In a couple of weeks, there will be a major motion picture in theaters titled Noah starring Russell Crowe, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connely and other big time actors. Many of you have seen the movie trailer. There are much discussions already about this movie and many of our relatives and friends will likely ask us about it. We started our discussion of this topic last week as we take a short break from our study of the Letters to the Thessalonians. How should we, Believers of Christ, handle this upcoming movie about Noah?
We noted last week three important things we should do right away when we are asked about this upcoming movie Noah:
1. Tell people that the producers themselves, of this Noah Movie, states that there will be additions to the biblical account for artistic and entertainment value!
I read from those who saw a first run of the movie that there will be 6 people instead of 8, going in the ark and there is one stowaway who intends to kill Noah on board; weird!!!
2. Have a prayerful attitude in relating to people about this Noah Movie.
3. Be ready to share about the Good News of the ark and what it represents.
Last week we noted from Genesis 6 why there was a flood and why and how God saved Noah. Today we will look at Genesis 7 and answer two questions: What happened just before the flood? What happened during the Flood?
Next week we will look at what happened after the flood. Before we read our passage today, let us together pray our commitment to God’s Word……
Open your Bibles to Genesis 7 and read along with me God’s Word which He carefully and methodically provides for us what we need (there is no need for additions to God’s Word!). Let us read starting with Genesis 6:18….. (to 7:24)
And so, What happened before the Flood?
1. God spoke to Noah:
a. made a covenant with Noah, his family, and animals! And what is a covenant?
A covenant is a guaranteed promise! And what is this guaranteed promise; it is in the end of Gen. 6:20…. God guaranteed that all creatures taken in the ark, including Noah and his family, will be kept alive!
What else did God tell Noah?
b. take living creatures into the ark!
Now, let us be clear in what God said:
6:19-20 - 2 of all living creatures (bird, animal, groundcrawlers), male and female
7:2a – 7 of every kind of “clean” animal (male and mate)
7:2b – 2 of every kind of “unclean” animal (male and mate)
7:3 – 7 of every kind of bird (male and female)
Now, some will tell you that God does not make sense here; first God says 2 of every kind, then he says 7 for some, and how could Noah know which is clean and unclean when the Mosaic Law was not established yet?
I’ve said this many times before: The Bible will not do us any good when we don’t accept it as God’s Word! And so, this is the first thing we need to affirm: The Bible is God’s Word, therefore it will not contradict itself!
There is actually an easy answer to the supposed contradictions. The answer is in the passage. Yes God spoke to Noah about the animals to go in the ark; but did Noah actually had to get the animals and count them?
Look again at Gen. 7:15-16….
God brought the actual number and kind of creatures God desired to enter the ark; Noah just had to watch and take! Noah did not have to count or know which ones were clean or unclean, because God knew which ones to have in the ark!
What else did God tell Noah? We note that God,
c. told Noah what would happen:
7:4a – rain will come and pour on earth for 40 days and nights
7:4b – all living creatures not in the ark will die
And so, before the flood, God instructed Noah and told him what will happen.
And what happened just before the flood?
Look again at v7-10 of Genesis 7…
And so, in 7 days God brought inside the ark everything He wanted to save.
Everything included Noah and his wife, the 3 sons and their wives, all the creatures God wanted saved.
v11-12:
- water came from within the earth and from the sky
- rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights
And what do we note at the end of v16: God Himself shut the door of the ark!
And what happened during the flood?
v17-18: ark floated and the flood was over 20 feet above the highest mountain on earth
v21-23: except those in the ark, everything died
v24: flood lasted 150 days!
What happens next? Stay tuned till next Sunday!
What Biblical Principles can we apply to our lives today?
Why did God send the flood??
1. God is just and will judge sin!
Tick, tick, tick…. About 2 people die and face God every second. Hebrews 9:27 tell us that every person is destined to die then face God’s judgment. We will all face judgment by our Creator God someday soon. But thank goodness there is another truth from God; just like God did for Noah and his family,
2. God provides grace (an undeserved gift)!
As most of us know that even with God’s miraculous and merciful work, Noah and all his descendants had wicked hearts; and this includes all of us. But God is still a loving God, who told the Hebrews how to be forgiven of their sins, and for us today the death, burial, and resurrection of God Jesus Christ provides God’s grace once and for all for all people.
Now, God gave grace to Noah and his family, but any of them could have refused to get in the ark and die in the flood. Today, many are still refusing God’s grace by not believing in Jesus Christ as God and Savior.
3. God speaks and will do what He says! The animals came just as God said. The rain and flood came just as God said. God saved Noah, his family, and all sorts of creatures just as He said. God destroyed all other living things just as He said!
And just like God did for the ark, shutting the door to keep Noah and his family saved and prevent others from entering. As God speaks through the Bible, one of these days very soon, God will close the door for eternal destiny; people will either be kept safe in heaven forever or judged eternally along with the demons. And so, there are two more things we should note…
4. If you have not believed and accepted Jesus Christ as your only Lord and Savior, today is the day to do it, for God may close the door soon!
And as we noted last week,
5. Share to those who are seeking how the story of Noah and the flood applies to us today!
Cite Matthew 24:37-42…..
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
