saved.

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  How does Hebrews 11:7 relate to this? It says that the ark was for the saving of Noah and his household.

  So, it is clear from the text that every land-dwelling, air-breathing creature that was not on the ark died in the flood. This all happened within the year-long flood event. Every person who was not aboard the ark died in the flood—all died but eight!

• Looking at the timeline in light of the text, what interesting things stand out to you? What things surprise you? What things have you thought of in the wrong way in the past? Take time to explore the timeline and the supporting text as time allows, making sure you leave time to address the final part of the discussion on comparing Christ and the ark.

Christ, Our Ark Activity

Pass out the Christ, Our Ark Activity (PDF) worksheets. You may do this activity in small groups and then compare notes or with the entire class, depending on how much time you have available.

Use the text of Genesis 6:1–9:19 to think about the similarities and differences between salvation on the ark and salvation in Christ.

This activity is intended to help us draw a very important idea out of the text. As we study the Bible, we will find many things in the Old Testament accounts and individuals that foreshadow what will be fulfilled in the New Testament—often in Christ himself. This form of study is called typology. Note that the New Testament does not directly call the ark a type of Christ, but we can at least acknowledge the analogy between the two ideas.

Today, we are going to compare the salvation from the flood found in the ark with the salvation that is found in Christ. To get you started, let’s fill in the first comparison, and then you can look for others.

In Genesis 6:9 we read that Noah found favor (grace) in God’s eyes and that he was saved on the ark through that grace.

• How is that reflected in the salvation that is in Christ? What Bible passage supports this? Every person who has received forgiveness of sins in Christ has received that forgiveness by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9).

  Think of more comparisons and record them in the table. As always, we want to make sure that we are building our thinking on Scripture. Try to identify references to support your comparisons.

Connect to the Truth

There are certainly many ways in which salvation in Christ is seen in the account of the ark. You can refer to the answer key for the worksheet and acknowledge other reasonable connections. For example: the ark had one door, and Jesus referred to himself as the door that leads to salvation (John 10:9); all who were not in the ark perished just as all who are not in Christ will perish; the judgment of the flood was decreed by God just as the final judgment of mankind is decreed by God; Noah preached righteousness and one way to be saved just as Christ preached righteousness and one way to be saved (John 14:6); God provided the plans for the ark just as he provided the plan for salvation through Christ (1 Peter 1:17–21).

Ultimately it is the mercy of God that saved Noah and his family and the justice of God that brought judgment on the ungodly inhabitants of earth. Because God is just and holy, he must judge sin. However, he also shows mercy and grace and rewards those who follow him. We see God’s consistent character on display as his actions throughout history demonstrate that perfect character.

Application

Today we have seen a big-picture view of all that is recorded about the flood. We learned the general timeline of the events of the year-long catastrophe.

We saw that the level of detail of the account makes it clear that this is not some fairy tale that was made up to explain some unknown phenomenon.

We know that everything that lived on the land and breathed air died unless it was aboard the ark. Noah took representatives of the various animal kinds along with his wife and his sons and their wives. They were the only eight who survived, and that is confirmed in three New Testament references. It was mankind’s sinfulness that led to the judgment from a holy God. Noah’s faith and obedience were rewarded as he obeyed God’s commands.

We also learned that there are many ways that we can see the work of Christ foreshadowed in the events of the flood.

Let’s think about how we can put some of these truths to practical application. Remember that 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that as we examine Scripture, we can trust it to explain doctrines, correct errors in our thinking, give us steps to correct wrong thinking, and help us put the teachings of Scripture into practice.

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  How would you use the text of this passage to respond to someone who thought this account was just a mythical story about a man and a boat? Showing the text’s many details would be one strategy to use. Many people will not have read the actual account and are just parroting ideas they have heard expressed by others, and the level of detail might be new to them. This doesn’t mean they will be instantly convinced of the truth of Scripture, but using the Bible as an authoritative source is always a good plan.
• Many people have a Noah’s ark theme for their nursery or children’s play area. What is the real message of the flood? The overarching message is one of God’s judgment on sin and his grace in providing a way of salvation. Most people don’t consider this when they put up the “cute” animal decorations. Is a global judgement where millions of people died a fitting theme to celebrate the life of a young child?
• What can we learn about God’s character by comparing salvation by means of the ark with salvation in Christ? God is unchanging, and his grace has always been the source of salvation. We must turn to him to find salvation for our sins. Christ has provided that salvation on the cross, and he is the only way of salvation.
• How should we approach God, knowing that he is holy and will judge mankind for their sinfulness? We should approach him with grateful hearts for the salvation he has offered and with reverence for his holy character.
• We see Noah as an example of faith and obedience in the face of many unknowns. What unknowns are you facing in your life, and how can you walk in obedience to God through those unknowns? What can you expect from God as you do that? God will be faithful to us, his children. Our salvation is secure in Christ, and we have no fear of God’s wrath (1 John 4:17–19). As we walk in obedience to God, we can expect his blessing on our lives.

Group Prayer

Be sure to pray with your class and take requests if time allows.

• Praise God that although we have sinned against him, he has shown mercy through the cross.
• Ask God for understanding of how to use the flood account to share the gospel with others.
• Thank God for extending his grace toward all mankind.