GOD’S COVENANT WITH NOAH AND NOAH’S SIN Genesis 9
The first ten generations were vegetarians. Animals were not killed and that is why they were not afraid of people.
Verses 1-4. The relationship between animals and humans was rearranged by God.
• The blessing and fruitfulness were repeated, again – even twice, why?
• Why was the rearrangement between animals and humans made?
• What would have happened if people had never been promised to eat animals?
• God denied eating meat with blood. Why? (Did it have something to do with sacrificing and Jesus’s sacrifice?)
• What is the “state of war” between animals and humans needed for?
• How is it possible that that the situation will be different in the new creation, so that the wolf will live with the lamb (Isa. 11:6-9)?
Verses 5-7. These verses are the base for the court in the modern world. Remember that violence among people was great before the Flood (6:5).
• What will happen in a society if people do what they want?
• Why is it important that the base for court is bound by God’s word, not human’s mind?
• According to these verses what is the right punishment for a murderer?
• How does God justify the death sentence in these verses? What about human dignity?
• If people give up faith the human dignity will reduce straight after, why?
• How much can the law of a country, or God’s law, restrain evilness and violence?
Verses 8-11. God had already promised to establish His covenant with Noah before the flood (6:18). Later God established a covenant (the old one) with Israel and Jesus with his followers a new one. Normally there are terms and conditions for both parties of a covenant.
• What is the covenant needed for? Why is an open relationship not good enough?
• Who was this first covenant established with? (Why were the animals a part of it as well, see verse 10?)
• How was this covenant different from a normal covenant? (What were the terms and conditions of the covenant? What did God promise to do? What about the other part?)
• What was the covenant needed for at this point especially?
Verses 12-17.
• Why was the sign of the covenant needed? (What should Noah always remember when he saw a rainbow?)
• What does God want you to remember when you see a rainbow?
Verses 18-23. The ark was finished now, and Noah could spend his time by learning the agriculture.
• How did Noah learn how to make wine? What do you reckon?
• Did Noah know that the wine would get him drunk? Justify your answer.
• Compare Noah building the ark with Noah described in verse 21. What is the difference?
• Why was it so terrible for Noah’s sons to see their father uncovered?
• How do children in general feel when they see their parents drunk?
• Ham is considered to make fun of his father by telling his brothers about Noah’s condition (for example according to Luther). Why was it such a great sin that it caused a terrible curse?
• What is going to happen in communities if parents are criticized instead of honored by their children?
Verses 24-26. In the following chapters it can be seen that The Hamites are both Africans and the original inhabitants of Mesopotamia and the Land of Canaan (black and white). The Semites are Jews and Arabs. Asians and Indo-Europeans are the Japhethites. According to verse 26 only the Semites held on to faith in God.
• Why are these Noah’s words written in the Bible?
• What kind of a future does Noah prophesy for the offspring of Shem, Ham and Japheth? (Why were Shem and Japheth blessed, by text?)
• Noah’s curse was referred to to justify racism, slavery and apartheid for about two hundred years. What do you think about that?
• Have Noah’s prophecies come true by now?
• When and how was Noah’s curse invalidated?
• Compare Noah’s prophecy with these words of Lord: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation (Mark 16:15).
Verses 28-29.
• What were the last 350 years of Noah’s life like?
• What do you think about the fact that until their time according to Ezekiel Noah was among the three most righteousness men in the world (Eze. 14:14)?
Applied questions:
• Why doesn’t the Bible hide the sins of its heroes?
• People are never divided by their race in the Bible. What do you think about that?
• What is the right attitude for a Cristian in Finland towards alcohol, as every ten person here is a large consumer of alcohol?
Finally: Shem was blessed because the Savior of the world, Jesus, was born of his family. Japheth’s descendants were able to “live in the tents of Shem” because the Christian church grew among them for 2000 years. Nowadays most of Japheth’s descendants have given up their faith. The Christian church is now flourishing most among the Hamites.
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