Day 9 – Noah & the Flood #2

• Picking up the story from where we left it yesterday, we first read the comforting words that “But God remembered Noah”. God clearly didn’t “forget” Noah, in the modern sense of the word, so what do you suppose this phrase means? This term will be used many times in the Bible to indicate times when God planned to take action to help someone. It’s also not the first time you’ll be comforted to read the words “But God” – so often we deserve punishment, but God gives us something else.
• God made a wind to blow over the earth, as part of the recreation of the world. The word for “wind” is the same as “Spirit”, so this verse mirrors the words we read in Genesis 1:2.
• Noah was on the ark for a combined total of 370 days – that’s over a year! Why do you think there is such a detailed explanation of the time of the waters going down?
• The first thing Noah did after coming off the Ark was to offer a sacrifice to God. Humans will still sin – the flood didn’t change that – but the burnt offering soothes God’s anger, indicating the bringing in of a time when sin could be dealt with through sacrifice. This concept is very important to grasp as we read on through the Old Testament. Who does this remind you of?
• Chapter 9:1-4 sound familiar, don’t they? What are the similarities – and the differences – between these words and those of Genesis 1:28-30?
• As we discussed yesterday, God institutes a covenant with Noah. Do you remember what this means? What does God promise, and what’s the seal, or the sign, of this promise? Do you think of this passage when you see a rainbow? It’s a great habit to have – seeing reminders of God’s love in the world around us and thanking him in a short prayer.
• At the end of Genesis 9 is a small side story – almost like a mini sequel – giving details of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. What happens in this story? Did you know about this part of the Noah story before you read it today?
• Ham is rebuked in this passage for humiliating his father by making a spectacle of his nakedness. His brothers are praised for their honourable reaction (i.e. by covering their father up and not looking at him). This leads to Noah cursing Canaan, which is the one of Ham’s sons. If you’re interested, this curse comes true later when the Canaanite people, who by then were numerous, were defeated by the Israelites in Deuteronomy 7:1-3. The other children of Ham went on to father nations too, and they settled in North Africa. This passage was misused in the past to suggest all descendants of Ham would be “servants of servants”, which led some to justify the slavery of African people. This of course was wrong, and shows how misrepresenting the actual bible text can be very dangerous.
• Matthew 24:36-44 is one of my favourite passages. It’s Jesus speaking. Jesus not only validates the historical accuracy of the flood, but He uses it to show nobody will know when the second coming will be, just like nobody knew the flood was coming. Those people who say they know when the end of the world will be haven’t read Matthew 24:36!
• What does it mean to “be ready”, in the Matthew passage? Are you ready for the return of Jesus, and the judgement which the Bible says will follow? Be careful not to think that going to church – or even doing this study – is “being ready”. Being ready means knowing and believing in Christ as your Saviour. Can you say that, proudly and confidently?

What new things have you learned about Noah over the last two days?

When reading the scriptures each day, be thinking all the time about Jesus. There was only one way to be saved from the waters, and that was by entering the ark. There is only one way we can be saved too, and that’s through Jesus. It’s unmerited grace in both situations. This story shouldn’t just tell us of one man being saved through faith – it should remind us that we all need a rescuer!