Lesson 25
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Bible Study 1 - Genesis 6 & 7 & 9
Series: THE PROGRESSION OF SIN
Lesson 25: Genesis 06:06-14;07;09:26-27 NOAH WAS AN INFLUENTIAL FATHER
Genesis 6:6-14 (KJV) 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.”
INTRODUCTION:
God commands us in Exodus 20.12 to "honor your father and you mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you."
Do you know why God commands us to honor our fathers? Well one reason is because of the meaning of the word "father." In the verb form, the word "father" means "the founder – to be the foundation – to author." You Fathers are the authors of your home! Dad’s God wants you to author a God-loving – God-fearing – God-honoring home!
Listen to the instructions that God has given us in Psalms 78:5-7 5 “For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”
Fathers, God has commanded us to teach our children and to point our children to Him. The reason why is: So that our children may have confidence in God and keep His commandments.
The New Testament tells us the same thing in Ephesians 6.4, "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."The word translated "admonition" means to put something into the mind. Fathers are to be putting something into the minds of your children, namely, the Word of God!
Psalm 119.11, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."
From Genesis 6 ... I want to show every man how to be an influential Father! If there was ever a generation that needed godly – influential Fathers it is this generation!
Noah was living in similar days. God describes the days of Noah in the first 4 verses of Genesis 6. Noah's days were filled with apostasy (a falling away from God), anarchy, and apathy! It sounds like modern America! Apostasy – Anarchy – Apathy!
Genesis 6:5 “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Don't you know it was difficult to raise a godly home in that environment? Cheer up Dads it is possible! We can raise godly children in this wicked and perverse generation! Know this: we are the key to this being done in our home just as Noah was the key for this being done in his home!
Beginning in verse 6, let me show you how to be an influential Father! So what was it about Noah that made him an influential Father? More important than that, how can we be influential Dads?
EXPLANATION:
NOAH WAS A FAITHFUL MAN.
That is how Noah influenced his family toward the things of God. Now don't you think for a second it was easy either! In fact, he was the only person on the planet that had a heart for God! Sometimes we get to thinking that we are the only Christians at school or at work or on the team or in the band and we use that as a cop out for not being faithful to God! But Noah really was the only saint on earth!
Like his Great Grandfather Enoch before him, Noah walked with God. Look at verse 9 at that word “generations” for a minute. It comes from a Hebrew word that means "to go in a circle." Just as a planet goes in circles around the sun, Noah's life revolved around God. Verse 9, "..... Noah was a just man ……. (in right standing with God), perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God."
Dads, if you are going to influence your family, your children, your grandchildren toward the things of God: Walk with God!
AND LOOK AGAIN AT NOAH'S WORLD!
Verses 11-12, "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth."
God had had enough! In verse 13 God says, "I will destroy them with the earth." In other words, 'Judgment Day is coming." And then God told Noah in verse 14 to "make yourself an ark of gopherwood, make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch."
Do you think Noah was qualified to build an ark? He was a preacher! He preached for 120 years without one single convert! And as he preached with his voice he built with his hands and all the time his neighbors laughed at him. Can you imagine how difficult it was being Noah's kids? Don't you know that their classmates gave them a hard time? "Isn't it your Dad that is building that boat? Is he crazy or what? He must not have all the oars in the water!""Not yet!" But look how faithful Noah was in verse 22, "Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did."
Now Noah knew that judgment was coming! Right? Sure he did! God had warned him! Do you know why God warned him? Verse 8, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." God warning him was an act of grace! By the way God always warns before He sends judgment! God always warns before He sends judgment because He wants you to be prepared!
Hebrews 9.27, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." Philippians 2.9-12, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
If there was ever a Father that influenced his children and family it was Noah! And here is how he did it:
NOAH WAS A FAMILY MAN.
Never underestimate the influence of a Father! Here was a man who influenced his entire family toward God. Now Noah was born a long time before Jesus came and died on the cross for our sins but he was a saved man and do you know how? How is anybody saved? By faith! Hebrews 11.7, "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household ..."
Were those Old Testament people saved? Did they go to heaven and if so, how? All of those Old Testament people were saved the same way all of the New Testament people were saved: by faith in Jesus! The only difference was that the OT people were saved by looking forward to the cross and the NT people and beyond were saved by looking backward to the cross and we are all saved by the sacrifice Jesus made upon the cross and defeating death.
Now Noah's faith in God was not transferable but it was contagious! His family was saved the same way he was saved: by grace through faith! Genesis 7.7, "So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his son's wives, went into the ark ..."
That ark is a picture of Jesus! The water was God's judgment. And as they entered into the ark of safety they were protected from the judgment of God! Not one drop of God's judgment touched them. Romans 8.1, "There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus .." Just as there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, there was no condemnation to those who were in the ark of safety which was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And how did they get into the ark? The same way you get into Christ: by grace through faith! Genesis 6.8, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."
Hebrews 11.7, "By faith Noah … prepared the ark ..." So how do you think Shem, Ham, and Japheth learned to become men of God? The same way they learned how to become men: By spending time with their Father! How do you think boys learn how to become men today?
Dr. James Dobson's research has discovered that when a boy is born he is bonded to his mother. But when he turns two years old until around five years old he becomes emotionally detached from his mother and attached to his Father or the closest male figure.
Proverbs 29.15b, "A child left to himself brings shame to his mother." You can con a con and you can fool a fool, but you cannot kid a kid! What every child needs from their father is Direction!
The average five year old spends 25 minutes a week interacting with their Father. That's about 3.5 minutes a day. That same child spends 25 hours a week watching television! Now you tell me: who is raising our children? Who is teaching them morality? Who is teaching them God's design for marriage? No wonder our homes are in trouble!
Dads what your children need more than gold and gadgets is you! They don't need substitutes! They don't want things to play with or a car for graduation as much as they want your presence and influence!
I wonder how many of you were born before 1974? I wonder how many of your were teen-agers or are were in your 20’s in 1974? In 1974 there was a song entitled "Cats in the Cradle" was released. Here are the words to the song.
"A child arrived just the other day, He came to the world in the usual way, but there were planes to catch, bills to pay. He learned to walk while I was away. And he was talking 'fore I knew, and as he grew, He'd say, 'I'm gonna be like you, dad. You know I'm gonna be like you.’ And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, little boy blue and the man in the moon. ‘When you coming home, dad?’ I don't know when, but we’ll get together then. You know we'll have a good time then."
“My son turned ten just the other day. He said, ‘Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play. Can you teach me to throw?’ I said, Not today, I got a lot to do. He said, ‘That's okay.’ And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed. Said, ‘I'm gonna be like him, yeah, You know I'm gonna be like him.’ And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, little boy blue and the man in the moon. ‘When you coming home, dad?’ I don't know when, but we'll get together then. You know we'll have a good time then."
“Well, he came from college just the other day, so much like a man I just had to say, Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for awhile? He shook his head, and he said with a smile, ‘What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys. See you later. Can I have them please?’ And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, little boy blue and the man in the moon. When you coming home, son? ‘I don't know when, but we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then.’ I've long since retired and my son's moved away. I called him up just the other day. I said, I'd like to see you if you don't mind. He said, ‘I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time. You see, my new jobs a hassle, and the kids got the flu, But it's sure nice talking to you, dad. It's been sure nice talking to you.’ And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me, He'd grown up just like me. My boy was just like me."
“And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" ‘I don't know when, But we'll get together then, dad. You know we'll have a good time then.’”
What a price to pay, what a sad tragedy to endure, what a loss to suffer to become successful at whatever you are trying to do in life and be a failure as a Father. I wish someone had loved me and cared enough about me and my children when I young and beginning to raise a family to tell me what I am telling you today. Some of you may think what I am telling you is foolish now, but one day you will look back and wish you had taken the wise advise I am trying to share with you now. There is no joy like the joy of seeing your children succeed and carry on the legacy of good traits and character and ethics, but there is no sadness like the sadness one feels when you experience the failures in your life repeated in the life of your children.
NOTHING should come before your God and your family in life. I have made my mistakes and I pray that my family will forgive me for having time for everyone else and everything else before I had time for them. Don’t make the same mistakes I made. Stop make the mistakes you may be making today. Dads your children are watching you for an example just as Shem, Ham, and Japheth watched their Dad for an example! What they see they will magnify!
How are you going to explain to your children that Jesus and His church are your priority when you are taking them to some outing on Sunday rather than to Sunday School? What are you saying to your children when some sports camp take precedence over church camps? Or when you plan your vacation during the same time as Vacation Bible School? It's time we Dad’s wake up!
NOAH WAS A FALTERING MAN.
Though he was not an absentee Dad he was not an all-together Dad!
Genesis 9:18-25 18And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. 19These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. 20And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 23And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. 24And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
Children need to know that their Dad may be a Faithful Man and a Family Man but he is not a flawless man! No Dad is perfect! The Bible says that Noah walked with God and yet he stumbled! He was not perfect! He made mistakes and every Dad will make his mistakes too!
One day the school teacher, after correcting class papers, said to a student, "I don't see how one person can make so many mistakes on his homework." The student replied, "It wasn't just one person my Dad helped."
Dads I don't know about you but knowing that I have the potential of faltering keeps me a lot more focused on Jesus! Noah's sin led his son to sin and God cursed the entire family lineage! Genesis 9.25, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants He shall be to his brethren."
NOAH WS A FORGIVEN MAN.
God made a covenant of forgiveness with Noah.
Genesis 9:11-13 11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth. 12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
Genesis 9:16-17 16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
I ran across an illustration I thought fit very well in this setting with the title: "All I Need to Know, I learned from Noah's Ark."
Don't miss the boat…………………..…remember that we are all in the same boat.
Plan ahead……………………………....it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
Stay fit…………………………………...when you're 600 years old you may be asked to do something big.
Don't listen to critic…………………..…just get on with the job that needs to be done.
Build your future …………………..…..but make sure you build it on high ground.
For safety's sake……………………..….always travel in pairs.
Speed isn't everything……………….…the snails were on board with the cheetahs.
When you feel stressed………………....just float for awhile.
The Ark was built by amateurs……….the Titanic was built by professionals.
No matter the storm……………………when you are with God there is always a rainbow waiting.
All Dads have failed in one way or another and so have all children. None of us are sinless or perfect. But as God has set a rainbow as a token of the covenant of His forgiveness, which He has established between Himself and all flesh that is upon the earth we must forgive and encourage one another with the same covenant of our forgiveness. Dads need to renew that determination to be men of God, spiritually leading our families toward the things of God!
DO YOU NEED SOME HELP?
To find more help in receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior please go to the Bible Study Title Page “ETERNAL LIFE.” Please send me an email and let me know about any decision for Christ you make so that I may pray for you. Feel free to send me any questions, comments, or responses you may have as well. For those who are already Christians I invite you to also please let me know of any decisions you make in your Christian life for Jesus. Please send me your questions, comments, or responses and let me know if the Bible Studies are helping you.
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ALWAYS REMEMBER!
The support of your local Church ministry and the ministry of your Pastor should be the first priority of your Christian life and your service to the Lord. Be faithful to prayerfully prepare and attend Sunday School and Worship Service this Sunday and participate in worship as your Pastor preaches the Word. Do not forget to give the Lord at least your TITHE through your local church from your gross income – that is your first fruits. Any other other giving is an offering to a ministry unto the Lord. Honor the Lord in all you do and with all that you have. Always remember that everything you have and all you are belongs to the Lord. It is on loan to you – so manage it well! There will be an audit one day! Make sure the Books Balance!
All Bible Studies Are Prepared by Pastor Frank Denning And May Be Be Used By Permission