Genesis 7-9: Study Guide

Background

• Review of Genesis 4-6: Adam's and Eve's children had many descendants, and while there were some who began to remember God, most had become violent. So God decided to destroy mankind with a flood, yet warned a righteous man named Noah.
• Setting for Genesis 7: In order to survive the impending flood, Noah had built a large ark according to God's instructions  (Genesis 6:22).

Study Preparations

• Timer: Assign a timer who will focus the group on spending 15 minutes in each chapter
• Prayer: Open in prayer and invite God to provide understanding into Genesis 7-9

Genesis 7

Read: Choose a reader to read Genesis 7.

Discussion

1. First Impressions: Consider the living conditions during the time of the flood.
1. Based upon the reading, how might life inside Noah's ark have been different than being inside a zoo?
2. What do you think it would have been like to be on Noah's ark for 150 days?
1. For the first 40 days & nights?
2. For the remaining 110 days?
2. Repetition: What were some details that were repeated over and over? Based upon the repetition, what do you think is the focus(es) of this chapter?
3. Foreshadowing: Recall how God told Noah to bring with him on the ark extra pairings of the 'clean' animals. What do you think is the purpose behind this?

Transition: The leader ties Genesis 7 into the full picture of Genesis, and transitions the group into Genesis 8. Suggested themes and foreshadows include:

• God's preservation of the animals according to their kinds
• Distinction between clean vs unclean animals 
• The great height of the flood waters
• Destruction of all life breath from the earth

Genesis 8

Read: Choose a reader to read Genesis 8.

Discussion

1. Water Reservoirs: This chapter begins by describing how God calmed the waters.
1. What are some of the unique features for how water was stored in the earth during Noah's time?
2. How did God go about calming the waters?
2. Flood Timeline: What details are given that make this chapter to 'drag out'? How do these details help the reader experience Noah's long period of waiting?
3. New Beginnings: God renews the mandate to His creation to multiply and fill the earth.
1. What prompts God to reflect to Himself over His creation?
2. What do we learn about man's nature through this reflection?
3. What do we learn about God's nature through this reflection?
4. What does God say is going to be different from this point forward?

Transition: The leader ties Genesis 8 into the full picture of Genesis, and transitions the group into Genesis 9. Suggested themes and foreshadows include:

• Global waters
• God's mastery over the forces of nature
• Renewal of life (e.g. the new olive leaf)
• God is responsive to the aroma of burnt offering
• Humanity retains a heart of evil
• God is merciful (He overlooks the evilness of man's heart)

Genesis 9

Read: Choose a reader to read Genesis 9.

Discussion

1. The New Blessing: The first seven verses describe the renewal of God's blessing over creation.
1. How does the new blessing differ from the first blessing in Genesis 1?
2. What relational concerns are addressed within the new blessing?
3. What modern movements or current issues seem to tie back to the Genesis 9 blessing?
2. God's Covenant with Creation: What do you think is the primary focus of God's covenant with creation?
1. Based upon the subject matter of this covenant, what do you imagine that the people may have been feeling as they were getting off the ark?
2. If a person wished to experience a sense of assurance during the time of Noah, then according to God's covenant what should such a person focus upon?
3. If a person wishes to experience a sense of assurance today, what principle can be drawn from this passage that could be helpful for such a person?
3. Father & Sons: Recall the events surrounding Noah's night of drunkenness.
1. What principles about family life can be drawn from what transpired between Noah and his sons?
2. How do you expect that Noah's blessings and curses will play out for the future? Do you believe that humanity might still be affected by them today? If so, how? If not, why not?

Transition: The leader ties Genesis 9 into the full picture of Genesis, and helps the group anticipate what may be coming in the next study. Suggested themes and foreshadows include:

• The renewal of God's creation blessing now has grave undertones
• Animals now fear man and are hunted
• The drinking of lifeblood is forbidden
• Murder is forbidden on the basis of God's image
• God's covenant with creation: "Never again will there be a global flood"
• God's first 'sign' (the rainbow)
• God is responsive to signs (e.g. the rainbow reminds God not to flood the earth)
• First drunkenness
• A son's honoring vs dishonoring of his father
• A father's blessing vs cursing of his sons

Closing

Looking Forward: In these chapters God appears to accept that humanity will inevitability remain evil. Yet God is willing to bear with humanity, evidenced by the renewal of His creation blessing and by the establishing of a creation covenant.

1. Sacrifice to God: Noah's act of offering up clean animals in the form of a burnt offering seems to be central in inspiring God's mercy. Interestingly, it is God who instructs Noah to bring a surplus of clean animals on board the ark, which is what makes these animals available for sacrifice.
1. If this interchange is meant to point to an ideal system of sacrifice that pleases God, what would it suggest about God's feelings towards humanity?
2. Select a modern religious system and evaluate it. How effective is this system at pleasing God, based upon the principles found in Genesis 7-9?
2. Noah's Comfort: Recall the prophecy of Lamech in Genesis 5:29: he prophesied that his son Noah would act as a comfort regarding the toilsome work brought about by God's curse upon the ground. Now that you have completed Genesis 6-9, reflect on the following questions:
1. In your interpretation, what is 'Noah's comfort'?
2. In your interpretation, what is the fulfillment of this prophecy?
3. Does Noah's life cause "the working of the ground" or "the laboring of hands" to be any more 'comfortable' for future generations? If so, how?