What are the first words of Genesis 2:4? Genesis 5:1? Genesis 10:1? These words don’t prove that different writers were involved, but they do indicate different chapters. They also overlap, as in Genesis 5:1-3, linking the previous chapter to the current chapter. What does Genesis 2 (the second book or chapter) teach about the veracity of Genesis 1? What does Genesis 5 (the third book) teach about the first two books? Can we say that thus far in the Bible, we have a consistent testimony of God’s miraculous creation?
Noah’s Genealogical data – Genesis 5:1-32.
From our point of view what is really unusual about the lives of all these people? (Length of their ages.) Did the penman of this chapter (Noah?) seem particularly surprised at these people’s age at death? What would you expect from any other later historian? Humanly speaking, what could account for the fact that these people lived ten times as long as us? What might these long lives indicate about creation?
Did Noah personally know Adam? (Adam died after the birth of Lamech, but before the birth of Noah.) Could Noah have known Seth? Could he have known Enoch? Is it possible that Noah knew about the testimony and preaching of Enoch? Did Enoch know the Lord very well? Do you suppose that Enoch was familiar with the history of creation?
It is possible that Noah didn’t write more about the lives of his ancestors because others had already done so? Since these weren’t inspired writings, they were not given the same preservation by the Lord. If they existed at all they were probably lost during the flood.
Noah’s History of the Flood – Genesis 6:1-8.
A few months ago, I was introduced to an idea about the “sons of God” in Genesis 6:2, which makes sense. I believe that it is impossible for angels and demons to procreate – to have babies. Who are these “sons of God” – who are the “sons of God” in Job 1:6 and 2:1? “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.” “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.” Who are the “sons of God” in Job 38:7? Job “where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” The only creatures called “sons of God” are the saints in the New Testament and angels in the Old. Henry Morris, a man for whom I have a great deal of respect, says that the “sons of God” here are angels. In the case of Genesis 6 those “sons of God” are not godly – they are demons. Still saying that demons cannot procreate, Morris suggests that it is more consistent with the rest of the Bible to say that this is talking about demons who possessed the bodies some of the more wicked people on earth. Then he goes on to say that the progeny of these wicked unions were demon-possessed as well.
However it came about, the world began to be filling with terribly wicked and powerful people. Were these people giants? (Yes they were.) If you want to say that they were “giants” in power and dominion over the saints, you certainly can. But the meaning of the word “nethilim” does refer to physical size. Are people very often impressed with physical size? What indication of that do we have in the Bible? (Goliath and Saul.) When was it exactly that men began to multiply upon earth (Genesis 6:1)? Could these “nethilim” have been proliferating for a thousand years before the time of the flood? Not only could the wicked have greatly outnumbered the righteous, but these “giants” could actually have become more numerous than the rest of the unsaved.
To whom was the Lord speaking in Genesis 6:3? To whom was the Lord speaking in Genesis 6:7? Not only could Noah have overheard the Lord speaking, the Lord could have been speaking directly to him. What did the Lord say about creation in this chapter? Did Noah believe in miraculous divine creation? Should you and I? If we denied divine creation, what effect would that have on our opinion of the history of the flood?
Having said so little about his ancestors, are we surprised that Noah said so little about himself? What is the most important thing that he said about himself? (“Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”) Did he discuss much about the building of the ark? Did he praise himself for his preaching of the truth? Do you suppose that he declared to the wicked God’s rights as the Creator?
The Book of Noah’s Sons – Genesis 6:9-9:29.
How old was Noah when these sons were born into his family (5:32)? How old were most of Noah’s ancestors when their first children were born? Is it possible that there were children older than Shem? If so, what happened to them? Is it ever possible that children of great servants of God are not Christians at all? How did Noah describe himself in Genesis 6:8? How did Noah’s children describe him after living and working with him for over a hundred years? (6:9.) What is the likelihood that Noah would have said these things about himself.
If Shem, Ham and Japheth said these things about their father, what do you think was their opinion about what their father thought and taught about creation? What is the likelihood that these men were creationists? By what right could God tell Noah that He intended to destroy all flesh?
The Ark. What kind of measure was used in the building of the ark? To the best of our knowledge what is the length of a cubit in our measurements today? (18+ inches.) It is generally asserted by those who know that the ark was twice as large as necessary to carry two of every “kind” of land animal.
How do we see creation In Noah’s warning the people that there was a world-wide flood coming? This was going to be a divine miracle – something that had never happened before. And in that way it was somewhat similar to creation itself. Did Noah send his sons out in different directions in order to round up the animals to bring into the ark? At that time were there several continents with different climates? What is the likelihood that there were animals in special environments scattered around the world? Probably all the various species lived in close proximity to where Noah was building the ark. Nevertheless, how does the arrival of the animals give evidence to creation? (Voluntarily came to the ark.) By this time were there animals that ate other animals? Why didn’t some kinds of animals kill some of the other kinds of animals? How does this give credence to the idea of creation? What did the animals do during the time that they were confined in the ark? How does that testify to divine creation?
The flood. What is the source of rain in our world today? (Clouds.) What was the source of the single world-wide rain that fell during the flood? (Collapse of the firmament.) What was the original source of that firmament? Was there any natural cause of the destruction of the Lord’s firmament? Meteor? Toxic air pollution? Actually, air pollution is a possibility, if we are talking about ash from volcanic eruptions. There is lots of evidence about the death of mammals and reptiles in the fossil records. Why isn’t there nearly as much evidence of the death of man in those records? (Trying to escape.)
The Covenant. Did the world offer man a good place to live prior to the flood? What kind of world was it after the flood-waters receded? How much grace and miraculous blessing was required to maintain Noah and his responsibilities immediately after the flood. Would this have been any problem for the One who created everything in the first place? Does Genesis 8:20-22 mean that the curse against sin has been removed? Had there been seasons as we know them today prior to the flood? Why, why not? Is there a logical explanation for the more rapid decline of health and life? What was the source of the animal’s fearfulness of man (Genesis 9:2)? What testimony does that give to the Creator? Who gave man the authority to eat the flesh of the animals? By what right? Did the Lord also give man authority to murder other men? What was the command in regards to murderers? How closely connected is capital punishment to the flood? To creation itself? Had Noah ever seen a rainbow before? (There had been no rain before and no direct sunshine. (?)) What does the rainbow signify? (No more world-wide flood.) Without the same kind of watery firmament, what is the likelihood of there ever being another world-wide flood?
The sons of Noah. Are there any people on earth who have not descended from Noah’s three sons? Noah’s sin of drunkenness probably came many years after the flood. It was evil and wicked, but when Ham made light of it, his sin became worse than his father’s. Perhaps Ham’s son Canaan had already displayed great evil tendencies. In the course of time, Noah, in God’s Name, blessed Shem and Japheth, but cursed Ham through Canaan. Shem and Japheth recorded Genesis 6-9 because of their direct influence on subsequent human history. Ham and his branch of the family moved away. And then Japheth moved as well. Only two men lived longer lives than Noah: who were they? (Jared and Methuselah.) Japheth and Shem finished the book on their father’s life, and apparently Shem was entrusted with its care.