We shall continue with
the study of the Book of Genesis this week.
(1) As much as Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, were men completely cut off from God’s presence? (See the account given in 4:1-16.) What then does v. 16 signify?
(2) In this segment, Genesis gives us a short genealogy of Cain’s descendants and introduces us to the fathers of certain professions. What were these professions? What does this tell us of the civilization of that time?
(3) Read vv. 23-24 together with vv. 25-26:
a. What contrast is provided by the latter to the former?
b. How does each speak to the two very different lines from Adam (who presumably lived in two different societies)?
c. What did the birth of Seth mean to Adam and Eve?
(4) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) Why does Genesis preface the line of Adam with the repetition that they were made by God in His likeness?
(2) How does this line of Adam/Seth differ from that of Cain?
(3) While we do not have much information from other sources about Enoch (except for Hebrews 11:5-6 and Jude 14-15), the life of Enoch stands out as very different from the rest.
a. What did “walking with God” mean?
b. How special was he from the rest of the forefathers?
c. According to the Bible, when did this change in Enoch’s life happen? Naming of names was very important in biblical times. What might the name of his son, Methuselah (which most likely means “sent” for a purpose), signify given the fact that when he died, the flood came?
d. When Enoch decided to walk with God, did he leave his family?
e. Given all the information we can gather about Enoch, can you tell how he pleased God? Also, what reward do you think he was expecting from God? (Heb. 11:5-6)
(4) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
Indeed, this is one of the more difficult passages in the Bible to exegete. The more orthodox way (as affirmed by Luther and Calvin) is to interpret, in light of the preceding account, “sons of God” as the descendants of the Adam/Seth line while the “daughters of men” as the female descendants from the line of Cain. (The former had nothing to do with angelic beings since the flood was a judgment on human beings only.)
(1) Given the above understanding, what might the problems be with the sons of God marrying the daughters of men? (The original Hebrew highlights three major words, “saw…good…took”.)
(2) While v. 3 also lends itself to many interpretations, if we adopt the translation of some ancient texts which read, “My Spirit will not remain in man forever…”, and contrast it with the original act of creation in Genesis 2:7, what might the message be?
(3) From the account in vv. 4-5, try to describe the generation in which Noah and his sons live.
(4) How different was it from our days?
(5) Carefully reflect on v. 6. How does it depict our God?
(6) What do you think is the feeling of God in those days?
(7) Is there anything in your life that might cause God to grieve or regret?
(8) How does God’s grief (or regret) differ from human grief (regret)?
(9) Why would God grieve or regret given His foreknowledge? How then does this deepen your understanding of God’s love?
(10) If the wickedness of Noah’s time reached the point of total destruction, what about today’s?
(11) What kind of challenge did living in a time like this present to Noah and his family?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) What might being righteous and blameless “among the people of his time” imply?
(2) What might be the key to such a blameless life in the midst of such wickedness?
(3) The Bible describes three times that Noah’s time was corrupted. What does it mean?
(4) God revealed His plan of utter destruction to Noah. Was it a surprise to him? What might your response be if you were Noah? (See 2 Pet. 2:5.)
(5) What challenges did the command to build an ark present to Noah and his family? If Noah was to object, what reasonable excuses might he have?
(6) This is the first time the Bible uses the term, covenant (6:18). Using this incident of Noah, how would you define “covenant”, and how does God’s covenant differ from a human contract?
(7) What might it take for Noah to obey God?
(8) “Noah did everything just as God commanded him” (6:22). What might be the commands that God has given you today in which He desires the same obedience from you? Pause and examine yourself.
(9) What then is the essential message of today and how may you apply it in your life?
(1) How long do you think it took Noah and his sons to build the ark?
(2) Use your imagination to think of all the things that might have gone on during this construction process. Jot them down. It will help you appreciate the obedience of Noah.
(3) Now that the ark is finished, it’s time to gather the animals into the ark. Does the Bible give us any clue as to how Noah gathered all the animals? It had to be an impossible task, especially in seven days.
(4) Why did God ask Noah to bring more pairs of clean animals into the ark? (see 8:20) Since God, somehow, had taught Noah to differentiate between the clean and unclean animals, why then would He save the unclean ones?
(5) Before the flood “suddenly” arrived, what were the people on earth doing? How did they respond to the preaching of Noah? (See Matt. 24:37-39 to read Jesus’ commentary on the event.)
(6) How similar to the days of Noah is today’s situation in the world?
(7) V. 16 describes the last act of God before the flood: “God shut him in”. In what way is Noah’s ark a symbol of God’s salvation plan through Jesus Christ?
(8) What then is the essential message of today and how may you apply it in your life?
(1) 7:21 says, “Every living thing that moved on the earth (including all mankind) perished.” Use your imagination to picture the horror of the moment.
(2) Many have blamed that God is a cruel God. Look up Ezekiel 18:23 and 2 Peter 3:9 and see how God explains Himself.
(3) Read 7:24 and 8:1 together and try to understand why the Bible uses the word, “remembered".
(4) Have you gone through some “dark night of the soul”? How long did it last until you could finally see the light? How might 8:1 comfort you in times like this?
(5) The Bible specifically mentions where the ark rested ― the mountains of Ararat which lie between Iraq, Iran and Turkey. It is one of the most unstable regions in the political world, and is covered with snow and frequented by blizzards. Do you think God desires that the ark be found? (You may want to look up 2 Ki. 18:4 and 2 Cor. 5:7.)
(6) How long did the flood last? (Take a look at 7:11 and 8:13-14.)
(7) What might be the important lessons that Noah and his family learned? Try to reflect and list them out one by one.
(8) What should they look upon as their mission from now on?
(9) What about you? What lessons have you learned from the flood and what should you look upon as your mission from now on?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) How did Noah know when to come out of the ark—based on his several attempts to scout the condition of the ground?
(2) What lesson can we learn from this?
(3) What was the first thing that Noah did when he and his family came out of the ark? Why did he do that?
(4) In what way was it a pleasing aroma to the Lord?
(5) How can we emulate Noah to make ourselves a pleasing aroma to the Lord?
(6) As God responded with His promise, why would He add, “(E)ven though” (NIV)? (8:21)
(7) V. 22 is a very beautiful poem penned by God Himself. Why should this make you thankful? Pause and give thanks to Him now.
(8) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?