The Real Story of Noah (Bible Study)

Here is a Bible Study to use with those interested in the biblical story of Noah.

1)      Why did God send the flood?

a)      “Noah” film:  God sent the flood to save the innocent animals from destruction at the hands of humans.

b)      The Bible:

i)        Read Genesis 6:5.  Here, the word “wickedness” is used to describe the condition of the people of earth prior to the flood.  This Hebrew word means “evil, wickedness, wrongdoing, harm, i.e., that which is not morally good.” ^[1]  It is used to describe rape and murder (Judges 20:12), bribery (Nehemiah 13:7) and Genocide (Esther 8:3).  It is a word that describes great moral sin.

ii)      Read Genesis 6:11–13.  What words describe the moral condition of the earth”

 

2)      How many people were on the Ark?

a)      “Noah” film:  Seven people.  Noah, his wife, their three sons, Shem’s wife and “Tubal-Cain,” a person mentioned in Genesis 4:22.  In the film, Tubal-Cain is an antagonist representing the wicked people of earth through the descendants of Cain.

b)     The Bible:

i)        Read Genesis 7:6, 13; 8:16-18; 9:1-2, 8-9.  Who was on the ark?________________ ____________________________________________________________________

ii)      Read 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:4-5; Hebrews 11:7.  How many people were on the ark? _____________________________________________________________________

 

3)      What is the Name of God used in the story of Noah?

a)      “Noah” film:  The only name used to describe God is “The Creator.”

b)     The Bible:  Read Genesis 6-9.  Underline every time a name is used for God.  Summarize your findings by listing the verses where the indicated name is used. 

God

LORD

Creator

4)      Who are the “sons of God” and the “Nephilim” of Genesis 6:1-4?

a)      “Noah” film.  Characters called “The Watchers” are a form of fallen angels that were banished to the earth and condemned to become encrusted in rock.  These mystical rock-creatures help Noah build the ark and protect him and his family from the descendants of Cain. 

b)     The Bible.  Several passages should be studied to understand the identity of a group of fallen angels who corrupted the lineage of man prior to the flood.  Understanding this corruption is crucial in seeing the necessity of a judgment as overwhelming as a world-wide flood. 

i)        “Sons of God” in Genesis 6:1-2.  These characters must be significant to the entire story of the flood because this is the starting point for the entire story in Genesis 6-9.  In the book Job (which is closest in timing to the events of Noah), “Sons of God” are angelic beings (Job 1:6, 2:1; 38:7). 

ii)      Read 2 Peter 2:4-5 and Jude 6.  What occurred in connection to the story of Noah? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

iii)    The “Nephilim” in Genesis 6:4.  The union of the Sons of God and the daughters of men produced offspring called Nephilim.  Hebrew dictionaries define Nephilim as follows:

(1)   “The word may be of unknown origin and mean “heroes” or “fierce warriors” etc.^[2]”

(2)   “Nephilim: a renown race of giants (Ge 6:4; Nu 13:33) note: whether this race was a spirit-human race, or godly-ungodly race is debated among theologians^[3]

iv)    Read Genesis 3:15.  Many Bible scholars believe that Satan was attempting to prevent the coming of the One that would be born of a woman and bring about his destruction.  Satan attempted to defile the human race through demonic intermarriage with humanity.  If this is correct, God thwarted Satan’s plan by preserving Noah and his family.  The Messiah, the Lord Jesus, descended from Noah through his son Seth.

 

5)      Did the flood really happen?

a)      “Noah” film.  The story of Noah is treated as mythology.  Many other illustrations would demonstrate that the film writer used the biblical story as a theme, not as a record of history.  The writer/ director Darren Aaronfsky said “Noah is the least biblical biblical film ever made.”[4]

b)      The Bible.

i)        Genesis 6-9 tells a story with great detail.  This is not presented as fable but as history.

ii)      Jesus believed in the Truthfulness of the Old Testament and the biblical account of Noah and a world-wide flood.  Matthew 24:38-39; Luke 17:26-27; Matthew 5:18; 11:13.

iii)    God promised to never again destroy the world with a flood (Genesis 9:21-22).

iv)    The story of Noah is a warning that the coming of Jesus is near.  Matthew 24:37-40; 2 Peter 2:5-9.

v)      There are over 200 flood accounts from ancient cultures around the world, from cultures that never interacted with one another.  95% of these flood traditions have common elements with Genesis, even though there is no possible literary or historic link between many of the various records.[5]

 

6)      What is the message of Noah?

a)      “Noah” film.  Humanity is a corrupter of the environment.  Humanities greatest sin is the consumption of natural resources.  Goodness can only be hoped for and is found when people rise above their natural instincts and allow the good within them to manifest itself.

b)      The Bible.  Noah is a picture of Christ, the Ark is a picture of salvation, and the sinful earth is a picture of the way that things will be before Jesus returns.

i)        Noah, a picture of Christ.^[6]

(1)   Noah’s name means “rest” (Gen 5:29).  Jesus came to bring us REST (Matt. 11:28).

(2)   Noah found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord (Gen 6:8).  Jesus received grace as God’s beloved son (Mat 3:17).

(3)   Noah was a righteous man. (Gen 6:9).  Jesus was completely righteous.  (1 Peter 3:18)

(4)   Noah was “blameless among the people of his time” (Gen 6:9).  Jesus was also blameless (1 Peter 2:22).

(5)   Noah walked with God (Gen 6:9).  Jesus came to do his father’s will (John 6:38).

(6)   Noah had a special task “make an ark of wood” (Gen 6:14).  Jesus died on a cross of wood (1 Peter 2:24).

(7)   Noah did the work ALONE.  Jesus was forsaken by all (Matthew 27:46).

(8)   God saved the world through Noah (Gen 8:1).  God saved the world through Christ (Romans 5:17).

(9)   Noah completed ALL that God asked him (Gen 6:22).  Jesus accomplished the work the Father gave him (Luke 18:31).

ii)      The ARK, a picture of Salvation.

(1)   What is an ARK?  There are two Hebrew words that are translated “ark” in the Old Testament.  The first is Tebah.  It means a container, and is used to describe a basket, coffin or container…. even a boat!  In Genesis 6-9 it is the word used for the BOAT that Noah built.  In Exodus 2:3, 5, it refers to the basket that was built for MOSES.  Both were covered in pitch.  Both delivered their cargo to safety.

(2)   The second Hebrew word is Aron.  It too can mean a box, chest or a coffin.  The most frequent usage of this word is to describe the ARK of the Covenant.  By comparison, Noah’s ark is mentioned 25 times in the book of Genesis.  The ark of the covenant is mentioned 21 times in Exodus.  It is interesting that both books focus on an ark.

(3)   Noah’s ark saved Noah’s family from the FLOOD.

(4)   The Ark of the Covenant saved ISRAEL from their SIN.

(5)   All THREE ARKS in the OT, Point us to JESUS CHRIST.

(a)    The BASKET of MOSES is used by the Lord to save Moses, who would become the deliverer of Israel.

(b)   The ARK of the COVENANT is the place where the Glory of God dwelt, and the place where the blood of the covenant was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat.  This was Israel’s salvation, as they were led by the Glory of the Lord, and as their sins were covered when the blood was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat.  Christ has made ATONEMENT for our sins by his blood, as we read in Heb. 9:11-14.  So the Ark is also in a way, a picture of the work of Christ.

c)      The sinful earth is a picture of the way that things will be before Jesus returns.   Jesus warned us in Matthew 24 that prior to his return the world would be just like it was during the days of Noah (Matthew 24:38-39).  Could it be that as the world treats the story of Noah as fiction, the return of Christ may be very near?

 

7)      Application.

a)      Have you come to Jesus as your ark of safety?

b)      Are the circumstances of our day today like the days of Noah?

c)      God’s judgment on this world is coming.  There is only one place to go to for safety.  Jesus said in John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

Additional Sermons on Noah

http://foundationforthefaith.org/multimedia-archive/everyone-needs-an-ark/

http://foundationforthefaith.org/multimedia-archive/out-of-the-ark-and-into-a-brand-new-world/

http://foundationforthefaith.org/multimedia-archive/the-days-of-noah-why-gods-judgment-was-so-severe/

http://foundationforthefaith.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=4282&action=edit&message=6

© 2014 Pastor Paul Barreca www.foundationforthefaith.org