Noah's Wife Day 2: Family Values

After the fall, humanity experience an enormous population boom but continued on a rapid moral decline. The depravity reached such depths that God regretted creating humans... It seems contradictory to think that a perfect God would repent of anything. However, the true meaning of repent helps us to understand God's frame of mind...How tragic that God's crowning glory became His greatest regret. That we could be a disappointment to God is sobering, for God intended humans to be his greatest joy...

Today's scripture is from Genesis 6:5-10.

1. Describe what the Lord saw.

He saw humans who were only involved in wickedness and evil instead of being in a relationship with Him. Noah, however, was the exception!

2. How did the Lord feel about this?

He regretted creating humankind, and it hurt His heart that humans were so evil.

3. What did He decide to do about this and why?

He decided to destroy man and all the animals on earth, sea, and air, for he was sorry that he had made them.

4. Who caught the Lord's attention and why?

Noah caught the Lord's attention, because he was a just man who walked with God. He was 'perfect in his generations'--those who came after him were also righteous.

5.a. What four phrases describe Noah's character?

just, perfect, walked with God, found grace in the eyes of the Lord

b. Which of these phrases would you most like to describe you? Why?

I would most like people to describe me as walking with the Lord. If they did, this would mean that it was evident in the way that I live my life that I am a follower of Christ.

6. List Noah's sons. If you know the story of Noah and the flood, explain why they become important later.

Noah's sons were Shem, Ham, and Japeth. They would be responsible for repopulating the earth after the flood.

7. God's description of humanity's depravity is devastating. Read 1 Timothy 1:8-10 to discover some of the sins that antediluvians (people living before the flood) were engaged in. Using the word EVIL as an acronym, list some of the ways you see people sinning today.

E: Excess, not Exercising restraint, lack of Empathy, Eating too much, Extending themselves beyond their means, Extolling themselves as their own gods.

V: Violence, Victim mentality, Vetoing God's role in their life, Very selfish, Vanity, Vile language, Violating God's law, Violating children

I: Irresponsible, Irreverent, Ignoring God's law, Ignoring society's laws, self Importance, Implying to others that God isn't needed

L: Lazy, Lack of responsibility, Lack of empathy, Lacidasical in work, Lonely for God's love, Loveless, Living beyond their means, Lying

8. We've discovered that our sin caused God to grieve. Use Ephesians 4:29-31 as a template to write a personal prayer asking God to forgive you for the ways you have brought Him sorrow.

Lord, I'm so sorry for gossiping and not using my mouth and words only to lift others up, especially those I love and that I am charged to be a role model for. I have done this far too many times. I have been blessed by you in more ways than I can even recall, and I too often take you for granted. I have denied my need to spend time in Your word. I've put other things before spending time with You. I've used ugly speech, including cursing, more times than I should. In fact, I NEVER should! Please forgive me for this, Lord, and I desire your help to change my ways. Help me to not judge others and look down upon them. Help me to treat others with the grace and the unconditional love that You have shown me--over and over and over.

9. Noah's qualities foreshadowed the steps to salvation. In the space provided, talk about a time when you've walked in Noah's footsteps to faith:

I found grace in God's eyes when...(Ephesians 2:8)

...He gave me chances over and over, especially when I made poor choices. He forgave me before I even asked!

I knew I was justified when...(Romans 5:1)

...even when I was mad at Him and upset for Him 'letting' me be treated badly when I had made poor choices, but my faith in Him stood strong, and He led me to forgiveness.

I knew God saw me as perfect when...(James 1:4)

...I loved people despite their poor treatment of me.

I walk with God when...(Ephesians 4:1-3)

People take notice of the gifts that He has bestowed upon me with which I can serve Him!

One person's negativity can influence the atmosphere...sin is highly contagious.

And to end this lesson, a quote by Albert Einstein:

Evil is the real problem in the hearts and minds of men. It is not a problem of physics but of ethics. It is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil spirit of man.