During and After the Flood – Genesis 7:6-9:17
1. Aim: To lead the people to understand God’s covenant with Noah and the significance of the command, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.”
2. Explanation of the Aim: God created mankind to give Himself glory. As holy men and women of God multiply His kingdom and righteousness they give the Lord greater glory.
When the Lord assured Noah that He would never destroy the world again by a flood it provided mankind with special assurance of security from Him. In addition, the Lord wanted a righteous man, like Noah, to multiply godliness, righteousness, truthfulness, justice and love throughout the earth.
Illustration:When I think of perspective I am often reminded of a conversation between me and my son in the summer he turned four. That spring Mark had asked for a spot in the family garden to call his own. He turned the soil, broke the clumps, and planted his favorite vegetable--corn. Toward the middle of July, Mark was concerned that his corn was not growing fast enough. I tried to reassure him that the corn was doing just fine by quoting him the familiar benchmark used by farmers, "...knee high by the fourth of July."
My lesson came with his retort: "My knees or yours?" Keep God’s perspective on all things.
Nicholas Mokelke, Bits and Pieces, September 19, 1991, p. 2.
The Lord only blesses the multiplication of the righteous people who trust and obey Him. Let us help the people envision how their lives can be multiplied through evangelism, teaching and serving ministries throughout their own life times.
3. The Lord blessed Noah and his sons by assuring them of His gracious intention to love, multiply and use them for His greater purposes. It is a great privilege to know that the Lord is empowering us to accomplish His will.
All of God’s promises flow from a heart of love that seeks the best interest of every trusting heart. This is why we can be confident that God can work all things together for good as long as we are trusting and obeying His plans for our life. Our heavenly Father always knows what is best.
We should praise and thank God continually for all of His rich blessings, promises and enabling grace.
4. Jesus said, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:2)
Ask the people how the Lord used the flood to cleanse the earth of sin? How did the Lord plan to use Noah to bear much fruit throughout the earth? Why do you think that God is more interested in the quality of our righteousness than in the quantity of our good deeds?
The BIBLE focuses on how the Lord blessed Noah so that righteousness, truth and holy love could be multiplied throughout the whole earth.
We find that God blesses and uses those few people who are willing to refuse to conform to the world, but remain committed to God’s higher standards of righteousness, holiness and truth.
In the MEANING FOR OUR LIVES we try to help the people reflect on how they can follow the good example of Noah and his sons.
The Lord always promises to multiply the faithful few who are willing to be used to start new house fellowships of prayer and lead others to faith in Jesus Christ.
Read what Jesus had to say about the value of God’s pruning ministry in our lives from John 15:1,2.
Ask the people or explain to them what Jesus meant when He said, “God cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:2) Ask the people how the Lord used the flood to cleanse the earth of sin? How did the Lord plan to use Noah to bear much fruit throughout the earth? Why do you think that God is more interested in the quality of our righteousness than in the quantity of our good deeds? Why should we not get discouraged when we experience adversity? How can the Lord use tough times for His greater purposes in our lives?
The Bible Story
The Bible teaches us how the Lord blessed Noah so that righteousness, truth and holy love could be multiplied throughout the whole earth. We find that God blesses and uses those people who refuse to conform to the world, but remain committed to God’s higher standards of righteousness, holiness and truth. Only as we allow ourselves to be transformed by God’s word and the maturing power of the Holy Spirit will the Lord multiply His kingdom and righteousness through us. Then, we can confidently say we are being obedient to God’s command, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” (Spiritually and physically) with more people who are Christ like.
The Lord gave man the power over the animals of the world to be used to accomplish God’s plans in our lives. God told Noah, “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” (Gen. 9:2) What are some of the implications of God’s command?
It is very instructive that the Lord demands an accounting for the way all the animals are used. Life is precious gift from God and not to be taken for granted. The Lord is the great defender of all of life. He expects man to make the most of all the resources that are entrusted to his care.
People who fail to multiply the good things given to them by the Lord will experience God’s just judgement. Remember how Jesus rebuked the man who hid his one talent. The man said, “I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you. The master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 25:24-30)
Remember that each of us will have to give an account of what we have done with God has entrusted to our care. The Lord expects us to be fruitful and multiply with every resource, talent and opportunity He supplies. God is an excellent businessman and he expects a return on His investment in us.
Jewish scholars often speak of the seven key precepts of Noah which are useful for everyone.
1. Noah is instructed not to worship any idols.
2. Second, Noah is warned against any form of blasphemy or taking the Lord’s name in vain.
3. Third, Noah is commanded not to murder anyone.
4. Fourth, Noah is warned against any form of incest and all uncleanness.
5. Fifth, Noah is warned against theft and plunder.
6. Sixth, Noah is cautioned against unfair
administration of justice.
7. Seventh, Noah is commanded to issue complete fairness in all of his oversight ministries.
8. Eighth, Noah is warned against the eating of flesh with the life-blood in it. Meaning that blood should not be looked upon as a common thing.
All of these are given for the concern of man’s best welfare, health and best interests. When we obey God’s commands we can be assured of His blessings, enabling grace and empowerment.
The Meaning for Our Lives
Help the people reflect on how they can follow the good example of Noah and his sons. What are some ways that you can follow Noah’s find example by being fruitful and multiplying spiritual traits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. How can the Lord use you to multiply the Lord’s likeness through evangelism and witnessing to some of your schoolmates? How can the Lord multiply the faithful few families who are willing to be used to start new house fellowships of prayer and lead others to faith in Jesus Christ? What are some of the consequences for Christians who fail to multiply the resources, talents and spiritual qualities that God has entrusted to them?
Memory Verse: “Then the Lord blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” (Gen. 9:1)
Response
Song: “Make me a blessing to someone today.”
Prayer: Ask the Lord to use you to multiply His good purposes, kingdom and righteousness in both qualitative and quantitative ways this week.
At Home: Ask your family members how the Lord is using them to multiply Christ’s kingdom and righteousness in qualitative and quantitative ways.
conclusion:Perspective, like punctuation, makes a vast difference in meaning: he is a young man yet experienced in vice and wickedness he is never found in opposing the works of sin he takes delight in the downfall of his neighbors he never rejoices in the prosperity of his friends he is always ready to help in destroying the peace of society he takes no pleasure in serving the Lord he is uncommonly active in spreading hatred among his friends he takes no pride in helping to promote the cause of Christianity he has never been careless in trying to tear down the church he makes no effort to overcome his evil passions he strives hard to build up Satan’s kingdom he lends no aid to the support of the Gospel among heathen people he contributes largely to the devil he will never go to heaven he must go where he will receive his just reward
