Genesis 6:1-9:29 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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God's Judgment and Salvation
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I. Noah's Ark (6:1-7:5)

The Deluge

A wood engraving by Gustave Dore (1832-1883) titled "The Deluge" that is in a Bible was titled: "The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments, according to the authorized version. With illustrations by Gustave Doré.
Dore's drawings were in Bibles that are now in public domain. This one was scanned in by creationism.org.

>1. Who do you think "the sons of God" and "the daughters of men" refer to? What was the basis of their marrage? What was the result of these marriages from a human point of view? How did God view their marriage? In what respect did their marriage show the further degeneration of men and direct contribution to the growth of sin?

Genesis 6:1-2 "When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose."

* "When men began to increase in number on the earth" -Adam and Eve were God's last creation. There were no new creations, organic, inorganic and human. Thus starting from two it would take quit a while for man to increase on the earth. Seeing that man lived so long, it is safe to say that after three generations the earth had many men and women on it. Thus the fulfillment of this statement was about 500 years after God creating Adam and Eve. The moral decay of the sons of God began to get to repulsive by the time Noah was born which was 1056 years after Adam's creation.

If we try to realize how much information even in our own days, when intercourse, civilization, and the means of knowledge have so far advanced, can be gained from personal intercourse with the chief actors in great events, we shall understand the importance of man's longevity in the early ages of our race. But, on the other hand, it was possible to pervert this long duration of life to equally evil purposes.

* "men...daughters were born to them" -These daughters were obviously human. Some suggest that they were demons or demon possessed girls. (See below note "daughters if men.")

* "son"-In Hebrew "ben". It means; "builder of a family name."

* "sons of God" -There are many viewpoints on what this phrase refers to. One being that "sons of god" refers to royal figures (kings were closely associated with gods in the ancient Near East) who proudly perpetuated and aggravated the corrupt life-style of Lamech son of Cain (virtually a royal figure) and established for themselves royal harems. This one I believe is most unlikely.

The two that follow are the most prominent among Bible scholars. The first is that this refers to angels or more appropriately, fallen angels (i.e. demons). In such places as Job 1:6; 2:1 it refers to angels, and perhaps also in Psalm 29:1 (where it is translated "mighty ones"). Some interpreters also appeal to Jude 6-7 (as well as to Jewish literature) in referring the phrase here to angels. Some of those opposed to this maintain that intermarriage and cohabitation between angels and human beings, though commonly mentioned in ancient mythologies, are surely excluded by the very nature of the created order (Mark 12:23).

The conservative view, which I believe to be accurate, is that "the sons of God" refer to the descendants of Seth for they were men of God. Elsewhere, expressions equivalent to "sons of God" often refer to human being, though in contexts quite different from the present one (Deuteronomy 14:1; 32:5; Ps 73:15; Isa 43:6; Hos 1:10; 11:1; Lk 3:38; 1 John 3:1-2,10).

* "daughters of men" -There are many viewpoints on what this refers to too. I am more likely to believe that these refer to descendants of Cain for they were not godly women.

* "saw that the daughters of men were beautiful" -The sons of God based their partners on looks, weak feelings, and lust; not spiritual conformity.

Marriage is a very important relationship in serving God and doing his will. Many books have been written about it. According to this passage, the marriage partner is important to God.

Later the Jews were not permitted to marry a Gentile (Deut. 7:3-4, Ezra 10:10-11, Eze 44:22). And in our times Paul does not permit Christians to marry non-Christians. 2 Cor. 6:14 says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?"

* "and they married any of them they chose" -Obviously they did not get the consent of their parents who were men and women of God, descendants of Seth. They did what "they chose." Their choices was not good in God sight and obviously in their parents sight. In their marriage choices they sinned.

There is not doubt that the sins of Noah's generation was great; but the only recorded sin was the ungodly marriages (Lamech and Cains sins not withstanding). Why is this so? First, I must answer the question, "Why do I say that the sins of that generation was great?" Jesus said his coming would not be until man's evil was equal to the evil of Noah's time. (Matt. 24-25; Luke 17-18; 1 Peter 3:19-20; 2 Peter 2:5, 3:3,4; Gen. 6:5) I know that today there is so much evil and it is continually increasing. Yet Jesus has not come yet. Obviously our evil has to increase until it equals Noah's generation's evil. Since this is so how much does this say of the evil of Noah's age. Wow! How great it must have been.

Now to the main point; that is, that the only recorded sin was the ungodly marriages. The only thing that God mentions as evil in Noah's age is that the Sons of God married the daughters of men. Because of this sin that God says, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." God was not happy about this. He still wants us to marry men and women of God.

Along with ungodly marriages most likely there were a lot of divorces then as today. In marriage it is up to those who confess the name of Jesus as Messiah and Lord to keep God's standards in this evil generation.

Genesis 6:3 "Then the Lord said, 'My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.'"

* "My Spirit" -The Holy Spirit.

* "will not contend" -NIV sub-note says or "My spirit will not remain in." John 16:8 records Jesus stating, "When (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." John 14:26 records Jesus saying, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

* "will not contend" -In Hebrew"diyn" or ({Gen. 6:3}) "duwn" or "doon". A prim. root meaning: "to rule; by impl. to judge (as umpire); also to strive (as at law):-contend, execute (judgment), judge, minister judgment, plead (the cause), at strife, strive."

* "for he is mortal" -In Hebrew this phrase is two words; "shagag" which is a prim. root meaning; to stray, i.e. (fig.) sin (with more or less apology), deceived, err, go astray, sin ignorantly; and "basar" meaning; flesh (from its freshness); by extens. body, person; also (by euphem.) the pudenda of a man:-body, [fat, lean] flesh, kin, [man-] kind, + nakedness, self, skin."

* "days" -In Hebrew "yowm". This comes from an unused root meaning; to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether lit. (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or fig. (a space of time defined by an associated term), [often used adv.]:-age, + always, + chronicles, continually (-ance), daily, ([birth-], each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever (-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (...live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year (-ly), + younger."

* "years" -In Hebrew "shaneh" in plural only or fem. "shanah". It refers to a year (as a revolution of time):-+ whole age, X long, + old, year (X -ly).

* "his days will be a hundred and twenty years" -Basically this phrase is interpreted in two ways; 1) Men will not live longer that 120 years; or 2) Noah's age would end within 120 years with the flood. I believe it is the second. From Genesis 5:32, 7:6, and 10:11 we can see that it took Noah almost 100 years to build the ark.

Genesis 6:4 "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days--and also afterward--when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown."

* "Nephilim" -In Hebrew "nephiyl" or "nephil". It comes from the Hebrew word "naphal" which means; "to fall, cast down, cease, die, fail, cause to fall away, fell, fugitive, inferior, be judged. "Nephiyl" means a feller, i.e. a bully or tyrant:-giant."

The word Nephilim occurs once again in Num. 13:33, in the report of the men of gigantic stature, whom the spies saw in Canaan. But though the Nephilim in those days may have been men of gigantic proportions, it does not follow that Nephilim means "giants." Lastly, there is nothing in the text which shows that they were exclusively the offspring of the sons of God with the daughters of men. It could be that when the sons and daughters of Cain's line married, Nephilim was their children as well.

What is important to the account I mention in the notes titled, "when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them."

* "The Nephilim were on the earth" -Obviously these were nasty people who were fallen and caused of others to fall away from God.

* "in those days - and also afterward" -It does not say how long after.

* "when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them" -It appears that the Nephilim were to children of the marriages that God did not like. How would you like to have children like these?

* "They were the heroes of old, men of renown" -If one believed that the Nephilim are the product of fallen angels and human women then one could say that the gods of ungodly nations in the past were these Nephilim. But I am not so eager to believe this. (See notes above on "sons of God.")

I believe that the Nephilim were just very ungodly men (See notes above on "Nephilim".) To understand how such ungodly men are considered heroes and men of renown I look at the heroes of today; Bart Simpson, rock stars, mad men, lawless people, drug attics, and gang members. Unrepentant sinners are eager to make heroes of people that exemplify their sinful lives. Romans 1:32 says, "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

>2. Why was the Lord grieved that he had made men? What was the degree of men's corruption and perversion? What did God decide to do about men and the world they were living in?

Genesis 6:5 "The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time."

* "The LORD saw" -God watches us. He is involved with human history and mankind as a whole and on the individual level. God is not passive. He looks and he judges. He looks and he decides what to do. Of course God knows all from the beginning. But phrases like this "The LORD saw" tells us of God's nature.

In the days of Noah, God's sternest measures were required if He was to show His true nature in redemptive love that brings forth righteousness. The wrath of God is not release of pent-up emotion, such as we might experience as humans. The wrath of God is God's firm commitment to accomplish His righteous purposes. While He is patient and long-suffering in dealing with us as sinners, He will respond in sterner ways of judgment and retribution when necessary. When people do not properly respond to God's loving and gracious ways of dealing with them, the hand of God that blesses becomes the hand that chastises, or destroys if necessary. God does not ride a roller coaster of emotional changes so that he is loving one moment and wrathful at another. God is constant, patient and loving, but also faithful and just. He does what is necessary to accomplish His purpose.

* "how great man's wickedness on earth had become" -Men of God did not value the spiritual. They were only interested in fleshly things, things that appealed the senses. Men of God did not value what God valued. Men of God did not obey God, but disregarded him.

* "every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time" -Mankind's thoughts are very important to God for our thoughts reflects where are hearts are. Either we can think ungodly thoughts or godly thoughts. Philipians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

The root problem of man's sinful ways is his heart attitude. From this stems all evil. Matt 15:17-20 says, ""Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'""

And Luke 6:43-45 says, ""No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from biers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

In the case of Noah's days, mankind's thoughts were deprived. Thus his heart was evil. There are passages that can be interpreted to mean that humanities' depravity is inherited; Psalms 51:5; Eph. 2:1-3. Other texts seem to affirm that depravity is due to human choice; Eze. 18:1-32; Rom. 1:18-25. Whichever it may be, the Bible teaches conclusively that humanity's depraved condition results in universal sin.

Genesis 6:6 "The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain."

* "The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth"-In Hebrew"grieved" is "nacham." It is a prime root meaning; "to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by impl. to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflex.) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself):-comfort (self), ease [one's self], repent (-er, -ing, self)."

The King James uses the word "repented." When it says repented, it is only our human way of speaking, for, as Calvin says, "nothing happens by accident, or that has not been foreseen." This phrase brings before ones mind "the sorrow of Divine love over the sins of man, " in the words of Calvin, "that when the terrible sins of man offend God, it is not otherwise than as if His heart had been wounded by extreme sorrow."

The LORD was grieved by Noah's generation's sin just like Lord Jesus was grieved and cried out to Jerusalem for her sins (Matt. 23:37, Luke 13:34). Or better yet like the LORD was wearied by Israel (Isa. 43:24). Or as Ezekiel said the LORD was grieved by their adulterous heart (Eze. 6:9). Or as he was angry with the generation of Israel that rebelled in the desert (Psalms 95:10). Rather than the LORD morn for our sins we sinners should morn for our sins and the Lord Jesus who died for the forgiveness of our souls (Zech. 12:10).

* "his heart was filled with pain" -When we sin it matters to God. When we sin it affects God. Ephesians 4:30 says, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

God loves us and does not want evil to befall on us by our own hands. Yet he lets us make the choices, even though it fills his heart with pain.

Genesis 6:7 "So the Lord said, 'I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth - men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air - for I am grieved that I have made them.'"

* "I will wipe mankind...from the face of the earth" -I wonder, "When God said this, was he saying to himself, as he did in Genesis 1 when he created man, or was he saying to the angels, or was he saying it to all of mankind?"

The last suggestion, at first, would seem to not be a possibility, some might say. It could be argued, "If man would have known ahead of time, perhaps Noah wouldn't be the only one to build an ark (boat). Others would too." But on second thought this might not be so. For if God did say this to the sinful generation of Noah's day, would they have believed it? I say probably not; or at least they didn't believe it until it was too late to build a ark (boat).

I take my day as an example of this reasoning; that sinful man would not have believed God if he told them ahead of time of the flood. Jesus says that he will come again and before he does there will be great distress and tribulation on the earth; but most don't believe in this tribulation and Jesus' second coming, even though it is very close. Further more, most men do not repent. Some believe in the tribulation (See Graham Hancock's book Fingerprints of the Gods) but they do not repent. Therefore, the sinful people of Noah's days most likely would not have believed the same kind of warning before it was to late to build a boat (it took Noah over 100 years to build the ark). So God could have told them with the words of 6:7.

One thing is sure; someone did tell them of the judgment flood to come. I know that Noah told the people of the judgment flood beforehand but they did not believe him. 2 Peter 2:5 says, "if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;" Noah is recorded as a preacher of righteousness. No doubt he told them to repent, for the judgment flood is coming.

Therefore, the people of Noah's days did know of the coming total world flood, maybe by God with the words of 6:7, but definitely by Noah, the preacher of righteousness. Yet, the sinful people of Noah's day did not believe the warnings before it was to late to build an ark (boat). Even if they did believe in the judgment flood to come, they definitely did not repent for 2 Peter 2:5 still says that they were "ungodly people" who were not spared. Also 1 Peter 3:18-20 says, "For Christ...was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water," The emphasis being that there they are called "the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago." Thus they did not repent when the warning came to them.

* "whom I have created" -As creator God had the right to destroy what he had made. He is the potter that can reshape or destroy the clay. (Jer. 18:1-10)

Though man is the work of the holy and almighty God, we shall not use it as a excuse that we are except from punishment upon sinning (Isa. 27:11).

* "for I am grieved that I have made them" -See above note, "The LORD was grieved that he made man on the face of the earth."

* "animals...creatures...birds" -Though morally innocent, the animal world, as creatures under man's corrupted rule, shared in his judgment. For this reason they eagerly await for our redemption. Romans 8:19-22 says, "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."

Genesis 6:8-9 "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God."

* "Noah" -Genesis 5:29-30 says, "He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed." After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters." The word "Noah" means; "rest, comfort". Evidently Lamech felt the burden of toil upon an earth which God had cursed, and looked forward to gracious deliverance from the misery and corruption existing in consequence of it, by the fulfillment of the Divine promise concerning the Deliverer. In longing hope of this he called his son "Noah."

* "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord" -The King James Version translates "favor" as "grace." In Hebrew it is "chen." It means, "graciousness, i.e. subj. (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty): grace (-ious), pleasant, precious."

* "This is the account of Noah" -See earlier lesson notes on this phrase.

* "Noah was a righteous man" -He was not self righteous, but righteous in God's eyes (1 Cor. 15:10). What made Noah righteous was that God saw him as righteous. Thus because of God's grace, Noah had a right relationship with God.

As the Hebrew word implies, spiritually upright, genuine, inwardly entire and complete, on whose heart had a single aim among his contemporaries.

* "blameless among the people of his time" -This implies that no one could find fault in Noah. Not only this but it also implies that of all the people of his time, Noah was blameless. I note that according to the previous lesson study chart that Methuselah and Lamech were alive at the time this word came to Noah. What does this say of them? Obviously they were not blameless or at least they would be saved through Noah who was saved.

* "and he walked with God" -To walk with God is a continuous act. Thus Noah always sought to do God's will. He was not only honest, but devout. He walked, that is, he acted with God, as one always under his eye. He lived a life of communion with God; it was his constant care to conform himself to the will of God, to please him and to approve himself to him.

Genesis 6:10 "Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth."

* "Noah had three sons" -Noah's three sons was already mentioned in chapter 5. In Seth's line this is the first time more than one son, or even any child, is mentioned. Perhaps this is to show that from them the one line was to divide into three, which were to become the founders of human history after the flood. Some people even believes that this could be the beginning of the three races that are here today; black (African), white (European), and yellow (Asian and North and South American Indians).

When God's word of the flood and command to build an ark came they were not born yet. (See note below "you and your sons" on more of this.)

* "Shem"-Could mean "character or honor."

* "Ham"-Could mean "hot."

* "Japheth" -Could mean "persuade or silly one."

The World Destroyed by Water

A wood engraving by Gustave Dore (1832-1883) titled "The World Destroyed by Water" that is in a Bible was titled: "The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments, according to the authorized version. With illustrations by Gustave Doré.
Dore's drawings were in Bibles that are now in public domain. This one was scanned in by creationism.org.

>3. What did the author say about the times of Noah? (11) In what respect was Noah different from the people of his time? Who were his sons?

Genesis 6:11-12 "Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways."

* "Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence" -This is a vague assessment of the evil of Noah's day. Only one specific sin is ever mentioned, ungodly marriages, which I talked about above. But this too says something. All kinds of sin was found among them, for it is said that "the earth was corrupt in God's sight." In the matters of God's worship; either they had other gods before him, or they worshipped him by images, or they were corrupt and wicked in despite and contempt of God, daring him and defying him to his face.

* "all the people of earth" -No exceptions, even the descendants of Seth were now corrupt; no doubt because they married the ungodly daughters of Cain.

>4. What did God say to Noah about his plans for the world? What did he tell Noah to do? Describe the ark. Why do you think God gave such detailed instructions?

Genesis 6:13-16 "So God said to Noah, 'I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypres wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put the door in the side of the ark and make lover, middle and upper decks."

* "So God said to Noah" -The secrets of the LORD is with those that fear him. Psalms 25:14 says, "The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them." And Amos 3:7 says, "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets."

* "I am going to put an end to all the people" -Psalm 29:10 declares God's right to do this. It says, "The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever."

* "destroy both them and the earth" -Because of this the face of the earth must have changed. God does not say what physical mechanism triggered the flood, except in 7:10-12, which is quit a vague summery of all that took place. All around the earth today is evidence of this world-wide flood. Because they are so many and because I trying to make a deadline, I will not list any of them now.

* "So make for yourself an ark" -As to the exact nature (size and what was put in it) of the ark Morris and his book "The Genesis Record" is as good as any. (See note "the ark is to be" below.)

Why did God make it that Noah had to build an ark? Why just didn't God save him through a miracle? Perhaps to see if Noah would obey and thus Noah's faith would increase (Heb. 11:7). Perhaps as a testimony to the people of Noah's day (2 Peter 2:5). It is true that God wants us to "work out our salvation." Philippians 2:12-13 says, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

* "ark" -The Hebrew for this word is used elsewhere only in reference to the basket that saved the baby Moses (Exodus 2:3,5). In both cases it refers to a vessel of salvation. In this understanding Jesus is our ark of salvation today. All in him will be saved.

* "coat it with pit" -In connection to "ark" above I need to note that Moses' mother made his basket watertight in the same way (Exodus 2:3).

* "cypres wood" -In Hebrew"gopher." It is from an unused root, probably meaning; "to house in; a kind of tree or wood (as used for building), appar. the cypress:-gopher."

* "roof" -Perhaps overhanging, to keep the rain from coming in.

* "within 18 inches of the top" -Noah's ark probably had a series of small windows (8:6) encircling the entire vessel 18 inches from the top to admit light and air.

* "The ark is to be..." -Why build a boat this way? So the boat wouldn't sink in the violent waves that would come. The T.V. program, "In Search of" and others, did a program on the dimensions of this ark and found it to be the best ocean going vessel around. Peter Jansen, a Dutchman, built in 1604 a ship on precisely the same proportions (not, of course, the same figures), which was found to hold one-third more lading than any other vessel of the same tonnage.

Genesis 6:17-21 "I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them."

* "I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens" -Some believe that the deluge was worldwide, partly because of the apparently universal terms of the text-both here and elsewhere (7,12-13; 7:4,19,21-23; 8:21; 9:11,15).

Others argue that nothing in the narrative of chapters 6-9 prevents the flood from being understood as regional-destroying everything in its wake, but of relatively limited scope and universal only from the standpoint of Moses' geographic knowledge. "Earth," e.g. may be defined in the more restricted sense of "land" (2:5). "All life under the heavens" may mean all life within the range of Noah's perception. (See the universal language used to describe the drought and famine in the time of Joseph-41:54,57; see also note on 41:57.) Since the purpose of the floodwaters was to destroy sinful mankind (13), and since the author possibly had in mind only the inhabitants of the ancient Near East (or wherever man may have been at the time) this flood may not have had to be worldwide to destroy them.

The apostle Peter, however seems to assume that the flood and its devastation were universal and total, except for Noah and his family. 2 Peter 3:6 says, "By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed." In his letter, Peter is pointing out the fallacy of the scoffers' argument. "There has been a divine intervention since the time of creation, namely, the flood," he argues. Thus he used the phrase, "the world of that time" in his argument. His word "world" may refer to the earth or, more probably, to the world of people; just as John did in his gospel in 3:16. If this is so then, all the people except Noah and his family were overcome by the flood and perished, while not necessarily meaning that the flood was universal. It may simply have extended to all the inhabited areas of earth.

If indeed it was a flood enough to wipe out all of man, but not to cover all of the earth then this would explain that how fresh and sea water fish both survived the flood.

>5. What was God's covenant with Noah? How did Noah respond? (6:22, 7:5) What would have been Noah's difficulty in obeying God's word in his time? How does his absolute obedience to God's word show Noah's faith? And his righteousness?

* "I will establish my covenant with you" -God still cares for man. There would be a remnant of mankind through Noah and his family.

In the midst of a generation corrupting God's world, Noah and his family were found faithful enough to be spared the judgment of destruction by flood. After the waters receded, God established His covenant with Noah and his family. This covenant reaffirmed the creative intent of God for humans and included a new and powerful declaration of the value of life created in the image of God. Accepting covenant relationships with God by families is central to God's requirements throughout the Old Testament. It finds its ultimate fulfillment in the acceptance of the covenant of grace in Jesus Christ.

* "you and your sons" -It seems that Noah did not have sons when God gave him this command. Genesis 7:6 says that Noah was 600 years old when the flood waters came. Genesis 5:32 says that Noah was 500 years old when he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japeth. However this might conflict with 11:10 which indicates that Shem had a son two years after the flood and thus perhaps Shem was born up to 3 years after God said this. In any case when the flood waters came Noah's sons, or at least two of them, were born 100 years before the flood. Genesis 6:3 states that the LORD told of the flood 120 years before the flood, perhaps telling it to Noah (See comment above). Therefore Noah received the promise of sons 20 years before they were born.

* "your wife" -Noah was said to be found righteous, but not his wife. One would believe that she was a believer. However it seems that God extended his living concern to the whole family of righteous Noah. This is a consistent pattern in God's dealings with his people. It was with Abraham (12:5). It was with Cornelius (Acts 10).

* "your son's wives" -Noah's sons married before they entered the ark. It goes without saying that they did not marry unbelievers.

* "two of all living creature...two of every kind of" -See note on "seven..."

* "you are to take food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them" -Not an easy task.

Genesis 6:22 "Noah did everything just as God commanded him."

* When Noah began the ark it was 1536 years after the creation of Adam. This is arrived by subtracting 120 years from 1656. (See spreadsheet "Genesis Genealogy" link above.)

* "Noah did everything" -Noah did everything in faith in the LORD. Noah's faith led him to action. Hebrews 11:7 says, "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." This faith that acted saved Noah. Eze 14:13-14 say, ""Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its men and their animals, even if these three men--Noah, Daniel and Job--were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign LORD." Therefore Noah saved himself by his righteousness/faith. In the same way today we are "saved by faith."

Also, when the LORD commands we should obey, just as Noah did. The Lord Jesus commanded us in Matt 28:19, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," And he said, "Feed my sheep" in John 21. Therefore, all those who call Jesus Messiah and Lord should witness and raise disciples. Ezek. 3:18 says, "When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood." In 1 Cor. 9:16 Paul wrote, "Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!"

Genesis 7:1-4 "The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and two of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made."

* "you and your whole family" -It is good to belong to the family of a godly father and husband. Even Ham, who was wicked, was better off with a father who found favor in God's eyes. Note from Ham being saved sows that the wicked are always amongst the good, even in a congregation of the Lord Jesus. As Jesus taught is the parable of the mustard seed, there will be birds in the trees ready to enjoy the shade and eat the seeds.

* "seven of every kind of clean animal...and two of every kind of unclean animal...seven of every kind of bird" -The ceremonially unclean animals would only have to reproduce themselves after the flood, but ceremonially clean animals and the birds would be needed also for the burnt offerings that Noah would sacrifice (8:20) and for food (9:3).

* "seven days from now" -This is repeated in verse 10, but only as the fact that the word of God here is done in that verse. A solemn pause. But more than that is was seven days more before the flood. The ark was finished, the animals were in, Noah and his family was in, but the door would stay open for seven more days incase anyone in the earth would repent and enter the ark. But none did. This seems to point to the time I am in. Soon God will call his bride home and then there will be seven years of tribulation. The door to Jesus' kingdom will be open to anyone to accept Jesus as Messiah and LOrd and thus be allowed to be saved for seven years.

* "forty days and forty nights" -A length of time often characterizing a critical period in redemptive history (12; Deut. 9:11; Matt. 4:1-11)

Genesis 7:5 "And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him." (7:5)

* This was not easy because the world was very corrupt so people would have given him a hard time. Also the ship building was a very big and hard task to finish for such a small amount of people, just Noah's family. Therefore, to build the ship meant self sacrifice. It meant faith because Noah had no evidence that it would flood. Likewise it was not easy to go inside the ark before it began to rain and before the flood waters came. Likewise it was not easy to stay in the ark for seven days when nothing happened. But Noah believed God would keep his word and covenant. Therefore, Noah did what was right is God's sight.

II. God's Judgement with the Flood (7:6-8:22)

The Dove Sent from the Ark

A wood engraving by Gustave Dore (1832-1883) titled "The Dove Sent from the Ark" that is in a Bible was titled: "The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments, according to the authorized version. With illustrations by Gustave Doré.
Dore's drawings were in Bibles that are now in public domain. This one was scanned in by creationism.org.

>6. When did the flood begin? What did Noah do as the floodwaters came on the earth? Describe the devastation of the earth through the flood. (7:21-23)

Genesis 7:6 "Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth."

* See note above on "you and your sons."

* "floodwaters" -No new waters were created. There was already enough created water to flood the earth.

"Floodwaters" comes from two Hebrew words. These two are used in the following verses where the NIV translates it as "floodwaters." The King James Version translates it "the flood of waters." Therefore the KJV is probably more correct than the NIV in its translation.

The first word in Hebrew is, "mabbuwl." It means; "in the sense of flowing; a deluge:-flood." It comes from a word that means "flowing" or some kind of moving. The second word in Hebrew is "mayim." It is the dual of a prime noun (but used in a sing. sense). It means; "water; fig. juice; by euphem. urine, semen:-+ piss, wasting, water (-ing, [-course, -flood, -spring])."

* "earth" -This is the same Hebrew words used in chapter 1; "erets."

Genesis 7:7-10 "And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth."

* "Every wild animal...all livestock...every creature that moves along the ground...every bird" -Four of the five categories of animate life mentioned in 1:21-25. The fifth category-sea creatures-could remain alive outside the ark. See note above "I am going to bring flood waters on the earth..."

* Isa 11:6-7 speaks of the new heaven and the new earth but could also just as well he used to describe what it was like on the ark. It says, "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox."

>7. When did God say to Noah to come out of the ark? (7:11, 8:14) What is the first thing Noah did when he came out of the ark? What can we learn about Noah's faith through this?

Genesis 7:11-20 "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, on the seventeenth day of the second month - on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened. And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in. For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet."

* "seventh day of the second month" -Converting Jewish months to ours, this is about the middle or end of our month of November.

* "all the springs of the great deep burst forth" -"Springs" in Hebrew is "ma`yan" or "ma`yenow." or (fem.) "ma`yanah." It is as a denom. in the sense of a spring. It means; "a fountain (also collect.), fig. a source (of satisfaction):-fountain, spring, well."

"Deep" is the Hebrew word "tehowm" which is the exact same word used in 1:2.

"Burst forth" is the Hebrew word "baqa." It is a prime root meaning; "to cleave; gen. to rend, break, rip or open:-make a breach, break forth (into, out, in pieces, through, up), be ready to burst, cleave (asunder), cut out, divide, hatch, rend (asunder), rip up, tear, win. "

Psalms 33:7 says, "He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses."

Job 38:8-11 says, ""Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?"

* "the floodgates of the heavens were opened"-"Floodgates" in Hebrew is "arubbah." It means; "(as if for lurking); a lattice; (by impl.) a window, dove-cot (because of the pigeon-holes), chimney (with its apertures for smoke), sluice (with openings for water):-chimney, window."

"Heavens" is the Hebrew word "shamayim" which is used in 1:1.

"Opened" is the Hebrew word "pathach." It is a prime root meaning; "to open wide (lit. or fig.); spec. to loosen, begin, plough, carve:-appear, break forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-) grave (-n), loose (self), (be, be set) open (-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent."

* "And rain fell on the earth" -"Rain" in Hebrew is "geshem." It means; a shower:-rain."

* "for forty days and forty nights" -For quit sometime many scientist laughter at the flood account in the Bible because they said that the sky could not hold enough water to rain forty days and forty nights. However, now there are a growing number of scientist that believe that it could have happened. They say that the rain that fell on the earth during the flood of Noah came from the previous ice cap (which has been call the last "ice age" for many years). This ice cap, they say, was suddenly introduced to a much warmer climate when the crust of the earth was slipped over the molten core of the earth 30 degrees to the south (called a earth-crust displacement). How the crust slipped over the molten core is a long explanation which I will not get into. Several scientific journals have published different scientist studies/reports on this. One person who agreed to this was the mathametician Einstein. Some books that have the facts behind this in them are "Pole Shift" by John White, "Cataclysms of the Earth" by H.A. Brown, "When the Sky Fell" by Rand and Rose Flem-Ath, and "Finger Prints of the Gods" by Graham Handcock.

* "came to Noah and entered the ark" -God lead the animals to Noah. Noah did not have to collect them.

* "then the LORD shut him in" -To show that Noah, even if he would, could not have given help to his perishing contemporaries.

* "all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered" -See note above "I am going to bring flood waters on the earth..."

There are many caves in the high mountains where men and animals gathered to escape. But they could not and so even today their bones are intermingled together. Isa. 28:17 says, "I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place."

* "to a depth of more than twenty feet" -The ark was 45 feet high (6:15), so the water was deep enough to keep it from running aground.

Genesis 7:21-24 "Every living thing that moved on the earth perished - birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days."

* "Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out" -Some say that some people survived, but the Bible disagrees with them. Noah and his family must have heard the people outside, but they could do nothing even if they wanted to because God himself shut them in. So all died but those in the ark. So will it be again. Many will want to be saved but it will be to late. They did not take God's heed from the Bible and his servants. One warning in the Bible is in Job 22:15-16 which says, "Will you keep to the old path that evil men have trod? They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood." They too will want to be saved, but it will be to late (Luke 13). Psalm 32:6 says, "Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him."

* "a hundred and fifty days" -See note below on Genesis 8:3-4.

Genesis 8:1-5 "But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. Now the springs of the deep and the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky. The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down, and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible."

* Genesis 8:3-4 compared with 7:11, seems to imply that the forty days of rain must be included in these one hundred and fifty days, and not added to them.

* "But God remembered Noah" -Though he had not been mentioned since 7:16 or heard from for 150 says (7:24), God had not forgotten Noah and his family. To "remember" in the Bible is not merely to recall to mind; it is to express concern for someone, to act with loving care for him. When God remembers his people, he does so "with favor" (Ne. 5:19; 13:21)

* "he sent a wind" -The Hebrew word translated "Spirit" in 1:2 is here rendered "wind," and introduces a series of parallels between the events of chapters 8-9 and those of chapter 1 in their literary order: Compare 8:2with 1:7; 8:5 with 1:9; 8:7 with 1:20; 8:17 with 1:25; 9:1 with 1:28a; 9:2 with 1:28b; 9:3 with 1:30. Chapter 1 describes the original beginning, with chapters 8-9 describe a new beginning after the flood.

* "receded steadily" -This caused The Grand Canyon. See note about that talks about earth-crust displacement. Then think of where the glacier was in the last "ice age" which I, as well as some scientists, believe was no ice age at all.

* "the ark came to rest" -Not by Noah's steering for God did not tell him to make a rooter or sail. Rather God steered the boat to where he wanted it.

* "on the mountains of Ararat" -"Mountains" is plural and refers to a range of mountains. Many believe that this ark is on a mountain on the border of modern day Turkey and Russia. Pictures have been taken, but Turkey will not allow people to go up the mountain.

* "the waters continued to recede" -The new ice caps were formed through continual snow and ice fall. Also much water was added to the oceans and so the oceans levels raise several hundred feet. This is a recorded fact. Thus the waters of the flood are in the ice caps at the north and south poles and in the oceans.

Genesis 8:6-12 "After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him."

* "raven" -The raven is a strong flying bird.

* "he waited seven more days" -Repeated twice. He probably did this on the Sabbath, thus showing he observed the Sabbath while in the ark.

* "olive leaf" -Olives do not grow at high elevations, and the fresh leaf was a sign to Noah that the water had receded from the earth. The modern symbol of peace represented by a dove carrying an olive branch in its beak has its origin in this event.

Genesis 8:13-14 "By the first day of the first month of Noah's six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry."

* "first day of the first month of Noah's six hundred and first year"-The date formula signals mankind's new beginning after the flood."

* "twenty-seventh day of the second month" -More than a year after the flood began the earth was completely dry.

Genesis 8:15-19 "Then God said to Noah, "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you--the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground--so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it. So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives. All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds--everything that moves on the earth--came out of the ark, one kind after another."

* "Come out of the ark" -Noah and his family could have stayed in the ark where it was safe and comfortable compared to the world at the time, but God said come out. In the same way it is easy to stay in our house rather than going out to proclaim the gospel and to raise up disciples of Jesus Christ.

Noah was in the ark one year and ten days.

Genesis 8:20 "Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it."

* "altar" -First altar in the Bible.

* "Then Noah built an altar to the LORD" -Noah believed God existed thus he built the altar. He also believed God would provide so he was not afraid to offer the animals. Noah made this offering because he wanted to please God.

Noah did not complain about the ark ride nor was he sentimental about the people who died. Rather he thank and worshiped the LORD.

* "LORD" -As opposed to LORD God elsewhere. Perhaps symbolizing the personal matter of worship.

* "clean" -This is the way God wanted man to offer sacrifices.

Old Testament Covenants

The chart to the right concerns covenants found in the Old Testament established between the Lord and people.

>8. What did the Lord say in his heart after the flood judgment? In what way couldn't the flood judgement wipe out the evil in man's heart? (6:5, 8:21) What new promise did God make?

Genesis 8:21-22 "The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. "As long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

* "The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma" -God is pleased with a holy life, worship, and praise as we are pleased to smell a pleasing aroma. Eph 5:2 says, "and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

* "even though every inclination of his heart is evil" -The flood did not solve man's sin problem. Even though many great sinners were judged with the flood. Sin still remained in those who God saved from the flood. Only Jesus, the Pascal Lamb can and did solve man's sin problem.

* "from childhood" -The phrase replaces "all the time" in 6:5 and emphasizes the truth that sin infects a person's life from is conception and birth (Psalm 51:5; 58:3).

* "as long as the earth endures" -Thus there will be an ending for the earth will not endure forever. Next time the earth will be destroyed with fire. Jesus has told us this.

* "Never again will I curse the ground because of man...Never again will I destroy...will never cease" -Putting aside Israel, as God's special people, the period between Noah and Christ may be described, in the words of Apostle Paul, as "the times of this ignorance" which God "winked at" (Acts 17:30), or as those when "through the forbearance of God" sins were passed over (Rom. 3:25).

Genesis 9:1-4 "Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.' The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beast of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given unto your hands. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it."

* "Then God blessed Noah...be fruitful" -It is possible and most likely that Noah and his wife had other sons after the flood. Thus there would be more than three nationalities. But because Shem, Ham and Japhetha were educated in the built up knowledge learned before the flood their dependents would turn into the "great" nations. Of course Noah would have taught his new children, but being a man of God he would teach them of godly things. Likewise Shem would have done the same.

There are some Bible scholars who say that Noah did not have any children after the flood. But there is not evidence of that, except in the fact that if he did, their names aren't recorded in chapter 10 and Genesis 10:32 says, "These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood."

* "Then God blessed...Noah's sons...be fruitful" -See above. Their sons are recorded in chapter 10. None had sons or daughters before the flood. Yet they lived up to and over 500 years after the flood (11:11). So it could be that they had more than those listed in chapter 10. However, if they did, why didn't God list them?

* At this new beginning God renewed is original benediction in 1:28 and his provision for man's food in 1:29-30.

* "The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beast of the earth...sea" -It appears from the wording of this phrase that the animals did not have this dread of man before the flood. Why then did God put this fear and dread of man in the animal? Because life in the world after the flood would be harder. God gave all the animals into our "hands". He gave them for food. Thus as a counter balance to save them from a quick extinction he put the fear and dread of man in their beings.

* "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you"-Life after the flood was harder than before the flood because much of the earths crust is now at the bottom of the oceans. So God gave man meat to eat.

* "But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it" -This begins one of several mentions of the fact that blood is the life of animals and man. Lev. 17:14 stresses the intimate relationship between blood and life by twice declaring that "the life of every creature is its blood." Life is the precious and mysterious gift of God, and man is not to seek to preserve it or increase the life-force within him by eating 'life" that is "in the blood" (Lev. 17:11) as many pagan peoples through history have thought they could do.

When Jesus came he taught us that his shed blood is the life of all men. Matt 26:28, Mark 14:24, and Luke 22:20 are record his words to his disciples, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." John 6:53-56 record his words to the people, "Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him." And in the letter many times it says that we are saved, redeemed, and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God (Acts 20:28; Rom. 3:25, 5:9; Eph. 1:7, 2:13; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9-13; 1 Peter 1:2-19; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5, 5:9, 7;14, 12:11).

In his book, The Chemistry of the Blood, M. R. DeHann, M.D. explains the origin of blood: "The blood which flows in an unborn babes arteries and veins is not derived from the mother but is produced within the body of the fetus." It is only after the sperm has entered the ovum and a fetus begins to develop that blood appears. As a very simple illustration of this, think of the egg of a hen. An non-fertilized egg is simply an ovum on a much larger scale than the human ovum. You may incubate this non-fertilized hen's egg, but it will never develop. It will dry up completely but no chick will result. But let that egg be fertilized by the introduction of the male sperm and incubation will bring to light the presence of life in an embryo. After a few hours it visibly develops. In a little while red streaks occur, denoting the presence of blood According to scientists from the time of conception to the time of birth not ONE SINGLE DROP OF BLOOD ever passes from mother to child. The mother contributes no blood at all."

Jesus pure blood was not conveyed by his mother, the daughter of sinful Adam. Rather, it was conveyed by the pure seed of his Heavenly Father!

Centrioles are supplied by the father's sperm. A centriole is the center of a centrosome and is a minute protoplasmic body. Plasma is the fluid part of blood and protoplasm is organized living matter, the fluid complex of the living nucleus that is often designated the physical basis of life. The basis of life is in the father's protoplasmic seed: a seed made of fluid and plasma "water and blood. Jesus came by just such a seed. John tells us there is "one who came by water and blood" Jesus Christ (1 John 5:6) John also tells us that when Jesus died he saw the blood and water come out of Jesus side separately, thus marking his death. (Source, In Search of Israel by Batya Wootten.)

Genesis 9:5-7 "'And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.' Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."

* "I will demand an accounting from every animal" -Exodus 21:28-32 repeats this, but says that man shall be God's vessel of executing the sentence. It says, ""If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull must be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull must be stoned and the owner also must be put to death. However, if payment is demanded of him, he may redeem his life by paying whatever is demanded. This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull must be stoned."

* "I will demand and accounting for the life of his fellow man" -At the beginning of this new era, God placed a great importance of man's life on our hearts. To take another life is a great sin to God. Such crimes and murder were no longer to be avenged directly by God himself, but he delegated his authority to man (Rom. 13:1-2). As Luther rightly says, "In these words the civil magistracy is instituted, and the Divine right of bearing the sword."

* "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed" -This is similar to the phrase, "all who draw the sword will die by the sword." (Matt. 26:52)

* "for in the image of God has God made man" -A repeat of what God said in Genesis 1.

* "be fruitful and increase in number" -A repeat of what God said in Genesis 1 and 2.

* These "Noahmaic" laws are very similar to the ones the apostles gave to the Gentile church (Acts 15:20).

Genesis 9:8-11 "Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 'I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you - the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you - every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.""

* "never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth" -Isaiah 54:9-10, ""To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you."

Psalm 104:9 says, "You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth."

Genesis 9:12-17 "And God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come; I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.""

* "rainbow in the clouds" -The rainbow is caused by the sun light going through water like sun light going through a prism.

Morris in "The Genesis Record" suggests that there was no rainbow before the flood because the waters above the sky would not have permitted a rainbow because the sun light was then filtered by the water above the sky.

Others says that rain and the rainbow doubtless existed long before the time of Noah's flood, but after the flood the rainbow took on new meaning as the sign of the Noahic covenant.

Genesis 9:18-19 "The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth.'"

* "Ham was the father of Canaan" -This fact was important to the Israelites who first received these words.

III. God's Covenant with Noah (8:23-9:29)

Noah Cursing Canaan

A wood engraving by Gustave Dore (1832-1883) titled "Noah Cursing Canaan" that is in a Bible was titled: "The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments, according to the authorized version. With illustrations by Gustave Doré.
Dore's drawings were in Bibles that are now in public domain. This one was scanned in by creationism.org.

>9. How did God bless Noah and his sons? How did he establish the spiritual order again? Why do you think that God had to upgrade the value of human life? (5,8) Why is man's life so valuable? What was God's covenant with Noah? (8-11)

Genesis 9:20-29 "Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers." He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave." After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and then he died."

* "he drank some of its wine, he became drunk" -This is the first mention of drunkenness. It was obviously before the flood, but not worth mentioning.

* "Lay uncovered inside his tent" -Among other things drunkenness leads to immodest behavior (19:30-35). In short drunkenness leads one to lose control of one's self and thus the sinful nature and/or demons take control.

* "Ham...saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside" -Ham made fun of his father. He mocked him.

It is true that if Noah would not have gotten drunk, then Canaan would not have been cursed. But it can be assured that Ham would not have laughter at his father if he would have stored respect for his father ahead of time. Thus, the event brought forth the evil in his heart. So a sinner may hid for a time amongst God's people, but in due time his heart will be revealed in a seemingly small event.

* "faces were turned...so that they would not see" -They wanted to avoid further disgrace to their father. How many children these days act like Ham rather than Seth and Japhetha!

* "Ham, the father of Canaan...Cursed by Canaan" -It was Ham who sinned against his father, but it was his son Canaan (who must have been already born) who received the curse. This was important to the Israelites who received these words first. I note that they received them before they entered the promised land. It was important for them to know that they were already a cursed nation way before God told them to wipe them out.

From Canaan receiving the curse I see that a father's sin will affect his children. Just as a father's seeking God, as in the case of Noah, is a blessing to his son.

Twice before when Ham is mentioned, it is added that he was "the father of Canaan" (Gen. 9:18,22).

* "the lowest of slaves" -Joshua's subjection of the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:27) is one of the fulfillments (Joshua 16:10; Judges 1:28,30,33,35; 1 Kings 9:20-21). Noah's prophecy cannot be used to justify the enslavement of blacks, since those cursed here were Canaanites, who were Caucasian.

* "Blessed be the LORD" -The Lord instead of Shem, is blessed/praised because he is the source of Shem's blessing. He is also the "God of Shem" (and his descendants, the Semites-which included the Israelites) in a special sense.

* "live in the tents of Shem" -Japhethites were to share in the blessings bestowed on Shem. There are those who see that when the Gospel was given to the Gentiles (mostly Japhethites) in the first century and the church growing in Europe thereafter (where the Japhethites moved to) by the Apostles (Semites), this word of Noah's was fulfilled.

Special notes of the flood.

The remembrance of the flood has been preserved in the traditions of so many nations, so widely separated and so independent of each other. Graham Hancock in his book "Finger Prints of the Gods" in the chapter "Echoes of Our Dreams" records many of them. In fact more than 500 deluge legends are known around the world and, in a survey of 86 of these (20 Asiatic, 3 European, 7 African, 46 American, and 10 from Australia and the Pacific), the specialist researcher Dr. Richard Andree concluded that 62 were entirely independent of the Mesopotamian and Hebrew accounts. Mr. Perowne has also done research into these accounts and grouped them into several groups.

Therefore it is impossible to doubt that they have all been derived from one and the same original source. As might be expected, they contain many legendary details, and they generally fix the locality of the flood in their own lands; but these very particulars mark them as corruptions of the real history recorded in the Bible, and carried by the different nations into the various countries where they settles.