Genesis 8-11

I read today's Word from a Bible that has no notes, no commentary. Except for a short description at the beginning of each book describing Who the inspired author was, when it was written etc., it has nothing but God's Word. It's very hard to find a Bible like that. I like it because I can read His Word without the distraction of someone else's opinion. It's just me and the Holy Spirit. So each morning when I read that's how I start. What is God's Word saying to me. I look for the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. I have a template that I make notes on. I observe His Word(people, places, things etc.), try to Interpret it, and look for ways I can apply it to my life or use it in my life today. Now, having said all that, I promise you that I didn't just wake up one morning and Poof! I knew how to study. No. I'm still a work in progress and probably will be for the rest of my days. But, I developed my own style of studying that works pretty good for me right now. I think part of my style comes from God's inspiration but a whole lot of it comes from other people. People who have gone before me and dissected God's Word for all it's worth. So this morning I decided to give an example of one man and how he interpreted our reading. This is great fun! :). Use this year to develop your own style.

These are some notes I copied from Warren Wiersbe. I think his analysis is very good and so I thought I would share.

Enjoy

II. The Flood Considered - Typically

The ark is an illuminating picture of our salvation in Christ (see 1 Peter 3:18–22). The salvation and the ark were planned by God, not invented by humans. There is only one way of salvation and there was only one door in the ark. The ark was made of wood, speaking of the humanity of Christ: He had to be born as man in order to save us. The word for “pitch” in 6:14 is the same as the word “atonement” used later in the OT. God invited Noah and his family into the ark (7:1); then, once they were in, God shut them in so that they were secure (7:16). The ark saved not only humankind, but also the creatures within it, just as Christ’s death will one day deliver creation from the bondage of sin (Rom. 8:18–23). The ark saved Noah and his family from judgment because they believed God’s promise (Heb. 11:7); Christ saves us from the wrath to come as we believe Him. First Peter 3:18–22 connects the ark with the resurrection of Christ; the waters buried the old world but raised Noah to a new life. Noah was faithful to obey all that God commanded; Jesus said, “I do always those things that please Him” (John 8:29). Noah was brought safely through the floods; Christ went through the flood of suffering (Ps. 42:7) and came out in victory. Noah went out of the ark, the head of a new creation with his family; and Christ came out of the tomb, the Head of the new creation, and the Father of a new family.

Noah went through the judgment and was kept safe, just as the believing Jewish remnant will go through the Tribulation to establish the kingdom on the earth. Enoch was raptured before the judgment came (5:21–24; Heb. 11:5), just as the church will be raptured before the wrath of God is poured out upon the world. See 1 Thes. 1:10 and 5:9–10.

III. The Flood Considered - Prophetically

Christ teaches that the days before the rapture and the Tribulation will be like the days of Noah (Luke 17:26, Matt. 24:37–39). We are living in the “days of Noah” today. We see such parallels as the multiplication of people in the “population explosion” (6:1); moral corruption of every kind (6:5); violence (6:11, 13); the expansion of arts and industry (4:16–22); lack of conscience, even for murder (4:23–24); and true believers being in a minority (6:8–10). But keep in mind that “the days of Noah” were also days of witness. In fact, God had told Enoch that judgment was coming, and he warned the people (Jude 14–15). Methuselah, Enoch’s son, was born in the year 687 and lived 969 years. He died in the year 1656—the very year the flood came! In other words, God gave the wicked world 969 years of grace. And for the last 120 years of that period, Noah was preaching and preparing the ark (Gen. 6:3; 1 Peter 3:20). Today, God warns that judgment is coming (2 Peter 3—fire not water), but few listen, and even fewer believe.

IV. The Flood Considered - Practically

We see in the flood account at least these six practical considerations: (1) God must punish sin. There must be death to the old before He can establish the new. (2) God gives warnings but eventually His patience ends and judgment comes. (3) God has always saved people the same way: by grace (6:8), through faith (Heb. 11:7). (4) True faith leads to obedience (6:22; 7:5). (5) True witness demands separation from sin, and Noah and his family kept themselves unspotted from the world. (6) Whether “the sons of God” in 6:1–4 were angels or the family of Seth, the same lesson is seen: God condemns compromise and rebellion, but rewards the separated saint.